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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