Acrophobia: Fear of Heights

Anxiety disorders are among the most common of life's misery-inducers. In this series I discuss the nature of various anxiety-related problems and the nature of their treatment using cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).

I also provide continuing education online courses for professionals (including a course on treating Failure to Launch, and a live video seminar entitled The Parent Trap - the latter with versions for professionals and for public audiences), as well as live and on-demand courses for the general public and organizations.

#acrophobia #fearofheights #phobia

[JimmyBaxter-mu]

EXACTLY! That is how I feel! It is the not the danger itself. But that I am the danger, in that I might do something irrationally dangerous while being afraid of heights. Thank you for your brilliance!

[libertynow]

Mine is debilitating. If I start walking over an overpass I feel like I’m starting to lose my balance and I stare straight down and walk as fast as I can to get over. I walked out on a fun event at a golf driving range that was elevated about 30 feet and the driving platform was about three feet from the edge with just some netting and no guard rails. I’ve lived in Seattle area all my life (I’m 69)and have never been in the Space Needle. I can’t sit in the front row of the outfield section of a baseball stadium without freezing. The luxury suites make me nervous but the longer I am there the anxiety starts to go down. When I was a toddler someone that was not a family member, picked me up and held me over a bridge to get a better view of the waterfall below and I was hysterically screaming. I’ve never gotten over it.

[sandramolina]

I've not always have a fear of heights . I think after seeing 9/11 victims jumping off of building effected me. I have no fear of going over bridges, climbing ladders, or looking out from heights. Looking down is my problem. Seeing videos, pictures or just or thinking or picturing looking down from high heights, I feel my adrenaline kick in, and all of its symptoms. I don't fear losing control and jumping. With the adrenaline rush, I fear falling. Thank you for your suggestions and a road to rid myself of Acrophobia !

[enjoystraveling]

Wow, this man has some really good points and treatment therapy

[Calmmind-living]

Wow thankyou made so much sense and can see as my fear is terrible, stops me in my tracks and yes its the fear of then throwing myself off the edge, out of control in my mind, and sticking to the plan, not pushing myself more which I have done so often when trying to overcome heights. Thank you has helped

[thestonehousefarm]

I have been so scared of heights my whole life. I was told I was dropped when I was a baby on someone shoulders. When I watch tv and see someone up on heights feel like I am there

[StranGeYT]

Explained it so beautifully. Thank you! How you have a wonderful day :)

[gameaddictgonewild]

I climb trees.
When im going up, i dont see around me, it works just fine.
I am focusing on the grips, no thought given to me being in a crazy place.
But the moment you take a "breather", and chill for a bit.
Like, enjoying the view
brain.exe stopped working
And im going down

[dombes]

I think in the first couple of minutes I've gotten a bit more info on something that's been holding me back my whole life. When I was about 5 I played around a building site and fell off the balcony. Eversince then I get this imense sensation of falling if I do not see firm ground around me (e.g. looking off of a cliff etc.) and it may possibly be the case, that my adult self is just fearing that I might be stupid enough to walk off of a balcony again.. Keep in mind I hike a lot and find myself on higher ground, but still get a bit woozy at certain times and have to reassure myself. I just feel I'm going against it sometimes and not really curing the issue here.

[wenisbored]

How the heck does he know I live in pa

[sandrajackson]

My fear is that I am looking right at my mortality it leaves me no room for error and I do not want to have to play that close of attention to what I am doing or think I am doing with any miscalculation meaning my life and not only that I must pay attention to what others are doing and them being angry about me slowing down traffic. Then I look down at peaceful looking waters that I know would be so unforgiving if ever I fell into them and I have to think about that just for a split second before it happens and if it's concrete then just simply "splat". I am terrified just talking about it

[precioussoul]

My worst nightmare isn't being locked up in a cage with a hungry lion but being pushed from the balcony of a skyscraper. I have woken up many times with a rapid heart rate and drenched in perspiration because I dreamt of my seat on a roller coaster detaching with me flung into space. I can't even watch TV scenes of people dangling from a height without my intestines clamping up. The funny thing is, this only started in the last 5 years. I was perfectly okay for the first 40 years of my life!

[rickberdan]

I see someone on a rooftop on a TV show and i lean back and cant look. Sux.

[huginn]

I always had some fear of heights, sometimes worse, sometimes less. A week ago I stopped smoking (still consume nicotine via gums) - and while I am very proud of what i archived, the fear got worse. The way you describe it with the fear of lose of impulse control is exactly how I feel right now and it gets to a point where it becomes a real problem (i was reading a book on the balcony today and suddenly i got this fear I imaginated I will jump of the balcony). I am not suicidial, 7days smoke free feels great and I enjoy the extra energy I have. And the balcony is not even that high - not high enough to die, 3rd floor.

I do understand that the cigarette was giving me stability/support and now that is gone which puts some stress on me. However this very irrational fear is making me problems

Any tips to overcome this feeling of fear of losing impulse control?

[robbarrios]

For me, my hands start to tingle and feel like they're starting to go numb the higher i climb.

[Bradleys_fishing_adventures]

I can be up high but my problem is being on the ground and looking up high

[robertmccoy]

Idk if you or anyone will see this, but how long should a person wait between different places like once your comfy on the second ladder rung how long until you go to the third