Even the most fearless among us feel fear at some point. But, that’s okay. Fear is a normal human emotion and is not something to feel ashamed of. However, if you have a fear of heights that prevents you from enjoying everyday activities or interferes with your life then this article is for you! We’ll take a look at why people have this phobia, how it can affect their mental health and what steps they can take to overcome it and live an fearless life again…
Practice relaxation techniques
The first step to overcoming fear of heights is to practice relaxation techniques. Breathing exercises are the most common and effective way to achieve this, but there are many other options available. Meditation, visualization and self-hypnosis all help relieve stress and anxiety. Yoga is a great way to build flexibility and strength while reducing your overall anxiety levels, which will naturally make you less afraid of heights (and everything else). Finally, relaxation music can be used in conjunction with any of the above techniques for added benefit.
Gradual exposure to the fear
Gradual exposure to your fear is the best way to overcome it. For example, if you are afraid of heights, then taking a walk around the block may help you get used to being up high. Once you feel comfortable doing this, try going up a flight of stairs at work or school. When that feels safe, go up one more flight and so on until you are ready for the next step: climbing in an elevator or walking across a bridge.
The key is that each step needs to be small enough that it doesn’t cause an intense panic response but big enough that there is still some discomfort involved (this helps us develop confidence over time). The goal isn’t necessarily complete freedom from fear; rather we want gradual mastery over our instinctual responses through repetition/habituation until they no longer hold us back from pursuing something we want like finishing a project at work or going skydiving with friends!
Rationalise your fear
The first step in overcoming your fear of heights is to rationalise it. Fear can be a good thing, and it’s natural for people to feel afraid in certain situations. You may be afraid at the thought of being up high because you experienced a traumatic event or had an accident that made you scared of heights. If this is the case, then try to remember how far you’ve come since then and remind yourself that even if something bad happens again, you’ll be more prepared than before and will have learnt what not to do next time around.
Prepare yourself
To prepare for the worst, you need to identify your fears and take them down one by one. For example, if heights make you nervous because of what might happen, then it’s important to think about how the worst could happen and plan out how you would react in those moments.
If heights make you nervous because of what might go through your head (e.g., thoughts like “I don’t want to be up here”), then it’s important to think about what kinds of thoughts may arise while on this height and come up with ways that you can manage those thoughts if they do arise.
Once these fears are identified and addressed, it will be easier for us to move forward into the next steps in overcoming our fear of heights!
Choose the right activity
When you are trying to overcome your fear of heights, it is important that you choose activities that will not increase or worsen their effects. For example, if you have a fear of heights and you decide to go skydiving, this would not be wise because the height would be too high for your comfort level and may make your phobia worse. Instead choose an activity like rock climbing that allows you to face your fears at a comfortable pace.
Another factor in choosing the right activity is whether or not there is someone else around who can help if something goes wrong. If there isn’t anyone nearby then don’t do it! Make sure someone with experience will be there with you in case anything happens so they can help out quickly when needed.
Practicing relaxation techniques and going to activities that you like can help you to overcome fear of heights.
Relaxation techniques are activities that can help you relax and calm your body down. There are many different types of relaxation techniques, including:
- Deep breathing exercises
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Visualization techniques
- Acupuncture or acupressure
A good way to start learning how to use these techniques is by finding a therapist who specializes in anxiety disorders, like an occupational therapist or psychologist. They can teach you how to use these activities effectively and safely on your own.
Conclusion
The fear of heights is a common fear and can be very difficult to overcome. It is sometimes confused with fear of falling, which is also a very common phobia. The key to overcoming your phobia is to expose yourself gradually and rationally to the thing that frightens you. This may mean climbing a ladder or going up an escalator, then standing on top of something higher and so on until you feel more comfortable with high places. By preparing yourself mentally before each step in this process will help reduce the anxiety caused by the situation which will allow you to move forward more confidently.
