I overcame my phobia – i dare to ride the lift again
Eveliina (29)
After getting stuck in the lift and waiting for help for almost two hours, I experienced a proper panic attack. It felt like the doors were tightly closed, and I couldn’t get enough air. Immediately after this incident, I could no longer ride the lift. I developed claustrophobia, experiencing panic, anxiety, shortness of breath, and a feeling of fainting while in the lift. This caused significant difficulties as I lived on the 8th floor and worked on the 6th floor. It caused a lot of stress, especially at work.
The picture is illustrative. Image by Freepik.
I heard about MER Biofeedback® therapy from an acquaintance who had received help for an anxiety disorder and decided to give it a try.
After the therapy, I felt pleasantly relaxed and went to bed early in the evening. The next morning (Saturday), I had to go out with my husband. He proposed taking the lift down, and I agreed to ride it with him.
I was surprised that I agreed, as such a thing would never have been considered before.
While going down in the lift, I felt uncomfortable, but I no longer experienced panic, anxiety, or shortness of breath. When we came home, we also took the lift up. It was the same story. After the first therapy session, I dared to ride the lift with other people. This was already a significant achievement for me.
I attended therapy a second time. About five days after the session, I decided to try riding the lift alone. For this test, I chose the lift at work because it felt safer for me. The first ride was uncomfortable, but there was no panic, anxiety, or shortness of breath. That same day at work, I used the lift a few more times. A few weeks later, I decided to try the lift in my home as well. It got better every day.