Is Acrophobia Making You Jittery and Anxious. Here is How You Can Recover From it

Acrophobia or fear of heights ails many people; they feel helpless, thinking there is no way to recover from this condition. However, even if things seem impossible to you right now, they aren’t, so if you evaluate your situation and try to understand exactly why you are feeling the way you are feeling? First, let’s learn how it all started or when it was first coined. Acrophobia means heights, and Phobos means fear. The fear of heights is a basic form of human experience. Most people have it in some form or the other. While some are in a milder form, others are in a more pronounced form.

Researches say that acrophobia is an evolutionary trait and protects the human body from the steep drops that could harm us. This phobia protects you from the edges of tall buildings, cliffs, and bridges. So, whether they are babies or adults, humans may nurse an aversion to high places. This jittery and anxious feeling that you may have in the pit of the stomach makes some things exciting, such as skiing or jumping on the trampoline.

It certainly adds more spice to your life. These butterflies in the pit of the stomach can develop into phobias for these people. They may find it impossible to drive near bridges or climb a ladder! If you have acrophobia, watch for symptoms like breathlessness, lightheadedness, vertigo, dizziness, tremors, headaches, and more. In terms of psychological symptoms, you may experience breathlessness, vertigo, muscle tension, dizziness, and more. However, you can overcome these feelings in the following ways.

Prepare Yourself

If you know that you may be in a situation that may trigger off your acrophobic symptoms, you need to prepare yourself to avoid the sudden jolt of feeling that you may encounter, things like skydiving. Condition your feelings in a way that you will be ready by the time you are all set to let go of your inhibitions and enjoy the whole process. However, it cannot happen in one day. It will take years of mental preparation before you finally get the adrenaline rush.

Take it Slow

In the old days, psychologists treated phobias by throwing people right into the deep end. This particular technique was in practice to freak out people so much so that it used to cause permanent damage. Patients’ phobias invariably became worse after that, and they had severe additional trauma. However, today things have changed. Now psychologists may recommend people to combat their fear, but it should happen at their own pace.

To face your fear, you can approach your fear at your own pace. So, set small goals for yourself and walk towards the place of fear every day. Take one more step closer to the balcony. This way, you will be successful sooner than you think.

Visualize the Situation

As you keep your eyes closed, visualize in detail all the security precautions that can surround you in the situation you may be about to enter. Feel the strength of the harness in your mind’s eye and slide your hand right along the railing. Let all these feelings sink into your subconscious, where you may start feeling your heart start pounding. Understand your feeling and accept them.

Breathe Easy

Anxiety-inducing situations can have an unnerving effect on most people, so much so that most people forget to breathe. When you stop breathing, it can make your anxiety worse. Ensure you breathe oxygen to the brain as you take in deep, regular belly breaths.

Be Kind to Yourself

Acrophobia doesn’t go away in a day. Give yourself the time and space to consider the challenge without feeling any sense of pressure or judgment. Also, be gentle to yourself, much like you would be to a friend or a loved one. This way, you will walk towards a less-acrophobic self and develop the process organically. Although we keep forgetting, we deserve a little bit of self-kindness!

Once you are ready to face your fears and jump into a new adventure, such as skydiving or bungee jumping, this will give you a certain amount of freedom. There is no greater joy than getting rid of feelings that tie you down and stop you from enjoying life to the fullest.