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Fear of the Unknown

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Understanding The Fear of the Unknown

It is fair to say Hamlet as a play—and the Danish Prince in particular—has fascinated psychologists since the birth of the field.

Freud famously had his own Oedipal theory of the play, while everything from Hamlet’s motivations to his madness have been the subject of endless analysis by literary critics and psychoanalysts alike.

Hamlet is one of the great characters in world literature, so deep and deeply analyzed he feels alive, like we know him and his life inside and out.

Yet, there are always new unknown depths to Hamlet and life, which he would be the first to tell us. Among his many, many anxieties, Hamlet famously fears “the undiscovered country” which, for Hamlet, is death.

It is this unknown and unknowable dimension which is so terrifying it’s arguably the only thing keeping him from choosing to “shuffle off this mortal coil.”

Whatever the unknown may look like to you, let’s take a deeper look at the fear of the unknown and how to conquer “the undiscovered country” of your personal phobia.

The Undiscovered Name and Condition

One of the most difficult aspects of diagnosing a fear of the unknown is that the fear itself isn’t recognized by the DSM-5. What’s more, there is no widely used term for a fear of the unknown itself. Three of the most common results you’ll find online are for xenophobia, agoraphobia, and agnostophobia. Unfortunately, none of these yield very satisfying results.

Neither xenophobia or agoraphobia are a good fit for encapsulating the sheer existential dread and terror exemplified by a fear of the unknown. It isn’t just that Hamlet fears death, after all, but the unknowable uncertainty of death. Not being alive is one thing, but not knowing what he will or won’t “be” is what underpins much of his “To be or not to be” speech. Hamlet has run up against the limits of human reason and experience, faces something truly unknowable, finds a void, and it terrifies him.

None of that is really encapsulated by xenophobia or agoraphobia. The former refers to a fear of strangers, and thus represents a fear of the unknown in a social and political context, but doesn’t carry the same overarching fear of the truly “unknowable.” The latter refers to a fear of public spaces and the unknown potential of being trapped and humiliated therein, which also doesn’t really capture the existential or epistemological heft of fearing that which is “unknown.”

At the same time, while agnostophobia is technically the name for the fear of the unknown phobia, the insight into the phenomenon itself appears to be mostly, well, unknown so far. There is very little material posted about this condition compared to the other two. The most common study online is one involving a study about engineers and deep learning which opens the definition of agnostophobia, but not much else about the term itself.

In its own way, Hamlet’s “undiscovered country” description is still one of the most accessible and immediately identifiable ways of referencing the fear of the unknown. Even if you yourself don’t fear death, in fearing the unknown, you fear what Hamlet fears, and so his phobic description lives on (at least until we get a more psychologically-established name).

Causes and Symptoms for the Fear of the Unknown

In a way, this makes sense. After all, as a fear of the unknown, you’re afraid of what you yourself don’t know, and that will obviously be very different from person to person. Our best chance of giving symptoms for it, therefore, comes in looking to the general signs of specific phobias. These are just what they sound like, phobic conditions that are particular to the person suffering them.

Some of the most common specific phobia conditions include:

  • Elevated heart rate
  • Trembling
  • Chest pain
  • Dry mouth
  • Nausea
  • Difficulty breathing
  • An overwhelming sense of anxiety
  • Feeling like you need to escape

Personal and Professional Treatment for the Fear of the Unknown

Thankfully, when it comes to figuring out how to overcome a fear of the unknown, while a proper popular name for the condition may be a bit unknowable right now, treatment options are not.

First and foremost, you want to try and label your fear as much as possible. As demonstrated by the uncertainty over the name and the generalized nature of the symptoms listed above, the vaguer your fears, the harder they can be to overcome. Finding a way to better label your fear can be an effective first step in conquering it.

To do this, you’ll want to do a bit of Hamlet-izing yourself and start asking questions about what you’re “really” afraid of and why. Are you really afraid of the unknown itself as an existential concept, or are you more afraid of the unknown aspect of a certain question? If you discover it’s the latter, you’ll have taken your first step toward better identifying your fear, which is the first step toward effectively treating any phobia. If you confirm it is indeed the former and you’re afraid of the known, you’ll at least have that knowable quantity to cling to, and that’s a start.

One of the most common causes of both forms of fearing the unknown is a fear of the consequences. Hamlet worries about “what dreams may come” as a consequence of death. Both death as well as a generalized fear of failure are common things to fear in relation to the unknown.

In tackling these, it is important to do something Hamlet never does, and accept that there are some things that are simply beyond your control or understanding. No one knows everything about everything. The unknown will always exist for you, but that doesn’t mean you always have to be afraid of it. Likewise, the unknowable nature of death and the unknown consequences of failure should never keep you from living life to its fullest.

Of course, that’s easier said than done (again, just ask Hamlet), which is why rethinking the unknown can be a powerful coping strategy. This is essentially a self-help version of cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, wherein therapists train patients to rethink the way they conceive of certain phobias. Finding a way to change the way you think about the unknown and viewing it not as an exciting adventure (or at least not a Hamlet-esque angst-ridden wasteland of dread) can be hugely helpful.

Meditation and mindfulness practices such as deep breathing and relaxation techniques can help you work toward the inner peace you need for overcoming a fear of the unknown.

Finally, to come full circle, you could always go the “Hamlet on the couch” route and see a therapist. Their training and empathizing combined with their psychological insights can help get to the bottom of your phobia. Even if the root of your fear of the unknown remains unknowable for you, it may not be for them.

For as lifelike as he is, living with an overwhelming fear of the unknown like Hamlet is no way to live. There will always be unknowable things in our lives, but that doesn’t mean these phobic voids are un-fillable. We cannot solve the riddle of the unknowable nor “the undiscovered country,” but with practice we can learn to live with and even cherish the challenge—and from there, “the rest is silence.”

FearAZ.com is looking for personal stories of any 'fear of' or phobia. If you have an interesting story you'd like to share, we welcome your submission. If the story fits with our content and guidelines, we'll add it to our site.
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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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