How to overcome acrophobia, the fear of heights and the fear of heights?

Fear of heights, fear of heights, fear of heights is a fear that many people have. They are often ashamed to talk about it and often look for solutions on the internet because forums allow them to remain anonymous. If it is too difficult to talk about it to those around you, do not hesitate to consult a health professional. They are there to understand your difficulties and help you overcome them. You will find some advice here.   

Treating fear of heights with an ENT specialist

If you suffer from an anxiety disorder related to fear of heights, it is advisable to first consult an ENT specialist. This specialist will make a diagnosis and will be able to tell you whether your dizziness is due to an inner ear disorder. If no dysfunction of the vestibular system is found, the origin of the acrophobia should be investigated and this can be done through psychotherapy. Various techniques can be proposed to help you overcome it. Cognitive and behavioural therapies are currently the most commonly used, but hypnosis, physiotherapy and relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga and sophrology have also shown positive impacts on this type of phobia.

Cognitive and behavioural therapies to treat acrophobia, the fear of heights

Cognitive and behavioural therapies (CBT) use a method that will allow you to gradually confront your fear. Initially, you will be asked to imagine an anxiety-provoking situation before exposing yourself to a real situation. This may seem simplistic, but if you really have a panic fear of heights, imagining yourself on a suspension bridge may be enough to generate anxiety and start the therapeutic work. You will then learn, with the help of the therapist, to adopt non-anxious behaviours in an anxiety-provoking situation. Exposure to the more anxiety-provoking situations is done gradually in imagination or in real immersion. Each exposure session should last until you feel your fear disappear or decrease significantly. Your therapist will take care to prepare the session by explaining how it should be done.

Freedom from acrophobia or fear of heights through virtual reality exposure therapy

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) uses exactly the same process using a virtual reality headset. This solution allows you to move from in vivo exposure to in virtuo exposure. Thanks to a computer programme, you will be placed in a virtual environment facing the feared situations. Once you have learned to manage your emotions in the face of the current difficulties, you will then begin to face your fear virtually. You will be projected onto walkways at different heights via the video headset. You will first learn to cross the bridges close to the ground before learning to move to the higher levels. All this is done very gradually, under the supervision of the therapist who is there to help you manage your emotions and overcome your anxiety. Finally, to guarantee better effectiveness, a “feedback” must be carried out each time. This will allow you and the therapist to assess your progress and to take stock for the following sessions.

The ultimate goal of this exposure method is to achieve total desensitisation and to equip you with effective emotional management techniques both in a virtual and real environment. In other words, when you find yourself at a height and/or near a precipice, you will no longer feel that characteristic anxious response that makes you lose your nerve at the moment. And if you do experience some unpleasant physical sensations, they will be of low intensity and above all you will know what to do to overcome the possible fear.

Emergency tips for fear of heights

However, if today you find yourself in spite of yourself in height or facing the void, and you feel completely helpless and there is no way for you to avoid this situation, there are some useful strategies to know in order to get out of this bad situation. Beware: these are by no means lasting solutions for curing your disorder. For that, it is better to be accompanied by a professional.

The most important thing to do when you are faced with this kind of situation is to try to control your breathing. The increase in your anxiety level when faced with a situation that you strongly fear will generally lead to an increase in your breathing and heart rate, which in turn will increase your anxiety level. You can then carry out heart coherence breathing exercises such as square breathing (breathe in through your nose, hold your breath, breathe out, then hold your breath for the same length of time for each step). This should help to bring your anxiety levels down and restore a modicum of serenity.

Secondly, it is important to stay well hydrated. You will feel much more feverish and vulnerable if you are dehydrated. This will have a direct effect on your feelings of being unable to cope with a situation that is already putting you in difficulty. 

Also, if you are with someone, don’t hesitate to ask for help and rely on him or her. He or she can physically help you if the body sensations you are feeling are too disturbing for you to move forward normally. But be aware that seeing someone react calmly to a situation that your brain identifies as a great danger will help you control your anxiety better. 

Finally, try to focus all your attention on nearby, fixed landmarks such as a tree near you. The idea is to narrow your field of vision to turn away from the things that scare you most: “don’t look down, look ahead”.