Acrophobia
[/hʌɪt/] n.Fear of heights
The fear of heights. Tall buildings, bridges, hills and even steps can leave sufferers feeling panicked and too scared to get down unless they fall…
The numbers for acrophobia are high
The world is full of people who can’t handle heights. Last year, there were 135,000 searches for acrophobia, making it the third most problematic phobia on the planet. Figures have stayed level compared to the year before, showing that while numbers aren’t getting worse, they’re not coming down any time soon either.
40,500 people suffer from a fear of heights in the USA, a much higher number than the 9,900 in the UK. That’s almost double the 4,400 acrophobic Canadians, while once again Australia proves they’re the bravest of all the countries with only 210 sufferers.
It isn’t the fall that’s is dangerous…
it’s the
Sudden Stopat the end.
Don’t get too close to the edge
Acrophobia is not vertigo. The two things can both be terrifying but are completely different. Acrophobia is purely a fear of heights, even if you’re not particularly high up. It comes from the fear of falling humans developed in early evolution, and while that’s a very practical fear for almost everyone, for some people it’s developed into an uncontrollable condition.
Vertigo, on the other hand, is that spinning sensation that can be caused by heights, looking up at tall buildings, or things moving by too fast.
Acrophobia sufferers will be fine if a bird flys past them but make them look out a window in a tall building and the panic could leave them stranded.
Lowering your height anxiety
Just like with most phobias, the best way to overcome them is to face them head on. Gradual exposure to heights can reduce their impact
- Climb steps at home in a safe environment
- Look out of lower floor windows
- Use virtual reality tools to help you face your fears in comfort