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Rare Phobias

Cainophobia – The Fear of Newness

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Cainophobia, Not a New Problem

Are you uncomfortable with unfamiliar things? Do you cringe at change, innovation, novelties?

Many people are afraid of change or of trying new things. However, if the fear is excessive enough to result in physical and mental health issues, the reason could be a condition called cainophobia.

Cainophobia—the extreme and morbid fear of newness—is also known by other names: cainotophobia; kainophobia; kainolophobia; and neophobia. Let’s explore what could cause this type of phobia, what its symptoms look like, and what treatment options are available to us.

Quick Fact:

The fear of new things or newness is also known as cenophobia or centophobia

What Is Cainophobia?

Cainophobia could be caused by several things, including: a specific triggering incident or trauma; a genetic disposition to anxiety; or changes in brain functioning.

For instance, a person might have had a past experience of extreme disappointment or even a life-threatening situation, and that event was a result of some kind of change. In such cases, the risk of developing cainophobia is elevated.

Another possibility is that the phobia has been brought about by the sufferer’s impulsive desire to always be in control. With this one, change would mean going out of the phobia sufferer’s comfort zone. For this individual, they view change as something that should be avoided.

Whatever the cause, having cainophobia can be detrimental to one’s well-being and quality of life. Avoiding new things by constantly staying in the same situations or conditions is risky, even impossible. No matter how much we avoid change or new things, we cannot completely prevent them from happening. Sufferers of cainophobia have difficulty dealing with this reality.

Common Cainophobia Symptoms

Similar to other people with phobias, sufferers of cainophobia may experience a variety of painful physical and mental symptoms as a result of their condition.

Physical symptoms include:

  • Hyperventilating
  • High blood pressure
  • Labored breathing
  • Insomnia
  • Trembling
  • Excessive sweating
  • Chest pains
  • Shock
  • Dry mouth
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Hot or cold flashes
  • Stuttering
  • Rapid speech

Psychological symptoms include:

  • Anxiety disorder
  • Panic attacks
  • Depression
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Becoming hysterical
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder

Self-help for Cainophobia

Physical Activity

Physical activity is one very effective way of dealing with anxiety and other stress-related symptoms. Exercise releases feel-good hormones called endorphins and, when done consistently, can decrease overall levels of tension. With all its benefits to people’s physical and mental condition, exercise is considered a vital tool for coping well with phobia symptoms.

Breathing Exercises

Difficulty in breathing is commonly associated with phobia. Practicing controlled breathing and exercises can help stabilize blood pressure and manage their phobia triggers.

Meditation

Meditation is another proven way of dealing with phobia symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Meditation, along with relaxation and mindfulness, can improve how sufferers react to stress.

Visualization

Visualization is an approach in which phobia sufferers are encouraged to visualize themselves getting into a new situation and handling it with ease. They are asked to picture themselves having no panic attacks, no sweating—just moving through the new situation in confidence and trusting in their ability to handle whatever surprises the change might bring.

Yoga

Practicing yoga is a known way of de-stressing and enhancing one’s overall sense of well being. Several studies have found evidence of yoga’s effectiveness in reducing stress and anxiety. Growing evidence shows yoga to be an relatively low-risk, yet high-yield approach to improving mental and physical health.

Journaling

While not a cure-all, journaling has proven to offer benefits to mental health. This practice can improve mood and manage depression symptoms. For people with anxiety disorders, including phobia, journaling can help in tracking any symptoms so that they can recognize triggers and learn ways to control them. Keeping a journal also helps phobia sufferers prioritize problems and concerns, and provides an opportunity for positive self-talk.

Professional Help for the Fear-of-Newness Phobia

There are several cainophobia treatment options available.

Exposure Therapy

This is an approach where patients are gradually but repeatedly exposed to the object of their fears. The aim is to desensitize the phobia sufferer to the things that frighten them. The therapy is started in a controlled environment, then later on, the patient is encouraged to initiate change by themselves, from simple adjustments (for example, a new habit) to major lifestyle modifications (for example, moving to a new house).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This treatment strives to teach patients to identify and then replace harmful thoughts and behaviors with healthy ones. The aim is to help patients understand why they think and react the way they do about new situations, and then teach them to respond to unfamiliarity productively.

Medication

If the symptoms are extreme, doctors may prescribe medication to help patients manage their discomfort. The medication does not cure the phobia, but eases the symptoms during the time they are active.

Talk Therapy

This involves the help of an expert psychiatrist or mental health practitioner who guides the patients through their trauma and fear by letting them talk it through and process it vocally. The therapy can be done in a group to encourage listening to those with similar experiences. Or, it can be done one on one in scheduled, consistent sessions.

 

Seeking Treatment

As you enter therapy for the first time, expect a lot of questions from your medical provider. These questions and your answers will help your therapist get an accurate picture of your condition. So be ready to provide as many details as possible about your condition.

Some of the questions you may be asked include:

  1. What prompted you to seek therapy now?
  2. When did you first notice your symptoms?
  3. When are your symptoms likely to occur? What thoughts go through your mind before your symptoms become active?
  4. Do you notice things that make your symptoms seem better or worse than they would be otherwise?
  5. How are your symptoms affecting you and the people around you?
  6. How have you been coping with the symptoms that brought you into therapy? What have you tried so far?
  7. Do you have (or have you had) any medical condition for which you are taking (or had taken) prescribed medication?

Tips for Dealing with Cainophobia

Several ways to help avoid triggering symptoms include:

  1. Avoid caffeine.
  2. Rest better.
  3. Sleep more.
  4. Eat a healthy diet.
  5. Seek out professional help.
  6. Adhere to the doctor’s instructions.
  7. Keep an open mind.
  8. Be kind to yourself.
  9. Don’t avoid, even when you experience relapses.
  10. Attend your therapy sessions regularly.
  11. Embrace the growth and new adventures that come with change.
  12. Let your loved ones in on your healing journey.
  13. Realize that change is not the problem, but how you react to it and handle it is what determines the outcome.
  14. Learn that you cannot control everything, and certain things are out of your control.

Change and growth are inevitable in life. One can imagine how potentially debilitating cainophobia can be for people who struggle with it. But having support from a variety of sources can help improve the symptoms and address challenging situations. Also, the most difficult part of overcoming phobia is getting started. If you or a loved one has phobia and have decided to seek help, take heart and know that with each step forward, the cure comes within reach.

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Your Fear Goes Up and Down

Are you someone who would rather climb the stairs than take the elevator? You call it squeezing in a workout after being sedentary the whole morning. Or perhaps you claim it's a faster route. These are both typical, normal, and acceptable reasons. But what if you need to be in the conference room on the eleventh floor in five minutes, and you're wearing your business suit and wingtips? Would you still prefer to take the stairs? If your answer is yes, then maybe it's time to take a closer look at your reasons for avoiding elevators. Elevators stir all sorts of emotions in passengers. From the discomfort of closeness to strangers to the sensations in our gut, elevators can be a source of the heebie-jeebies for many, but for some, they can also be a source of terror. Let's dig a little deeper into the latter, and see what this terror is all about and what can be done to manage it. To begin with, does being inside an elevator give you chills or the sweats? Or does it trigger an unpleasant memory? Perhaps you remember movies you've watched where something terrible happens inside an elevator. From Silence of the Lambs, The Shining, Final Destination 2, or the king of all elevator horror films, 2010’s Devil, the elevator becomes witness to something sinister and horrible. And you want nothing to do with any of it. You know that you're not claustrophobic. You can deal with heights just fine, too. And you know that you're not going to be trapped inside. All of these contribute to a fear of elevators—but they don't apply to you. Yet being inside one does something to you. It's hard to explain.

What is the Fear of Elevators Called?

What you have is a fear of elevators, which is called elevatophobia. It is most commonly triggered by an experience of getting stuck inside either due to a power outage or technical maintenance. Hearing about other people's experiences or watching a movie about similar circumstances can prompt a fear of elevators getting stuck with you inside. Usually, claustrophobics and agoraphobics may also develop elevatophobia because the triggers and objects of these fears are related. Claustrophobia is the fear of closed and cramped spaces, while agoraphobia is the fear of being trapped without any means of escape. Put the two together, and the elevator becomes the perfect combination of both phobias. The space is limited and closed, with only one means of entry and exit. You can add another point of access if you consider climbing the cables like they do in the movies, but that certainly isn't ideal.

Symptoms of Elevatophobia

If for some reason an elevator stops due to an outage or some technical difficulty, passengers with elevatophobia may go into full panic mode. Even if the maintenance team advises that it will just be a matter of minutes, by then, the person's mind has become irrational with the fear of the elevator falling, being stuck for hours, or other unpleasant thoughts. You would expect a person to exhibit the following physical symptoms: Additionally, you would be filled with that overwhelming anxiety where you feel that you have zero control over the situation. You start fearing the unknown and are filled with negative thoughts about death and imminent doom. You become irrational and unresponsive.

Possible Complications of Elevatophobia

When the panic sets in, the possibility of emergencies related to pre-existing conditions may make themselves known. This might include serious health crises like heart attacks or asthma attacks. When this happens, fear becomes a medical emergency. Elevator rides do not last long; it's just a matter of minutes or even less. But the fact that a person can escalate from panic to a near fatal medical situation classifies the fear of elevators as a 'hard phobia.'

Trying Some Self-Help Methods

Your fear of elevators can likely interfere with your social and work life and relationships. Not everyone understands that elevatophobia, like most phobias, can be crippling. But don't be disheartened. Depending on the level of your fear and level of control, you can gradually face and manage your phobia. Here are some recommendations you can try:
  1. Make a List of Everything that Entails Riding in an Elevator This is a systematic approach to getting over your anxiety. By following a step-by-step process, you can identify where the fear kicks in at its strongest. You can write a list of steps like pressing the topmost button and waiting to arrive on that floor, watching as the door closes and opens, being alone inside the elevator, or having delays with the doors opening. Now try doing the opposite. For example, face away from the door or occupy yourself with your phone so that you are distracted.
  2. Create Your Fear Ladder Although the name says fear of elevators, it is not the whole process that scares you. There are just phases and parts of the elevator riding experience that cause you to panic. So go back to the list you initially created and label the fear level you feel. You can do it numerically, too, like ten being 'really scary,' six, 'manageable scary,' and one, 'not scary at all.' You can put the corresponding fear levels so you can focus more time and effort into activities that are more scary to you.
  3. Face Your Fear By now, you have identified what scares you the most. You can try repetitive action to minimize your fear and increase your sense of ‘normalcy’. Remember that the longer you expose yourself to your fear, the better you get at handling your emotions. If you are feeling overwhelmed, stop. Pushing yourself too fast and too soon can backfire. Modify your pace and go slower instead.
  4. Talk About Your Fear People by nature, unfortunately, are not quick to offer understanding and support. You need to tell them what's wrong before they can empathize. Talk to someone who you trust and ask for their support, especially in the initial phase of overcoming your fear. If you are too afraid to ride the elevator alone, you can ask them to go with you, and before you realize it, you are on your floor, and there was no indication of panic.
  5. Learn To Be Patient Be patient with yourself and your predicament. This is, after all, your fight against fear. It might take hundreds of elevator ride practices before the fear gets under control. Even then, there might be some hesitations and episodes of nervousness. These are acceptable and expected, so cut yourself some slack and congratulate yourself for every progress.

Seeking Professional Help

Along with self-help, you can always enlist a medical professional's aid to support you with your elevatophobia. Talking to someone who has experience with similar cases can be comforting, because you know that you are not alone, and this situation can get better. Talk to your doctor about the severity of your fears and the symptoms that you experience. Explain how you deal with it in an attempt to control it. An exam and a health history are made to ensure that there are no unrelated or underlying problems that your symptoms might mask. Usually, phobias like this are approached with a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Your doctor will talk about these options with you, and it's entirely up to you, with your doctor's recommendation, what you want to pursue. For psychotherapy, the most common type is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to help you find different ways of behaving, thinking, and reacting when about to step inside an elevator or when already inside it. With medications, there are beta blockers and benzodiazepines, but note that these can have side effects. Whatever these side effects are, you should promptly share it with your doctor.

Simple Tips to Overcome Elevatophobia

Elevators are not perfect, but their likelihood to malfunction, fall, or get stuck is very low. If you are not fully confident with this information, you can help overcome your elevatophobia by learning common elevator safety tips and basic elevator operations. These should help curb your mild fear until you become more self-assured. In addition to that, here are some of the things that you can do to gradually overcome your fear of elevators—both in getting on and riding one.

Conclusion

Yes, elevatophobia can be a challenge in today's world, but don't allow the elevator to win. Don't let it stop you from taking a job on the top floor or attending a social gathering on the rooftop. Sure, you can take the stairs if you insist and arrive winded and sweaty, with the party about to wrap up. But is this the quality of life you seek? Elevators are designed to make life easier. There are guaranteed ways to help you overcome elevatophobia. Take the first step and seek help. Soon, you’ll see yourself breezing through the floors with those arduous stair climbs little more than a memory.
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