What is the name of the disease fear of heights. Why dream of height and fear of falling

Date: 2019-09-30

Fear of heights is inherent in every person in their right mind, because. this fear is connected with the instinct of self-preservation. But there is a phobia of heights, when at the thought of climbing a mountain or flying with a parachute, panic sets in, stupor and universal horror sets in.

Acrophobia - what is it?

Fear of heights is an acrophobia or obsessive irrational fear of the risk of falling from a height. At the same time, the distance may be quite small, but a person is seized by panic horror, even if the prospect of being at a close distance from the earth simply arises.

There is normal anxiety, when fear is based on caution and self-preservation, but in parallel, pathological anxiety is also distinguished in medicine, which cannot be explained by logic. For example, the fear of heights when flying on an airplane is associated with anxiety for one's life, a person does not have sufficient information about the principle of operation of an airplane. But, if you understand and study this issue, then an adequate solution will not keep you waiting.

The phobia of heights is, first of all, not an adequate reaction to any opportunity to climb up. A person believes that the risks of falling from a height are much higher than the real situation. It is this pathological reaction or disease that is called acrophobia. Any explanations and sound reasoning cannot affect a person's irrational fear.

The symptoms of acrophobia are very specific, so you can immediately distinguish a sense of self-preservation from a pathological reaction to height:

palpitations, when there is a feeling of fluttering or uneven beating in the chest;
dizziness and nausea;
lack of oxygen;
pawns ears;
numbness of fingers and toes;
increased sweating.

And the most important thing is, of course, a stupor and a panic attack; loss of consciousness is less common, i.e. a person mentally "winds" himself so much that he is not able to adequately and logically assess the situation.

Causes of acrophobia

The causes of acrophobia are not fully known to medicine. Many psychologists say that a phobia in an adult has its origin in childhood. Any falls from stairs, from a tree, from a bicycle at an early age become those negative factors that affect the formation of the disease and panic fear of heights.

According to Freud, the fear of heights is interpreted as the fact that a person is afraid of what he really wants, i.e. the fear of falling from a long distance hides suicidal thoughts, so you should take a closer look at your own condition so as not to miss the warning signs.

On the other hand, there is an opinion that acrophobia is the result of damage to the normal structure of the brain that occurs after traumatic situations or as a result of infectious diseases.

Additionally, it can be noted that people with a sensitive psyche are often prone to phobias, where suspiciousness, shyness and impressionability predominate in temperament.

How to overcome fear of heights

You can deal with your fear of heights on your own. This will require the use of various psychological practices. And, above all, it is a positive attitude. It is necessary to understand that it is normal to be afraid, it is not normal to feel panic, for example, on the roof of a skyscraper. After all, there is no real threat, there is only a hypothetical fear, when a person mentally imagines the possible horrors that can happen.

Fear can be overcome with visualization. Try in a comfortable environment for you, close your eyes and imagine yourself on top of a mountain, near a cliff. The natural reaction of the body will be all the same familiar symptoms. panic attack. Gradually mentally visualizing your own fear, and each time, also mentally, overcoming it, you can reduce the feeling of fear of heights in real time.

It is possible and necessary to overcome the fear of heights and get rid of acrophobia, because any phobias limit life, preventing you from enjoying it to the fullest. You just need to find your own, individual way to overcome fear. Hypnotherapy, psychoanalysis or cognitive behavioral therapy, whatever you choose, it will be the beginning in dealing with the limitations in your life.

Each person has experienced an unpleasant feeling of discomfort, finding himself on the roof of a high-rise building, flying in an airplane, or simply imagining a picture when he is not in his usual environment: high from the ground.

What is it: awareness of the value of one's life and the instinct of self-preservation, or is this fear of heights a phobia, scientifically called Acrophobia?

The fear of falling in love is like a fear of heights.
We are not afraid of heights, but of falling.
author unknown

What is Acrophobia?

The statistics are relentless: 5% of the total population of the globe have a problem - fear of heights. 400 million people worldwide suffer from acrophobia.

Slight degree of fear: no desire to fall, with a real opportunity to do so. If a person falls into hysterics, feels animal fear and loses his head at the slightest prospect of being on top - this is a manifestation of neurosis.

Psyche modern man reacts to threats from outside, as primitive people did. He strives to leave the risk zone, he is pinched. Adrenaline is injected into the blood, the heart begins to "jump out of the chest."

How to distinguish a normal state of fear from a pathology?

It is natural for a person to experience a feeling of fear, which appears only when there is a real threat of falling. Fear of heights has nothing to do with attacks of terror at the thought of falling from a height.

First parachute jump, base jumping without detailed instructions, ski jumping in an unprepared person will cause discomfort.

When there is no time to avoid an unpleasant situation or there is a lack of information in one of the listed areas, the fear of falling is an adequate response of the body to a threat. Only in the event of a real occurrence of such a situation, when a person realizes that something can go wrong, such a fear of heights will not be a deviation in the psyche. This is the main difference between a phobia and a normal fear.

The fine line between deviance and normal behavior is sometimes wishful thinking. How to distinguish 2 forms of fear?
Fear of heights, as a pathology, is not associated with the ability to find yourself in a real-time situation that would threaten life. This is a game of the mind or imagination.

A person cannot control this feeling, cannot suppress it or somehow influence it. His life is dominated by fear. Being on top, he ceases to be what his friends and acquaintances know him to be. In this state, there is no possibility to direct their actions. One of the symptoms is the desire to jump off.

An exception: slight malaise in the mountains. It should not be taken as a signal of a phobia, this is a normal reaction of the body to an extreme situation.

Causes of acrophobia

In order to diagnose a deviation of the body, a person's condition must meet established medical criteria. Why does such a feeling of animal fear arise?

A phobia is subject to fantasy: the more impressionable a person is, the more likely he is to get sick. No extreme situation is needed, just a thought that will give impetus to panic. Seeing a person fall in a dream, you can recharge yourself with negative emotions for the whole day and be in a state of trance or excitement.

People have evolved, but there is a connection with the past. If thousands of years ago to fall or be at a height was a crime for primitive man, then the genetic memory begins to impose this fear on him. There is a desire to jump.

There are theories proving that animals are also subject to acrophobia. Conclusion: if there are eyes that can see, then there is fear.

Scientists identify the following medical causes of fear of heights:

At a certain time, the brain was damaged by mechanical action or inflammatory processes took place.
Regular frequent stress.
Frequent use of alcohol.
Psychological factor: the child at one time was either not appreciated or over-praised.
Excessive emotionality, slight excitability, or vice versa, shyness and timidity.
Experienced a similar situation. It leaves its imprint in the memory, and they begin to control the thoughts and feelings of a person.

Symptoms

There are no identical people and reactions to heights in the world. Everyone has everything individually. Specialists identify average indicators of the symptoms of neurosis.

The first thing that people with acrophobia note is that they absolutely do not control their body and mind in a moment of “danger”. There is a persistent obsessive thought about jumping down. Such suicidal tendencies appear only when there is a threat of a fall. The fear of slipping and diving headfirst to the ground is a symptom of the phobia.

How does the body react to altitude in acrophobia?

The head refuses to perceive reality and turns treacherously.
The stomach strives to return its contents to the outside. There are frequent cases of diarrhea.
The heart may either slow down or begin to jump out of the chest.
Tremor of the arms or legs is also quite common with fear of heights.
Excessive sweating, frequent urination make normal existence impossible.
Muscles remember what state they were in at birth, so “hypertonicity” occurs.
Pupils completely fill the eye.
Nightmares, poor sleep deplete the human nervous system and exhaust the body.

These were vegetative or somatic symptoms.

Mental deviations are expressed in possible aggression, excessive irritability and even anger. A person cannot concentrate and focus on some problem, he resembles a compressed spring. He lives for one terrible moment, reminiscent of Groundhog Day. Often deja vu.

Treatment

Efforts from a person suffering from this kind of phobia will require colossal. What do we have to do? Complex treatment: drugs + psychotherapy. Inevitably, the use of tranquilizers for a period of 2-3 weeks and antidepressants for a period of 6 months.

Drugs that stimulate blood circulation are used by doctors to treat acrophobia:

Benzodiazepines calm the patient, have an anticonvulsant effect.
Beta-inhibitors do not allow adrenaline to be actively produced, prevent panic attacks, normalizing a person's condition.
Nootropics are used to stimulate brain functions, increase resistance to emotional and mental stress.
Also, a person prone to acrophobia needs to take vitamin complexes.

A hypnotic trance has a strong influence, but an experienced psychologist should introduce the patient into such a state. Therapy based on self-control and relaxation bears fruit for desperate people.

Many try to cope with the symptoms of acrophobia on their own, but this is almost impossible if the case is neglected. With self-medication, the situation may worsen, because a person may incorrectly diagnose himself or be guided by false advice.

The technique that helps to cure a phobia is based on 4 tips:

You need to find the cause of the phobia.
You need to overcome fear by imagining the picture of being on the roof of the house. Do the exercise every day.
Try to be on top often.
Control and self-hypnosis of the absence of danger.

There is cognitive behavioral therapy that has been widely used in recent years. The two factors mental and physical must be controlled. Thanks to the system, fear remains at the level of hormones.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a technique that affects the past. It is necessary to return to the moment when there was a fear of heights. Negative turns into positive.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a specific technique for relaxing muscles and stiffness. The patient at a slow pace overcomes the fear of heights, in small steps.

Psychotherapists use cognitive behavioral therapy with deep hypnosis techniques. The technique acts on the subconscious of a person, struggles with internal unconscious causes. The emotional state and the program of behavior that previously gave the setting to panic are normalized.

Research stages

The doctor begins work with the patient from the study of his condition. He models situations that cause fear in the patient. Corrects emerging feelings and emotions.
The therapist confronts the person with a real threat. There are panic attacks. Virtual reality simulators help to control the situation. A stable stable reaction is formed on the basis of experience.
Yoga, meditation and meditation help overcome fear. breathing exercises. You need to learn relaxation techniques.
Computer games, where the player is personified with a virtual hero, runs and jumps, can give a good effect. Films with staged jumps help to get used to the idea of life without fear of heights.

First of all, people with acrophobia do not need to give up, shut up and stop going out. You need to face your fears. Only the patient himself is able to take the first step, realizing the problem and starting to deal with it.

A slight dizziness at the moment when a person is at a high altitude is a normal phenomenon. This is how the vestibular apparatus “jokes” because of the difference in impressions: the legs are firmly on the ground, and the eyes see a solid surface far below. But some people experience extreme discomfort even on minor elevations. Then we can talk about a phobia. What is the fear of heights called? What is it due to? How to deal with it?

What is the name of the disease "fear of heights"?

An obsessive fear of heights is called acrophobia. It is diagnosed in 2-5% of people, and women won the “palm”: there are twice as many patients among them.

The word "acrophobia" is translated from ancient Greek as "fear of the top". This fear is classified as a group of phobias associated with spatial and motor discomfort.

Fear of heights: phobia or normal?

Being at height is not always safe. And in some cases, the fear is justified. You should not look for signs of a phobia in yourself if discomfort occurs:

before skydiving;
when you are on the upper steps of an unstable ladder;
when walking on slippery/sloping roofs, etc.

Fear of heights, which manifests itself in really dangerous situations, cannot be considered a pathology. This is a normal reaction of the body to stress associated with a clear threat to life. This is how the instinct of self-preservation works.

What is acrophobia: symptoms

Signs of acrophobia are necessarily associated with the fear experienced. The main symptoms that patients complain about:

Nausea, vomiting.
Dizziness, noise in the head, faintness.
Accelerated heartbeat.
Sweating.
Sensation of heat or cold extremities.
Panic thoughts about imminent death.

Often a person tries to reduce the height and defend himself by crouching and covering his head with his hands. Signs of panic can appear both in more or less logical and in the most unexpected situations. Acrophobes are afraid of:

stairs;
elevators;
high floors;
balconies;
escalators;
mountain slopes and cliffs;
bridges;
attractions;
transparent floors, etc.

Even standing on a stool to reach the top shelf can be a daunting task. In all cases, when an acrophobe is at least a little above ground level, he experiences fear. Seizures are uncontrollable: it sincerely seems to a person that he is in for a fall and death. Often people cannot descend from a height on their own. Sometimes acrophobes experience a sudden urge to jump down, even if they do not suffer from depressive disorders and are not suicidal in principle.

It is not uncommon for a phobia to be exacerbated by the thought of being at a height or by viewing related images. The intensity of fear at this point can be as significant as in real situations.

What is the name of the fear of heights when flying on an airplane?

Airplanes, as "representatives" of air transport, by their nature, are forced to gain significant altitude. And it is not surprising that acrophobes are afraid of flying.

The fear of airplanes is called aerophobia. It often complements the fear of heights, as phobias tend to "combine". Almost always, acrophobia implies aerophobia, but the fear of flying in an airplane is not necessarily related to heights: some people worry solely because of the risk of getting into a plane crash, for example, due to a terrorist attack.

Why does a phobia/fear of heights occur?

Like other pathological fears, acrophobia develops under the influence of a combination of several factors. Among them are the main ones:

Organic lesions of the brain and improper functioning of its individual sections. This happens if a person has suffered a serious injury or infection inflammatory nature.
Abuse of alcohol, drugs, certain drugs.
Bad heredity. The risk of phobias increases if parents have a history of mental disorders.
Regular exposure to stress, frequent unrest, overwork.
Wrong upbringing. If a child in childhood was not praised enough, often scolded, severely punished, then in the future his psyche will not be healthy, which will serve as a favorable factor for the emergence of phobias.
Personal characteristics. Unreasonable fears and experiences mainly develop in suspicious, anxious, overly emotional and sensitive people.
Negative experience. A person who has experienced a traumatic situation associated with being at a height may be wary of staying on any elevations in the future.

Fear of heights develops in those who have a tendency to it. The factors described can affect other people in the same way, but do not provoke acrophobia.

How to get rid of the fear of heights by colliding with the object of fear

A person is often afraid of what only seems scary to him. The main role here is played by imagination and the habit of winding yourself up. Therefore, a good way to overcome the fear of heights is to face it head-on. It is not necessary to immediately rush to conquer the peaks of the mountains and jump with a parachute - just start small. Should:

climb the stairs of a multi-storey building;
look out the window of a skyscraper, stand on the balcony;
climb a ladder;
reach the top of a gentle hill;
drive at least one flight in the elevator;
cross a small river over a bridge;
ride the escalator in the mall, etc.

It is recommended that you make a list for yourself of what causes the most severe panic attacks, and go through this entire list from the simplest to the most complex. It’s good if there is someone close nearby who can encourage, support, help to go down. The main thing is to practice regularly. Gradually, the phobia of heights will recede.

Fear of Heights: How to Overcome with the Visualization Technique

Visualization is a process in which a person imagines a certain event, image, place as fully and in detail as possible. In this way, you can overcome the fear of heights.

It is necessary to lie down, relax, imagine some frightening situation and yourself in it. For example, you can “look” into the deepest cliff, “stand” on the roof of a skyscraper, “fly” in a helicopter over the sea, etc. It is important to focus on your emotions: what are they? Acrophobes predominantly have a feeling of eerie fear. You need to experience fear while in the visualized "picture".

The exercise needs to be repeated regularly. Gradually, experiences will become dull, and each new attempt will come easier. Then you can imagine something more extreme: for example, "jump" off a bridge and enjoy a free fall. Feelings in visualizations will "reconcile" the psyche with height and help it stop considering any hill as dangerous.

For those who have a poorly developed imagination, computer games will come in handy. Flight simulators allow you to look at the world from above, while being in the most comfortable conditions.

How to Overcome a Fear of Heights Using Breathing and Counting

When you find yourself in a stressful situation, you should immediately be distracted. How more people focuses on his fear, the worse he feels.

Therefore, at the first signs of a panic attack, you need to start breathing evenly and deeply. At the same time, you can count up to a hundred / thousand in order to use all available attention on the process of calming. After two or three minutes, the body will come to its senses, and the situation will no longer inspire such horror.

There are other options. For example, you can read poetry, sing your favorite song, name historical dates, or list all your blond acquaintances by name. If there is someone nearby, you need to start talking to him. Tactile contact will also be useful: it will allow you to feel more confident.

Acrophobia: treatment by a psychotherapist

The involvement of a psychotherapist can be very relevant for those who suffer from severe fear of heights. In most cases, the phobia can be stopped by methods of cognitive behavioral therapy. The patient is helped to change internal attitudes and begin to behave differently - more productively and meaningfully. A competent psychotherapist will teach a person to control the emerging symptoms of fear, thereby reducing the severity of a panic attack.

Rarely, medication is supposed to be taken. Since acrophobia does not belong to severe mental disorders and in many cases is compatible with normal life, light sedatives are usually enough (for example, before flying on an airplane, when the patient does not have time to comprehend the situation and reconcile with it). In difficult situations, hypnosis can be used.

Overcoming the fear of heights means expanding your own capabilities. Acrophobia restricts a person in travelling, adventures, experiences. Even if the fear is mild, it is worth getting rid of it, without waiting for the minor fear to develop into something more serious.

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Acrophobia is the fear of heights. This phobia belongs to the category of fears associated with spatial discomfort and movement. Fear of heights is considered a mild degree of neurosis, which usually does not lead to any consequences. However, acrophobia still serves as a warning that there is an imbalance in the body and there is a tendency to mental disorders.

Most people feel fear and dizziness when they are at high altitude. And in people suffering from acrophobia, the fear of heights is more pronounced and pronounced. Being at a height, they experience nausea and overwhelming horror, profuse salivation appears, breathing and heart contractions become slower, body temperature decreases, work is activated. gastrointestinal tract.

Causes

Acrophobia can be congenital and caused by various circumstances from the past. This phobia is completely unrelated to the height at which a person lived and grew up. Often acrophobia is formed in very impressionable subjects who have a fairly rich imagination. Such people, even while sleeping, feel fear of heights. It is interesting that acrophobia can cause negative emotions and an attack of fear even when not at the height. For people suffering from acrophobia, it is often enough just to mentally imagine a fall from a height.

Most psychologists believe that absolutely any phobia is determined by the presence of negative experiences experienced in the past, but recent studies refute such a theory. Many people in the past did not have any unpleasant events that would be directly related to height. Acrophobia can be present in an individual from birth and can often be associated with intolerance to harsh and loud sounds.

Other scientists argue that acrophobia is a prehistoric phenomenon that was adapted to the current reality, based on the fact that before the probability of falling from a great height was quite high. That is, acrophobia takes its roots from the evolutionary mechanism of security.

Countless studies conducted by scientists prove that acrophobia is characteristic not only for humans, but for all animals that have vision.

Another reason for the occurrence of acrophobia can be considered a weak vestibular apparatus of a person, which regulates the balance of the position of the body in space and implements the connection between vision and the cerebellum.

Summing up, it should be concluded that today among psychologists there is no single theory regarding the causes of acrophobia.

Symptoms of acrophobia

Fear of heights can manifest itself in different ways. Often people who are prone to acrophobia claim that while they are at a height they cannot control themselves and their potential actions. Along with this, they may have a desire to jump down, although they did not have a tendency to suicidal attempts.

In addition, acrophobia is manifested by fear of slipping, self-doubt, dizziness, accompanied by nausea, which can turn into vomiting. Further, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea) may occur, breathing becomes rapid, and the pulse can either slow down or increase, sweating increases, heart pain and tremor of the limbs appear, the pupils dilate. Muscle hypertonicity can also be observed, motor activity increases, which is expressed in the form of chaotic movements made in order to hide from apparent danger.

In cases where fear manifests itself systematically, sometimes even every day, even without a reason, then this is a serious reason to turn to specialists. Present every day in the daily life of the subject, such symptoms can lead to severe mental consequences. In a person suffering from acrophobia, freedom of movement is significantly limited, taste preferences and desires change.

All symptoms of acrophobia can be divided into two groups: somatic symptoms and psychological signs of the disease. Depending on the severity of the disease, the symptoms may vary in severity. Mild signs, consisting in a slight increase in heart rate, fear of being close to the edge of the abyss, should not be considered a manifestation of the disease. Since it is quite common and natural for people to be afraid of heights.

The psychological symptomatology of the disease consists in the appearance of attacks of uncontrollable panic in subjects during ascent to a height, and in more severe cases, panic can occur even when contemplating high objects or mentally imagining the ascent directly. At the same time, a person suffering from acrophobia completely ceases to control his actions, he refuses to move on, he can sit on the floor, cover either his face or completely his head with his hands. At the same time, there is a lack of productive contact with such a person.

Acrophobia in children

Acrophobia is the most common type of phobia. Naturally, being in a high place, one should behave very carefully, but many people are subdued by fear only when the thought arises that they have the potential to be there. But acrophobia becomes more serious when it needs to be overcome by a child. It is much more difficult to work and communicate with a baby who has just learned to express his thoughts than with adults who suffer from acrophobia. The situation is aggravated if you have to help a child who was dropped from a height earlier in childhood or he himself fell from it. In this case, the kids develop a fairly stable feeling of fear of tall objects, fear of heights in general. It often happens that parents themselves, unwittingly, form acrophobia in children with excessive care and excessive guardianship. In principle, acrophobia manifests itself in almost all children, but this does not mean that they have this phobia.

Acrophobia in children has certain manifestations, manifested in a feeling of discomfort in a child, even standing at a low height, for example, on a chair. Panic and pre-syncope states may also begin, consisting in an increase in the frequency of contractions of the heart muscle, an increase in body temperature, difficulty breathing, dizziness and nausea. But the worst thing is the loss of control over their actions. Due to uncontrollable fear, the baby cannot make decisions about how to descend correctly and be safe.

In order for children not to develop acrophobia, they should be engaged in their comprehensive development. Riding scooters, bicycles, jumping rope or on a trampoline - all this and much more helps a child learn to navigate in space, helps to strengthen his vestibular apparatus, prevents the development of acrophobia. Therefore, parents should not categorically prohibit activities related to orientation in space, rope climbing and sports ladders. It is not recommended to constantly inspire children that it is dangerous. This will only increase the fear of heights.

If a child has a negative experience of falling from a height, as a result of which he has a fear, then his favorite animated films or books will help to cope with such a problem, the heroes of which overcome their fears and the same obstacles. It is necessary to gently explain to your child that there is nothing to be afraid of. You can try to simulate a situation in which the child will need to learn to cope with his fear. For example, you can put his favorite car on a shelf a little taller than his height.

Treatment of acrophobia

According to most psychologists and psychiatrists, acrophobia is one of the types of diseases that it is almost impossible for a person to cope with if the manifestations of the disease are pronounced. Therefore, it is possible to get rid of panic attacks of fear of heights with the help of competent specialists in the field of psychology or psychiatry, and then only after a preliminary diagnosis. Diagnosis is possible on the basis of the subjective story of the patient about his feelings and condition when climbing to a height, as well as observing him during the performance of functional tests. Such tests should be performed with the utmost care to avoid possible deterioration of the patient's condition.

Acrophobes who constantly experience panic attacks of fear, for example, because they live on the top floor of a skyscraper, or who constantly try to suppress attacks of fear in themselves, risk getting a severe one, the consequences of which can be irreversible. People suffering from acrophobia, who constantly struggle with their fear, forcibly overpowering themselves, according to statistics, live less on average, by about 20 years. The constant fear they experience rapidly wears out the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

With the help of medication, acrophobia is almost pointless to treat. Medications only help to temporarily remove or slightly reduce the fear of heights temporarily, while allowing people suffering from acrophobia, for example, to fly in airplanes or climb high mountains. However, such an experience does not overcome the fear of heights and cannot be perceived by their subconscious as positive, and therefore is not fixed.

Therefore, today the only one hundred percent reliable method that helps to get rid of this disease, is therapy with the help of a partial or complete corrective effect on the patient's consciousness by introducing him into a state of deep hypnotic trance. That is why people suffering from acrophobia can only be helped by psychotherapists who are fluent in hypnotic skills.

In addition, there is a therapy that is based on teaching patients how to control their psychophysical state and relaxation methods. In this case, fear is blocked at the hormonal level. This therapy has three stages. The first is directly teaching control and relaxation techniques without taking antidepressants. The second stage is a practical exercise, which takes place at a low altitude, accompanied by the attending physician. The purpose of this stage is to provoke fear. If the patient refuses to conduct such a session at a height, then a sense of height can be simulated using virtual reality. After the activation of the fear of heights, the third stage begins, which consists in the fact that the patient begins to apply the acquired knowledge until the degree of discomfort disappears without a trace. Then gradually the height increases, and all steps are repeated in the same sequence.

Along with this, if the manifestations of acrophobia are not pronounced, then it is possible to cope with them and gradually overcome the fear of heights with the help of special independent training.

The only and most effective way combating the fear of heights, if the disease has not yet gone far, is the so-called face-to-face collision method.

The first thing to do is to assess the level of fear and try to control it. After all, if you are in a panic on the thirtieth floor of a skyscraper, this is normal, but if you are at a height of a meter from the floor, this is already a reason to think seriously. Master meditation or other relaxation techniques. High places should not be avoided. It is necessary to face fear, that is, go to the roof of a high-rise building or a balcony, you can jump with a parachute. Lots of options. When you are at a height, you should analyze your fear, divide it into its component parts, while minimizing it and nullifying it, as it were. Gradually, getting used to high places, a person can learn to control his acrophobia. And in the future, the phobia will simply disappear.

Doctor of the Medical and Psychological Center "PsychoMed"

A person may experience discomfort, even being on a small hill. This is normal, because it directly follows from the instinct of self-preservation given to every person by nature. But sometimes the fear of heights becomes a pathology and requires intervention.

The concept of "acrophobia": what is it

is the fear of heights. Fear of heights is enough easy stage neurosis. Pathology is not considered critical in medicine just because it cannot prevent a person from socializing and living a full life.

For example, (fear of open areas and large crowds of people) can lead to the imprisonment of a person within his home, the inability to work and perform basic household activities (going to the store). In order to live a normal life, a person does not need to jump from a parachute or climb Mount Everest.

Acrophobia can only lead to some restrictions for a person: refusal to live on a high floor, the impossibility of riding a cable car, flying in a hot air balloon, visiting a water park, etc.

However, the presence of acrophobia indicates that a person has deviations in work. nervous system and prerequisites for mental disorders. The number of people suffering from a fear of heights in the world is 5 percent, which is not so small, given the population of the planet.

What is the difference between acrophobia and a natural fear of heights

Probably, there is no person who would not “suck in the stomach” at the moment when he is standing on the edge of a cliff or riding a cable car, riding a “ferris wheel”. Fear is a basic feeling of a healthy psyche.

Without fear, humanity would have died out long ago, committing insane acts. But, if a person is simply afraid to be on the roof of a multi-storey building, he will take measures to step back from the edge and will not take steps forward. At the same time, his physical and emotional state will practically not change.

Another thing is a phobia, in which a person is paralyzed with fear. He loses a sense of reality, consciousness can “float”. Acrophobe cannot make sane decisions at this moment. For example, calmly take a step back to be safe.

Unlike natural fear, in the case of acrophobia, the pathological fear is constantly increasing. Symptoms appear even when hitting a low altitude, when there is no real danger. For example, an adult is afraid to stand on a chair with his feet.

Another distinguishing feature of a phobia from a reasonable fear is avoidance behavior. A person who does not suffer from a pathological fear of heights is able, if necessary, to be on the hills and does it quite calmly. The acrophobe will consciously avoid places and situations in which he will have to experience fear.

Acrophobia has an irrational nature, based on logic, and a person is not able to evaluate his fear. It is objectively clear that if you do not take a step forward, you will not fall and there is nothing to fear.

Thus, we single out three main distinguishing features that are inherent only in phobias.:

Paralysis of will and consciousness in a state of fear.
The increase in symptoms of the disease without proper treatment.
Avoidance of traumatic situations.

These signs can be used to recognize any kind of phobia.

Why a person is afraid of heights: the main causes of a phobia

To date, psychiatry has not developed a consensus on the causes of the fear of heights. There are several versions that do not exclude, but complement each other.

innate fear

Was held interesting experiment. Scientists specially organized an unusual surface: one part of it was completely transparent, and the second was made like a regular floor. At the bottom, under this layout, there was a void, creating the illusion of an abyss.

It was found that young children categorically refused to be on a transparent surface, despite the persuasion and inspiring examples of their parents.

This suggests that a person has a fear of heights at the genetic level. Such fear, by the way, is also inherent in other representatives of the animal world, which have the function of vision and do not have the ability to fly.

Organic brain lesions

This pathology may occur in connection with past diseases of an infectious or viral origin. The abuse of alcohol, drugs and psychotropic substances also has a detrimental effect on neural connections.

Psychasthenic personality constitution

There are people whom he calls thin-skinned or highly sensitive. Their nature is such that they react sharply to all experiences, have suspiciousness and high anxiety.

Such people do not feel well in bright light, loud sounds, prolonged communication with people. It is they who turn away when watching movies with scenes of violence and are afraid of the sight of blood. Highly sensitive people are misunderstood by many and often seen as weakness in their reactions. Meanwhile, there are about 10 percent of them among us.

A special mental warehouse can lead to the development of many phobias, including fear of heights.

Traumatic past events

If a person has once faced a fear of heights or had an unpleasant experience of falling in the past, he may develop acrophobia. At the same time, he does not necessarily remember the circumstances of his fright, which could be deposited in the unconscious. This is a direct link between falling from a height and fear of it.

Another factor that causes acrophobia is the weakness of the vestibular apparatus, which is responsible for the ability to maintain the balance of the body in space.

Thus, acrophobia is a pathology that may have one or more causes, it is not always possible to reliably determine them.

What are the symptoms of acrophobia?

Fear of heights has different manifestations depending on the physical and emotional state of a person. However, there are a number of typical signs that a person has symptoms of acrophobia.

Physical

The first reflex of a person who is afraid of heights and finds himself on it is the desire to grab his hands on any nearby, stable object: a tree, a handrail, etc. Many instinctively lie down on a hard surface or sit down on it.

As with other types of phobias and panic attacks, the characteristic manifestations are:

Heavy, shaky breathing.
Dizziness.
Increased sweating.
Dry mouth.
Unpleasant sensations from the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea.

Can jump fast arterial pressure, heat in the body and hot flashes appear. In some cases, nausea and tremor of the limbs appear.

Mental

The main mental symptom of fear of heights is the loss of a person's control over his emotions and consciousness. The person is in prostration, poorly understands what is happening around. Many acrophobes at the same time feel the desire to jump down, the abyss beckons them.

A person begins to panic, he strives to close his face or eyes, a stupor sets in. Acrophobe gets stuck in one place, from where it is very difficult to move.

Fear of heights often co-occurs with other types of phobias.:

climacophobia- Fear of climbing stairs.
Aerophobia- fear of flying in airplanes, balloons, helicopters.
bathophobia- fear of a sharp rise, a difference between height and depth.

All of the listed forms of phobias are not necessarily present at the same time, but in most cases complement each other.

Manifestation of acrophobia in children

In children, acrophobia can be both congenital in nature and be a consequence of the fact that the child was dropped or he fell himself. Sometimes the appearance of a fear of heights in babies is provoked by the parents themselves by excessive guardianship.

The child experiences significant discomfort even while on a slight elevation - a stool, a high chair. Like an adult in a panic attack, a child's heart rate increases, dizziness, nausea and fever.

If an adult with acrophobia cannot control his emotions, then what can we say about a child whose psyche is just being formed. Panic does not allow the baby to make a decision about how to protect himself and get down from the hill.

Any jumping (on a trampoline, through a rope), cycling and scootering, climbing a rope and children's sports ladders are very helpful to form a child's adequate response to height and stabilize the work of the vestibular apparatus. Such activities should be encouraged.

If your baby had a negative experience of falling from a hill and fear has already formed, then you need to gently explain to him that nothing terrible has happened and you should not be afraid of possible falls. A good educational example is cartoons and children's programs in which the characters overcome similar fears.

How to get rid of acrophobia with the help of specialists

Acrophobia is a disease in which, if it is mild, you can live comfortably and not worry about your mental health. In most cases, no one forces people to climb the peaks and stand on the edge of the abyss.

Another thing is if the fear of heights causes daily stress. And its manifestations are expressed very clearly. For example, a person lives on a high floor and is unable to move to another apartment or works on the top floor of a building. Such people who systematically suppress their phobia are more likely to develop a depressive disorder.

Thus, depending on the severity of the disease and the frequency of its manifestation, the phobia must be treated.

How to prevent panic attacks with a fear of heights:

and visualization. In a calm and relaxed state, imagine yourself on a hill, preferably in the place where you actually experienced a panic attack. Convince yourself that you are safe, take an inner look around, find arguments that exclude the causes of fear. With regular exercise, the subconscious mind will fix positive reactions to the height.
Determine for yourself a critical height, for example, 3 or 4 meters. Gradually carry out exercises to raise to a lower height - 1-2 meters. Gradually, you will be able to safely climb a level that does not cause panic.

If the disease is pronounced and interferes with normal life, then you should contact professionals: a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist.

The doctor will first diagnose, finding out the duration of the symptoms of the disease and its specific signs. Practical tests with fixation of the patient's sensations can be performed.

Medical treatment is used only to relieve acute symptoms diseases such as neurosis, excessive anxiety, if they occur in humans. Anti-anxiety drugs are prescribed sedatives, and in rare cases antidepressants.

Good results in the treatment of acrophobia are shown by sessions in which entering a trance is accompanied by a corrective effect on the patient's subconscious.

On the principle: The best way to conquer fear is to face it face to face”, the following therapeutic method is based.

First, the therapist helps the patient to relax by the method of complete relaxation. No medications are used for this.

Next, a practical lesson takes place, during which a person is placed on a small hill, while the doctor is nearby. There is an artificial injection of fear, its provocation. Altitude simulation can be created using special virtual simulators.

As soon as fear arises, the patient begins to apply the knowledge received from the doctor to neutralize it.

As soon as a small height is conquered, all three stages are repeated at a different level, until the signs of panic attacks completely disappear.

If acrophobia interferes with a normal life, and you cannot overcome fear on your own, contact specialists. There are enough methods of assistance in this case in modern psychiatry.