Acrophobia: Why Are Some People Afraid of Heights?
About one in three people experience light-headedness when they look down from a transparent area on the TV tower or the top floor of a skyscraper. This reaction to altitude is a frequent occurrence that does not necessarily indicate phobia or illness. But if dizziness increases, and nausea, shortness of breath, panic, and other similar symptoms are added, then we may be talking about acrophobia, which is among the ten most common fears in the world.
History of the "disease"
While phobia is not a disease, it is just as uncomfortable for people. Rather, it is a strong and intrusive emotion that is able to subjugate the whole body and mind, interfering with a full life. Acrophobia, like other types of phobias, consists of the ancient Greek words "acros" and "phobo". The first means "height" and the second means "fear". Fear of heights is genetically based on ancient instincts of self-preservation. For this reason, most young children are afraid of high places.
Almost one in 20 people in the world has this phobia. In contrast to children, in adults, fear of heights is more likely to manifest itself in a milder form. But there are also those who have a cardinal phobia: people are afraid to walk on bridges, ride elevators and enter tall buildings. In such cases, fear not only causes a lot of inconvenience, but can lead to a serious mental illness.
Psychologists believe that such fear is born mainly from failure to fall from a height and also occurs in people with a weak vestibular system. Sometimes, people who are sensitive to loud noises or tend to fantasize a lot are affected, exaggerating the severity of the situation. When determining the true cause of the phobia, the doctor can choose the most effective therapy.
Frequent symptoms of altitude phobia
It is important to distinguish mild discomfort and caution when at altitude from signs of acrophobia. They can be divided into two types:
Psychological: anxiety, panic, thoughts of death.
Physical: rest, dizziness, heavy sweating, tremor, muscle tension, nausea and headaches.
People who have a severe form of this phobia cannot live well and need serious psychologic treatment, which should be determined by an experienced doctor. Drugs are usually of little benefit and have only short-lived effects. There is currently no definitive treatment for acrophobia. Specialists in the field of psychology and psychotherapy use correctional practice, relaxation techniques, teach patients to control their emotions, etc.
Doctor's Tips for Fighting Acrophobia
If doctors confirm a phobia of height in the person, treatment is indicated depending on the severity of the syndrome. To better control emotions and behavior when attacks of fear of heights, it is useful to follow the following recommendations:
1. Communicating with others
Don't be afraid to talk about your fears with others. Many people have a phobia of heights to some extent. It is unlikely to be ridiculed or judged. Rather, communicating with people can provide significant support and distract from negative thoughts. In addition, people with similar illnesses can share their experiences.
2. Use of reliable equipment
When climbing hills, it is important to be fully confident in your equipment and clothing. It's going to be a placebo effect. It is not superfluous to invest a good amount in shoes, protective equipment, backpack, which will help you feel much more confident. Before climbing the mountain should read useful materials on how to behave correctly during the ascent and how to avoid accidents.
3. Rationalize fears
Any doctor will surely advise people with acrophobia to find out first what causes fear, which is the main irritant. These can be bridges, slopes, mountains, skyscrapers, balconies or elevators. It is necessary to study the situations when exactly phobia occurs and evaluate them on a scale from one to ten. This will rationalize fears and give more confidence.
4. Proper breathing
When a severe fear attack occurs, the rhythm of breathing is disturbed. But there are simple, affordable breathing exercises that help restore self-confidence and overcome phobia. It can be meditation, yoga, the technique of abdominal breathing. While on a hill or at the moment of the appearance of the first signs of phobia, you should carefully monitor your breathing and try to subdue it to yourself, gradually slowing it down. People should take deep, slow breaths followed by a slow exhalation. This soothes the brain and helps to fight even the most severe panic attacks.
5. Pre-training
People should prepare for this before they ascend to higher ground or travel to places where the phobia of heights most commonly begins. He needs to close his eyes and try to visualize the situation. It was important to understand that it posed no security threat and all precautions had been taken. In a moment of panic, it will be difficult to think rationally and instill the right thoughts, so it is better to do all this in advance.
6. No rush
A few years ago, they often used radical methods to treat their fears. For example, if a person was afraid of water, they would be thrown into a deep pool, and they would have to swim out on their own, overcoming their fear. But it has since been shown that this type of shock treatment causes serious psychological trauma. Now, however, experts are increasingly recommending that phobia be resisted in a slow rhythm. A person with acrophobia does not need to jump off a bridge on a tarzan to get rid of fears. It is enough for a start to hold on to height, controlling the emotions, a few minutes. And then increase that time. It is important to go step by step, first overcoming small tasks.
7. Don't look down
There's one basic rule when you're at high altitudes, never look down. This will only exacerbate the phobia. Once faced with heights, it is important to focus your gaze on the fixed point ahead. You must move carefully to avoid falling and sliding.
8. Quit stimulants
Surprisingly, in order to overcome the fear of heights, you need to optimize your diet. It is important to remove stimulants such as caffeine, energy drinks, and foods with a high sugar content from the diet. All of them irritate the nervous system, which makes the symptoms of phobia more intense.
9. Forget about the past
A particular phobia may result from a particular event in a previous life. It is possible that in early childhood there was a fall, which caused fear of heights in the conscious age. In that case, one must accept and let go of one's past by emphasizing the present.
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