I thought that I was alone

For years I have had an irrational fear of escalators, and I thought that I was all alone in this. I have no idea how it started, but for years, even looking at an escalator I would get sweaty and my hands would get clammy, my heart starts racing and I start freaking out. It really drives my husband crazy, because sometimes we have to go out of our way so I don't have to go on the escalator.
I read an article in the New York City News and found out that my fears aren't unwarranted. At a movie theater, one kid's pants caught in the escalator and the escalator was stopped. The kids behind fell "like dominoes" and they toppled down on one another. Some of the kids had to go to the hospital.
Okay okay, I know its still crazy, but I really don't know what to do! Just because I know its crazy doesn't mean that I know how to stop from being afraid of using the escalator.
Travelling is interesting. In California, the Universal Studios has a multi-story escalator that horrified me and there wasn't an elevator alternative. There was a handicap van that took you down to the lower lot. It was completely embarrassing, but because I have this completely irrational fear, I had to use the handicap access. It completely embarrasses me even to talk about it, but I guess this is just a part of life, so I might as well share.
BTW I just found out that the world's longest escalator is in Hong Kong. It's called the Central-Mid-levels escalator.