Scared of Heights? Here's What You Need to Know
If you’re afraid of heights, you know that it can
completely ruin your day and often, your life if you’re not prepared to manage
it. Here are five facts about acrophobia that you may have never thought of before.
What are the different kinds of fear when it comes to heights?
There are three kinds of fear when it comes to heights.
The first is Acrophobia, which is a fear of dizziness or vertigo associated
with height. Next there is Astraphobia, which is a fear associated with
lightning and thunder. Finally, there is Katagelophobia, which is a fear
associated with being stuck on high places and not being able to get down.
How does fear work anyway?
When people are afraid, they are responding to something
in their environment that might actually harm them. It makes sense then that
someone who is afraid of heights would be more fearful when standing on a high
place than when sitting at ground level. One theory about fear is that it
evolved as a way for humans and other animals to avoid threats. These threats
could be physical, such as a tiger, or psychological, such as the fear of
failure.
Some common fears about heights
If you're afraid of heights, you're not alone. In fact,
fear of heights is the third most common phobia (behind only specific phobias
like fear of spiders or public speaking). It is estimated that between 8% and
18% of people are actually scared of being high up. The good news is that there
are many treatments available if you want to work through your fear and also
ways to prevent it from coming on in the first place.
Myths about fear
Some common myths about fear of heights include the idea
that only young children have this phobia, that there is no cure, and that
people with this phobia cannot overcome it. In fact, most adults experience
fear at some point in their lives and can be helped through treatment.
Causes
Height phobia is a phobia associated with height. It
usually develops in response to an accident or episode that appears that the
person could fall off a building or structure. In some cases, height phobia may
develop as a result of witnessing a traumatic event involving heights, such as
witnessing a building collapse, seeing someone fall from a height, etc.
Treatment Options
It sounds like you're experiencing Acrophobia the fear of
heights. Check out these articles for some guidance on what to do if you want
to get rid of your phobia:
The most common treatments are systematic desensitization
and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Systematic desensitization helps people
confront their fears by getting them accustomed to the height in stages, while
cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches people how to change their thoughts about
situations so they don't cause a panic attack. Remember that there is no cure
for acrophobia, but if you keep working at it, your anxiety will likely lessen
over time.






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