Acrophobia is an extreme fear of heights that causes panic anxiety. It is one of the most common phobias. Feeling unusual or terrorizing by standing somewhere on the height is normal. Acrophobic people cannot even cross the bridge or the thought of crossing the bridge can cause shivers in them. Such small things can disturb their whole daily life routine.
Acrophobic do not enjoy swings like roller coaster due to their height phobia. Also, they feel reluctant to standing on top of hills or sometimes using a glass elevator is difficult for them. They avoid driving on bridges. Phobic people try to avoid such conditions to not have the occurrence of anxiety. This phobia is found more in men than in women. One fears of climbing the tree or a ladder and hiking mountains can also trigger fear.
What causes phobia
Acrophobia causes by facing the condition when phobic person experiences to be falling from some height cause panic attack while being at a height of few feet or sometimes phobia develops because it is genetic or environmental factors have other roles in triggering attacks. If a person sees someone falling from a high place, it may cause anxiety. If someone’s family member like biological parents or siblings has acrophobia, then the child is more likely to develop the same phobia or if someone’s caregiver had a phobia, the child may develop.
Getting injured by falling is a normal thing but for an acrophobic person even watching other people fall even on tv and in movies will give them shivers. Sometimes the fear of height develops when people fall from some height and after experiencing such an incident. Such a person starts fearing high places and gets reluctant to facing any such condition.
Symptoms
The anxiety triggers psychological and physical symptoms like:
- Sweating, tightness, and pain in the chest
- Heartbeat increases after thinking of being on height or the sight of it
- Start feeling sick
- Experience panic attacks
- Avoiding heights when all surrounding people are enjoying being on top out of embarrassment, it disturbs the social life.
- Trembling and shaking while facing heights.
- Dizziness and lose balance while looking down from a height.
- Extreme fear of being trapped on a height.
- Limitless frightened and paralyzed
- Start yelling or crying
- Panic attack with a high heartbeat
- Increasing heart palpitation
Treat yourself
Look into the treatment that can be helpful to overcome the fear of heights. It is different from many phobias as it can cause a panic attack to be on some high place. Try to cope with the situation and educate yourself. Try to relax in every condition. Make sure to consult a psychiatrist because it can be caused due to some past incident. Take a deep breath and muscle relaxation can help to cope with this phobia.
Meditation, yoga, and peace of mind can be highly helpful. Regular exercise can also be helpful in treating acrophobia. If you are still unable to cope, consult a specialist. A doctor can recommend you better about the medication and therapy. Never feel embarrassed to tell about your inner fears. It is a natural process. Every other person is suffering from some phobia. But overcoming the phobia is important because it can help you carry on with your life.
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