An exaggerated fear of heights, also known as acrophobia, is estimated to affect 5 percent of the general population. While almost everyone experiences some degree of anxiety at the thought of falling from a very large and dangerous distance, the fear is terrifying to some. If your fear of heights is so overwhelming that it affects your performance at school or work, or prevents you from enjoying your daily activities, you may have acrophobia. Learn about acrophobia and effective ways to overcome your fear below.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Understanding Your Fear and Being Able to Face It
Step 1. Find the exact cause of your fear and the level of that fear
You may need special treatment for your phobia rather than just being treated for another type of anxiety disorder, as you may feel excessive stress just from thinking about being at certain heights. You may also experience physiological changes, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure and increased sweating. If so, you may need specific treatment for your phobia rather than just being treated for another type of anxiety disorder. If your fear of heights is not as severe as this, you may be able to try to relieve the discomfort you feel at certain heights with a little practice. On the other hand, if your discomfort is so severe that you can't handle it on your own, you may need to switch to trying therapy or treating it with medication.
- For example, have you ever turned down a job because it was located on a certain floor, or missed an opportunity to meet important people because you were asked to meet them at a location too high from the ground? If so, it indicates something more serious than just a "fear of heights," such as a phobia or anxiety disorder.
- If you're unsure how many times your fear of heights has prevented you from doing what you want to do, sit down and make a list. Recall a time when you decided not to do what you needed or wanted to do because of your fear. Writing it down on paper can give you a better idea of how seriously your fear has affected your life.
Step 2. Consider the possible actual impact of the situation you fear
By definition, a phobia is an "irrational" fear of experiences that most people don't consider threatening. But if your fear is relatively minor, a statistical comparison can give you an idea. In most circumstances, things that usually trigger a fear of heights (such as skyscrapers, airplanes, and roller coasters) are perfectly safe. These facilities are specifically designed to be as sturdy and safe as possible. It can be easy to forget that you are less likely to experience the slightest impact of normal day-to-day activities such as traveling by plane or working in tall buildings.
For example, depending on the airline, the odds of a plane being in a fatal crash are around 1 in 20 million.. Compare that to the odds of an American being struck by lightning, which is estimated at about 1 in 1 million
Step 3. Relax
Relaxation activities that focus on spiritual realization, such as yoga or meditation, can help you influence the impact that fear or anxiety has on your life. This can be as simple as practicing deep breathing while imagining the situation you are afraid of. Or it could include taking the time to take a yoga class. These exercises can help make yourself sensitive to emotions that are linked to physiological processes, such as breathing, heartbeat, and sweating.
Regular exercise, getting plenty of sleep, and maintaining a healthy diet are all great ways to regulate the physiological processes associated with phobias and anxiety. Start small. Taking regular walks or drinking more homemade smoothies instead of fattening snacks can put you on the right track
Step 4. Consider eliminating caffeine from your diet
Caffeine consumption can be a contributing factor to the anxiety associated with acrophobia. Limiting or avoiding caffeine can help relieve these symptoms. In addition, cutting down on caffeine will likely make you less tense and calmer, which can make it easier to deal with your fears.
Step 5. Expose yourself to fear gradually
Try to expose yourself to heights slowly and steadily. For example, you might want to start by just looking out over the second floor balcony. Then, you can try climbing a big hill and then looking down from the distance of the height you have reached. Once you're comfortable, continue to expose yourself at a high level. If you can, try to always have support during this activity, for example, by bringing a friend. You should feel proud in every achievement and don't lose momentum. With patience, you may eventually find yourself doing a bungee jump to celebrate your newfound powers.
Forcing yourself to do something you know will make you nervous can be very difficult. To give you a little extra "push," create circumstances that will make you feel like you have to face your fears. For example, if you're at a carnival and a friend wants to take you on a scary ride, tell them you're going to do it and buy a ticket. You will be more likely to do so if you have experienced the experience yourself. Don't forget that you can use relaxation techniques to ease your anxiety
Method 2 of 4: Trying Therapy
Step 1. Know your limits
If you find yourself constantly missing opportunities because of your fear of heights and you've been working on it, you may need to consider more long-term options. Explore the following options in depth knowing that they can help you seize the opportunity.
Research shows that various forms of treatment that you may encounter in therapy, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), can be helpful in controlling certain phobias such as acrophobia
Step 2. Find a therapist who fits your needs
There are many schools of psychotherapy, from traditional psychoanalytic methods to existential and alternative approaches. The goal of any therapy program is to help you reduce your fears safely and gradually and to teach you how to control your anxiety. Therapy can be carried out in conjunction with treatment or not. Ultimately, you need to decide what type of therapy is the best option for you. However, there are a number of things to consider when choosing a therapist, including:
- Accreditation. Before starting a therapy program, seek the education and accreditation of the therapist and counselor you are considering. Try to find a therapist or counselor who is licensed in their field and has expertise in treating phobias or anxiety.
- Experience. Try to find a therapist who has been in practice long enough to produce a number of happy and healthy former patients. If you can, talk to some former patients. Ask how effective and comfortable their experience was and if they would be willing to recommend their therapist. Think again about the therapist who is inexperienced and can't prove his or her acknowledgment of success.
- How treatment. Most therapists use modern and scientific techniques that have been evaluated by fellow therapists in legitimate medical publications. However, holistic and alternative methods have also been researched and are very effective for some people.
Step 3. See your therapist and talk about your acrophobia
Once you feel you have found the right therapist, schedule an appointment and see if that therapist is right for you. Each therapist may use a different approach to dealing with your fear. Most of them, however, will first ask you to explain your fear, ask questions about how long you've had it, the problems it causes, etc. Be completely honest with your therapist. The more information you can provide, the easier your phobia will be to treat.
Also be sure to talk to your therapist about techniques that work and don't seem to work
Step 4. Learn techniques for controlling anxiety
You may learn how to deal with and control your anxiety. This is not meant to relieve your anxiety, but to make it more manageable. With a therapist, you will learn to deal with it differently and begin to take control of your thoughts and feelings. Eventually you'll feel more at ease with what you can do and what you're trying to accept.
Step 5. Go through exposure therapy gradually
One way that some (but not all) therapists approach phobias is to gradually increase exposure to the stimulus that causes the fear, starting with relatively small experiences and gradually increasing the sensation as the patient develops tolerance. For example, you can simply imagine standing on the edge of a cliff. Then when this is resolved, you can view photos taken from a high angle. In recent years, virtual reality has provided therapists with many exciting possibilities to enable patients to safely deal with their fear of heights in a controlled environment.
In the end, after the patient has made significant progress, the patient can travel by plane or other activities that previously caused great fear
Step 6. Get ready to do chores to do at home
Many therapists will provide readings and exercises to do at home to strengthen the mental and physical techniques you have been taught. You will be asked to challenge your own negative thinking patterns and work on a strategy each day.
Homework may include activities such as breathing exercises, mind tests, and more
Method 3 of 4: Overcoming Acrophobia with Medication
Step 1. Find a psychiatrist or doctor who is experienced in recommending medications for phobic disorders
It is important to choose a doctor whose expertise matches your problem. If you don't know a doctor or psychiatrist who can recommend medication for your phobia, a good way to start looking is to contact your family practice doctor. He may be able to recommend a trusted coworker to you.
- Realize that drug treatment will not solve the underlying psychological problem that causes acrophobia. But it can make life easier for you by easing your anxiety and calming you down.
- Consider using alternative, natural medications or treatments. It can include acupuncture, meditation, or essential oils. Be sure to talk to your doctor before trying any of these methods.
Step 2. Talk to your doctor openly
Communication is key if you are seeking treatment for your acrophobia. Explaining your symptoms as clearly and thoroughly as possible can help your doctor make an informed decision about possible treatment options. Tell your doctor about your symptoms openly and let him or her help you.
Step 3. Find out as much as you can about the available drugs
Not all doctors know about all the medications available to treat acrophobia, so you may need to find out on your own about these medications. Share any concerns you may have with your doctor and allow him or her to provide helpful feedback. Many drugs are reported to have negative side effects. It doesn't matter if you conclude that the side effects outweigh the benefits. Here are the most common types of medication your doctor may prescribe:
- Antidepressants such as SSRIs or SNRIs are drugs that generally affect and increase the amount of certain neurotransmitters that regulate mood.
- Benzodiazepines are psychoactive drugs that work quickly and are useful for short-term relief of anxiety. Although effective in the short term, benzodiazepines can be habit-forming.
- Beta blockers or beta blockers work by blocking adrenaline. This medication is primarily used to relieve physical symptoms of anxiety, such as shaking or a racing heart.
Step 4. Seek treatment for diseases of the visual or vestibular system
Although cases of acrophobia are not fully understood, research suggests that the phobia may be related to the way the body interprets image and spatial stimuli from the vestibular system and the eye. For some patients, acrophobia can arise from an inability to receive visual and spatial cues from a high distance, which increases the importance of the information. This can cause sufferers to feel confused or dizzy and misjudge the position of their own body parts.
In this case, acrophobia may have physiological, rather than psychological consequences, so talk to your doctor. You may be referred to a medical specialist who can give you an insight into the physical consequences of your fear
Step 5. Consider all the available options
In some cases, especially if conventional treatment doesn't work, you may want to look for an approach that is labeled “alternative”, “complementary” or “integrative”. This approach is not for everyone, but has been shown to be effective in certain conditions. This treatment can include various forms of treatment such as acupuncture, mind-body centered exercises that enhance the relaxation response, guided images to stimulate the mind in the healing process, and/or reduced sensitivity to eye movements and the use of biofeedback to regain bodily function.
As is the case with most exercises, it's always a good idea to consult a trusted doctor before starting any form of intense exercise
Method 4 of 4: Avoiding Destructive Myths
Step 1. Don't immediately try to do something without knowledge
People are often asked to overcome their fears by doing something that usually feels scary to them. For someone with a fear of heights, this could be riding a roller coaster, parachuting, or looking over the edge of a cliff. Recent research has shown that acrophobia is an inherited condition, and not an external one, which means that forcing the acrophobic to try something right away may not have any effect. It might even make the fear worse.
More research is needed to find the exact cause of acrophobia. Until the fear is fully understood, it is not a good idea to expose a person with acrophobia to extreme heights without first addressing the fear with therapy, medication, etc
Step 2. Don't just tolerate your acrophobia
If your fear of heights is preventing you from working, relaxing, or doing the things you love, it's a real condition and not something you should try to understand. "Be strong" or "just face it" are not good strategies for living with a real phobia. You can actually cause extreme stress and make poor decisions if you try to hide your fear of heights by being strong on the outside.
You are stronger than you think. Show strength by seeking the right treatment. See a doctor, psychiatrist, or experienced therapist to start overcoming your fear
Tips
- Try using a diving board in a swimming pool near you, starting at a low level and working your way up to height.
- Try finding other acrophobia sufferers. Being in a community can provide some solace and let you discover new sources and ideas that you might not have considered on your own.
- In the United States, certification requirements vary from state to state-many states and jurisdictions require therapists and counselors to have specific licenses issued by non-governmental bodies such as the Behavioral Analyst Certification Board (BACB) or the American Psychological Association. (APA), to practice certain types of therapy.
- When you are on the outside balcony or looking out the window at a tall building, enjoy the beauty of the view.
- Keeping calm is often a lot easier to think about than to do. Nonetheless, it's something you should at least 'try' to do to face your fear. Take a deep breath. Find something positive or beautiful to focus on in the experience.
- If you're on a balcony or in an open space where you might fall, don't lean forward to look down. This will create anxiety and a safety hazard. Instead, grip the railing or railing to increase the feeling of safety and security in the position.
- Talk to people who work long distances every day. Some examples include window cleaners, construction workers, lumberjacks, electrical wiring workers, rock climbers, gliders, pilots, mountain climbers, crane drivers, etc.
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Do a number of activities at home that will force yourself to gradually get used to the height:
- Climb a tree with the help of a supervisor
- Climb a rope ladder with multiple pedestals on the surface; climb a little higher each time.
- Swing on a rope attached to a big tree; dive into the water, if possible
- An easy way to help overcome your acrophobia is to think that you are on a flat surface rather than at a height.
Related article
- Overcoming Fear
- Survive When Falling from a Height
