How Do I Know If I Suffer From Acrophobia Or Fear Of Heights? Keys To Face It
What can we do to deal with the irrational fear of heights? How do we know if we suffer from acrophobia? Find out how to identify it and what to do to deal with it.
People who suffer acrophobia They feel very intense fear in all situations that involve heights, such as being in a very tall building or using a ladder. Like other specific phobias, acrophobia can end up affecting the person who suffers from it in many ways.
The acrophobia This is a mental health condition in which an individual experiences an intense fear of heights. It is a type of anxiety disorder, so when a person experiences acrophobia, they suffer from intense fear when they think about great heights or are in a place with a lot of height. Therefore, when suffering from this fear, they will avoid situations or places that involve heights.
Being very concerned about heights can be normal for anyone since most of us can be cautious when we are at a very significant height. But, a person with acrophobia experiences a intense and unreasonable fear when at high altitudes and this can affect even when they perform everyday tasks, such as climbing stairs or standing near a balcony.
The acrophobia It can affect anyone, no matter how old they are. Specific phobias, such as acrophobia, can develop in children and manifest in adolescents and young adults. According to research, women are much more likely to develop specific phobias.
What can people with a phobia of heights be afraid of?
Some of the situations that can cause a person with acrophobia experience intense fear are the following:
Go up a flight of stairs.
Being on a ladder.
Being on a bridge if it is narrow or moves.
Being on a roller coaster.
Standing near a balcony or on the roof of a building.
Look out the window of a tall building.
Since there are many different types of phobias, they can be difficult to diagnose. In fact, people who have acrophobia do not have to have other types of phobias such as intense fear of flying on airplanes that is, aerophobia.
Symptoms of acrophobia
The main acrophobia symptom is to end up feeling intense anxiety and fear of heights. Therefore, people who suffer from this vertigo at heights may end up avoiding any type of situation that may involve heights. In addition, some of the symptoms of this phobia of heights are the following:
Psychological symptoms
Feeling intense fear and anxiety when thinking about, looking at, or being in high places.
Fearing that something bad will happen in a high place, such as falling or getting stuck
Feeling a strong desire to escape if you are in a high place.
Physical symptoms
Experiencing a rapid heartbeat when thinking or looking at heights.
Feeling dizzy and lightheaded when thinking or looking at heights.
Having tremors when seeing heights.
Having difficulty breathing when in a high place.
How is acrophobia diagnosed?
The acrophobia It is diagnosed through a thorough analysis with a mental health specialist. Typically, the psychology professional will focus on finding out if the fear is persistent and the anxiety of heights has lasted for at least six months for it to be diagnosed. In general, phobias have at least four criteria for diagnosis, this includes the following:
Intense and unreasonable fear: the fear of the situation or object is persistent and very disproportionate
Anticipatory anxiety: A person who suffers from a phobia tends to hold back or fear future situations or experiences that will involve the feared object or situation.
Avoidance: Many people who have a phobia end up actively avoiding the feared object or situation. That is, they will try to do everything possible to avoid what they fear.
The phobia interferes with daily activities: The fear that the individual experiences has to end up limiting their daily life in some way for it to be diagnosed as a phobia.
If you are in a high place and are experiencing symptoms related to acrophobia there are some tips that you can take into account to reduce the anxiety you feel:
Set your gaze on the horizon
Look at objects that are close to you
Sit down
Do not move
Go to therapy with a professional psychologist
The acrophobia It is one of the most common phobias. If you are afraid of heights and believe that this phobia is limiting you, it is important that you go to therapy. The phobia has a solution with the appropriate treatment.
