One of the most interesting human phobias is the fear of the subway. Residents of small towns practically do not suffer from it, but in megacities that have their own subway, this fear is present to one degree or another in approximately 70% of city residents.
An all-consuming, pathological fear of the subway is medically called metrophobia. And this is not just fear, but a whole set of frightening symptoms, because of which a person sometimes cannot even think about going underground and driving a few stops.
It's no surprise that metrophobes diligently avoid anything related to the subway. And in a large city, this makes their life very difficult, forcing them to carefully think through their routes, stand in traffic jams and refuse many trips, just to avoid using the metro.
What is metrophobia
What is metrophobia? This is a fear of the subway. But it is often talked about in conjunction with other phobias: escalaphobia, claustrophobia, achluophobia, social phobia, acrophobia, megalophobia and others. During diagnosis, it is important to understand what exactly frightens the patient and why he avoids traveling on the subway.
In psychoanalysis, there is a theory according to which the fear of the subway arises from associations with the kingdom of the dead and reflects the fear of death. The myths of Ancient Greece tell about Hades, the patron saint of the kingdom of the dead, which was located underground. The descent into the underground can be associated with the descent into this kingdom.
This is interesting! Fear of riding the subway is diagnosed in 70% of residents of large cities. But despite the admission “I’m afraid to ride the subway,” most people continue to use this type of transport.
Fears of a metrophobe
There are several things that a metrophobe is afraid of. What a person with a phobia fears: they are afraid of the ceiling collapsing and are afraid of being buried underground. Metrophobes also fear:
- terrorist attacks and the possibility of becoming a hostage;
- explosions, which are often reported in the press and on TV;
- accidents occurring due to a vehicle malfunction;
- the likelihood of being stuck in a subway car for a long time;
- darkness if the light suddenly turns off;
- robberies.
Causes of metrophobia and escalaphobia
Escalaphobia is the fear of escalators. It is closely related to the fear of the subway. And although phobias seem similar, the reasons for their development are somewhat different.
What is hidden behind the fear of escalators:
- fear of heights (a person is afraid that he will get dizzy and that he will fall);
- fear of getting caught on the top or bottom step of the escalator (fear that the machine will get sucked in);
- fear of falling due to loss of balance when entering an escalator.
The fear of riding the subway has its own reasons:
- fear of confined spaces;
- fear of being buried alive (fear of collapse);
- fear of suffocation in a stuffy carriage;
- fear of crowds and mass panic;
- fear of terrorist attack;
- fear of the dark;
- fear of being accidentally pushed onto the tracks by someone;
- fear of falling into the hands of scammers;
- fear of a train stopping (a person worries that he will not be able to get out of a confined space).
Impressionable and suggestible people may develop a phobia after watching the film “Metro.” Or after other thrillers, horror films about a subway crash and the monsters inhabiting it, etc. It could also be a news report about a disaster, terrorist attack, or accident in the subway. Fears are inherited from parents if they instilled in them the dangers of underground transport from early childhood.
Other negative factors that increase anxiety include:
- suspiciousness and vulnerability as character traits;
- dissatisfaction with life;
- overwork at work;
- alcoholism;
- taking psychoactive medications;
- conflicts in the family and at work.
It is important! Personal psychological trauma is the cause of a phobia, which requires exclusively professional treatment. If a person witnesses an accident or gets into an accident himself, then he needs the help of a specialist, since we are talking about PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
How does metrophobia manifest itself?
The main symptoms are avoidance of the object of fear and a panic attack. It is manifested by the following symptoms:
- cardiopalmus;
- labored breathing;
- dyspnea;
- chest pain;
- high blood pressure;
- icing of extremities;
- sweating;
- headache;
- tinnitus;
- dizziness;
- heaviness in the legs;
- chills.
A panic attack can happen on the stairs, in a carriage, on a platform, or when entering the subway. During an attack, a person is afraid of dying, fainting, or going crazy. In advanced stages of the phobia, panic occurs at the mere thought of taking the subway.
Symptoms of phobias
Metrophobia and escalaphobia are rich in unpleasant symptoms. The most typical is severe panic.
Because of these fears:
- The pulse skips a beat. It’s difficult to breathe intermittently, we’re suffocating;
- we feel very dizzy, spots are dancing before our eyes;
- we sweat terribly, feel hot, chills;
- my legs feel noticeably heavier, as if they had weights attached to them.
If we are afraid of escalators, we may even lose consciousness from severe dizziness. Something like this can easily happen to us in a crowded, stuffy subway car.
Fear of the escalator in the subway
Fear of an escalator in the subway is less common than fears associated with the subway itself. However, some people admit that they are afraid of falling, getting stuck, tripping, etc. Children are more likely to be afraid of moving stairs than adults. The child is crying and flatly refuses to come down. If parents respond to this by shouting, using force or intimidating the child, then the fear strengthens and turns into a phobia.
Reasons for fear of escalators in adults and children:
- personal psychological trauma (the person himself fell or saw someone feel bad);
- inheritance of anxiety from parents;
- mental and character traits;
- overwork, chronic stress;
- suggestibility (media, other people inspire fear).
The manifestations of escalaphobia are the same as the manifestations of metrophobia. The object and situations that the patient avoids differ.
Simple ways to get rid of the fear of the subway
A few simple tips and practical methods will help you overcome fear.
We don’t go down the subway feeling hungry or thirsty.
Weakness, dizziness, headache are typical signs of dehydration and exhaustion. And it occurs due to insufficient water consumption or a poor breakfast, or excessive coffee. This and the increase in stress hormone during hunger increase the manifestations of anxiety and fear. Therefore, before going down the metro, it is recommended to have a hearty breakfast or snack and take water with you.
Conquering escalaphobia, looking forward
Learn to concentrate on anything other than the movement and height of the escalator. Look at other people and objects passing by, but don’t look down. If you are worried about excessive pressure from people, then find a freer area and stand there.
Deep breathing vs escalator trains
Deep belly breathing is a universal method of relaxation. How to breathe correctly to calm down:
- close your eyes;
- inhale deeply for four counts through your nose;
- hold your breath for four seconds;
- exhale slowly through your mouth.
Breathe evenly and deeply. For greater effect, engage your stomach: round it when you inhale and draw it in when you exhale. Repeat the exercise 10–15 times.
Write down your panicky thoughts so they don't seem scary anymore.
Be specific about your fear. As long as you keep it in your head, it seems huge. But as soon as you write down your thoughts on a piece of paper, the significance of fear weakens. Think about what exactly scares you. Write down all your thoughts, even the strangest ones.
Fight your fear of the subway with facts
Take the list you have compiled, and for each item, find a scientific fact that further reduces fear. What did you write down? Fear of panic, terrorist attack, crowds, falling? Study the statistics on how often each of the above occurs. For example, did you know that one in 25 million people are hit by a train every year? The subway is much safer than a car, especially if you follow basic safety precautions.
We create an impenetrable shell around ourselves
Create the most comfortable environment possible, take your mind off fear. Listen to music, read books, play on your phone, communicate on social networks. You can look at other passengers, try to guess what they do in life, what their character is, etc. If you are not afraid of the dark, you can wear sunglasses.
We stop perceiving fellow travelers as enemies
People's fear is caused by mistrust. Try to change your attitude towards people. First, pay attention to everyone and understand that everyone is busy with their own affairs, puzzled by their thoughts. Secondly, smile at someone, hold the door, help them in and you will see that people respond in kind.
Psychologist's advice
The methods mentioned above help only at an early stage. At other stages, they can weaken the manifestations of the phobia, but do not help get rid of it. In this case, you need the help of a psychotherapist. The treatment uses psychological methods such as Gestalt therapy, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, and psychoanalysis.
The specialist finds out the subconscious causes of fear, and then helps the client develop new beliefs and behavioral strategies, and suggests how to get rid of fear. Practical methods involve gradual rapprochement with the object of fear.
Approximate stages of rapprochement:
- viewing images of subways, escalators, or other frightening elements;
- watching videos with the same content;
- listening to an audio recording with sounds characteristic of the metro;
- first trips accompanied by a psychologist;
- traveling accompanied by loved ones;
- independent trips during free hours;
- traveling during rush hour accompanied by a psychologist or loved ones;
- independent travel during peak traffic hours.
For severe exhaustion, psychological blocks and uncontrollable anxiety attacks, medication is indicated. Among the psychological methods used are hypnosis and hypnotherapy. The hypnologist puts the client into a trance, finds a destructive stop, and instills a new attitude towards the subway. The specialist suggests that this is exactly the same type of transport as a bus or tram.
Psychotherapeutic assistance
The above methods, of course, help ease metrophobia and escalaphobia, but they do not completely overcome the problem. A good psychologist can make fear disappear. With the help of Gestalt and behavioral-cognitive therapy, a specialist will get to the bottom of the causes of the phobia. Then, using special techniques, it will help to reconsider the attitude towards objects of fear - escalators, trains, crowds, underground rooms.
To treat a phobia, a hypnologist uses video and audio subway noises to gradually “dull” the client’s unhealthy reaction to these stimuli. When the fear subsides, the person will gradually begin to travel underground. He will do this accompanied by a relative or friend not during rush hour, when there are few people on the subway.
The most effective weapon against metro and escalaphobia is hypnosis. Hypnotherapist-hypnologist Nikita Valerievich Baturin has been successfully eliminating unpleasant fears for many years. The specialist will work through the fear and conduct a series of hypnosis sessions. The client will be instilled with a subconscious attitude to treat the metro simply as an ordinary form of transport. As ordinary and unthreatening as a bus or tram.
Metrophobia and escalaphobia can seriously complicate life, causing you to spend a long time shaking on a bus or trolleybus instead of quickly getting to your destination by subway. Simple psychological life hacks and the help of a highly qualified psychotherapist will make unpleasant horror stories disappear from our lives. We will gradually forget what the fear of the subway is, what this phobia is called. We will boldly step onto the escalator. Moreover, now it’s not just the metro that’s full of them. Favorite shopping centers also offer rides up or down.
What does a phobia lead to?
This type of phobia cannot be classified as dangerous or deadly, but it significantly complicates life. The patient has to give up a fast and convenient form of transport, he avoids going to large shopping centers, and obsessive thoughts prevent him from concentrating on work and personal life. If a certain point can only be reached by metro, then the patient refuses the meeting and plans. In general, he is constantly looking for alternatives, adapting his life to the phobia.
The second group of consequences is psychosomatic. Chronic stress weakens the immune system and worsens heart function. Constant mental stress is fraught with nervous breakdowns, isolation, depression, and neuroses.
Treatment methods
To overcome the fear of the metro, beliefs and understanding of one’s problem alone may not be enough, so a metrophobe will need high-quality medical care. One of the first steps will be to contact a psychotherapist, who will prescribe homeopathic medicines that will provide the patient with calm. Medicinal herbs (valerian, motherwort, lemon balm) have a mild calming effect. In advanced cases, tranquilizers from the benzodiazepine group may be required. They relieve fears, which helps you temporarily forget about the fear of the metro and use this transport when you need to.
If you are afraid of riding the subway, then to eliminate your fear of the subway you will need hypnosis, which will help you find and eliminate the root of the problem at the subconscious level. Hypnotic sessions will give control over emotions and give the patient the desired calm. Painless treatment with hypnosis, as well as methods of suggestion, is a chance for complete healing of metrophobia and restoration of a harmonious life. Exposure to the very nature of fear helps to cope with a phobia.
We must not forget about a healthy lifestyle. Walking in the fresh air, regular exercise, and the ability to organize your work day can strengthen the nervous system and make it less susceptible to any phobias.
Fear is a difficult phenomenon; with the right approach, you can forget about it forever, leaving unpleasant sensations in the past.
