People with a fear of heights feel an unnaturally strong fear of heights or a look into the depths. While others enjoy the view, they experience anxiety with dizziness, sweats and palpitations. For some, a few steps are enough on the ladder to trigger the symptoms. But with appropriate therapy you can get the phobia usually well under control. Read here, how fear of heights arises and what you can do about it.
What is fear of heights?
Ache or acrophobia is the fear of a certain distance from the ground. Depending on how severe the fear is pronounced, it can already occur when climbing on a ladder. The fear of heights is one of the specific phobias – these are anxiety disorders that are limited to specific situations or objects.
The fear of heights is not a rare phenomenon. Many people get weak knees when they look down from an elevation. A certain amount of respect for heights is innate to us and a natural protection. Already babies have a natural fear of abysses. In experiments, toddlers are already hesitating in front of a precipice, even though a glass plate lies over it and they could crawl without danger.
From an evolutionary point of view, the fear of heights ensures our survival. In some people, the fear of heights is so pronounced that they can not even walk or drive over a bridge. If the fear is unfounded strong and the quality of life of those affected by it is limited, the fear of heights is pathological.
How are vertigo and vertical vertigo different?
The vertigo is a natural phenomenon. Altitude dizziness occurs when you have a certain distance to the ground. The eyes then have difficulty recognizing fixed spots in the distance. The eyes move in search of fixed points and the head sways slightly. At the same time, the brain receives a message from the feet of a firm footing. These contradictory signals create dizziness. This dizziness indicates a potential danger that threatens an abyss.
In anxious people, this dizziness can trigger a fear of heights. They are accompanied by strong physical symptoms. They start to sweat, their heart beats faster and their fear becomes unbearably strong.
How is a fear of heights noticeable?
Characteristic of the fear of heights is an excessive fear of heights or depths. Moving away from the ground is so unbearable for those affected that they avoid such situations.
In the dreaded situation, physical and psychological symptoms appear. Typical physical signs of specific phobias include difficulty in breathing, sweating, shaking, palpitations, chest tightness, and dry mouth. Mental signs are fear-filled thoughts, including dread. Those affected fear being out of balance and falling. Many also describe the feeling of being pulled into the depths.
Treatment of fear of heights
Specific phobias are treated psychotherapeutically. Above all, experts recommend a so-called exposure therapy in the context of a cognitive behavioral therapy. Who wants to overcome the fear of heights, must face his fears.
The patient goes into the dreaded situation with the help of the therapist – in case of a fear of heights he can also be simulated virtually. He then experiences that his fears are not proven and the fear gradually decreases. This happens by itself, because the body can not sustain the fear reactions permanently.
In addition, the therapist directs the patient on how to deal with an anxiety attack – for example, how to calm down using breathing exercises. By repeatedly confronting the awesome situation, one can defeat fear of heights.
Searching for help
A behavioral treatment has good chances of success. However, many sufferers wait a very long time to seek help and instead avoid heights. By avoiding the fear but increasingly stronger. People with a pronounced fear of heights can not even climb to the second level of a ladder, for example, to replace a light bulb.
Her life is then dominated by her fear. Some try to calm down with alcohol, drugs or medications. Together with a therapist this downward spiral can be interrupted. The earlier with the treatment of fear of heights The better the chances of a fearless life are.