Why are we afraid of the elevator?

My seven year old granddaughter is afraid to ride in an elevator. They did everything they could to convince her that there was nothing wrong with it. It doesn't work! What should I do? Help us...

Elena Gracheva, St. Petersburg

Vera Vavilova , psychotherapist, Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, Moscow region:

- Dear Elena, fear in people susceptible to this phobia (claustrophobia) can arise not only in the elevator, but also, for example, if the door to the apartment is slammed and there are no keys, if the latch in the bathroom is jammed. “Why are we afraid of confined spaces?” – not everyone can answer this question. However, not everyone is susceptible to this phobia: some people react sharply and sensitively to such situations, and for some it is a trifle. Fear also manifests itself in different ways: from trembling and sweating to hysterical laughter or crying.

From childhood?

Such fears do not arise out of nowhere - parents need to notice this childhood fear in time and try to find its cause.
This may be an already forgotten situation from distant childhood, which left such an imprint in the child’s mind.

How to overcome your fear

1. Fear is generated by emotions - try to think rationally. Imagine that this situation has already happened and you are unable to change it. Therefore, you need to think through your further actions.

2. If you notice such fear in your child, try to determine his condition: restlessness, anxiety or panic fear. Come up with and learn together a poem or little rhyme that he will remember and recite in such a situation. This will distract you from fear.

3. Don’t treat fear as nonsense - you need to fight it. Don't shame your child!

Our information

Claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed spaces. The most common reason (on an unconscious level) is the birth situation. At the moment of passage through the birth canal, the child experiences severe oxygen starvation, sometimes threatening the life of the fetus. These memories return when you find yourself in a similar situation as one of the body’s reactions to a threat to life.