Acrophobia - What Is It And Have I Experienced It?

Several years ago, when I was camping in the mountains of Wyoming

, I came across an event that does not happen to me often. My friend and I were hiking through the forest and all of a sudden we came to a crevasse in the trail. It was only a couple of feet wide but the drop was around 100 feet. He jumped over it with no problem but there was no way that I was jumping over that crack. It just did not compute. I ended up going back to the tent and waited for him to return. Was my fear a normal reaction? Do I have a deeper set psychological problem that paralyzed me that day? That is what I have set out to discover.

Acrophobia is a serious fear of heights that has a paralyzing effect. There is a group of phobias that cause irrational fears in people but acrophobia is the most common of these. Most people will have a natural reaction when looking down a cliff but if that reaction turns into a panic attack, dizziness, nausea or rapid breathing then acrophobia is likely the cause. Acrophobia can also limit your ability to handle certain careers or daily situations. Working as a window cleaner on high rises, painting houses or helping a stuck cat get out of a tree would likely not be options for you if you suffer from acrophobia.

A traumatic experience can lead to acrophobia. It is not always a traumatic experience that leads to this condition, though. A normal fear of falling that results in serious injury or death can become extreme and turned into a mechanism that protects you from potentially dangerous circumstances. In this scenario, your body will adopt a fight or flight response.

There are several ways to treat acrophobia. Cognitive behaviorial therapy can be used to desensitize an individual from their fear of heights. Progressively, the patient is put into staged situations and given tools to help them to cope with their acrophobia.

Several anti-depressant and anxiety prescription medications are available to treat acrophobia but, like all prescribed medicines, come with a range of side effects. These medicines do not tackle the root cause of the problem but treat the symptoms. If you are looking for side effect free medicines then you should look into homeopathic remedies. Lemon Balm, Passion Flower and lavender are great for calming the nerves and giving you a more positive attitude regarding acrophobia symptoms.

by: Dee Braun

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