Man has always wanted to be taller than himself. Over the centuries, man built buildings that were higher than previous ones to touch the edge of the sky. Toward the last century, man invented airplanes to be with the sky. However, there are many people who are afraid to climb more than a story or even a flight of stairs. Whenever they are on mildly tall structure, their knees start to shake and disoriented, fearing for their lives. This fear of heights is called acrophobia.
The keyword of “acrophobia” comes from “acro” or “peak.” It is one of the most common fears anybody can have. Such fear comes from the fact that falling from a tall structure could result in certain death. You may think that traversing on anything that is higher than the ground is very dangerous. If you are suffering from acrophobia, oftentimes, you will also have manifest vertigo, especially if you are on top of a tall structure.
Obviously, you would often shy away from trips to building or mountains. You would even be afraid to climb a ladder. Acrophobia will also result in the fear for airplanes simply because of the high altitude involved. Other symptoms are similar to other phobias, such as shortness of breath, increasing pulse, and, quite possibly, panic attacks.
Treatment may be a long process, but medication will not be part of it. One way is hypnosis, a way of suggesting to you to remove the fear. Another is to let you experience traversing heights in varied distances. You will never move on to the next level unless you can be comfortable with the previous one.
A new and promising treatment may involve the use of virtual cameras that render a 3D environment. This will make it safe for you to resolve your fears.
Most of all, friends and relatives must provide continuous emotional support to you so you would remain motivated in suppressing your height anxieties.
