Acrophobia: what is fear of heights and how to cure it

Suffering from acrophobia means having a fear of heights. Let's find out what it depends on and how to solve the situation.

We talk about acrophobia when we are faced with the fear of heights and, in general, of high places. The term comes from the union of the words akron (top) and phobos (phobia) and indicates, in fact, the phobia of all high places. It is a more common phobia than you think and that does not concern the common vertigo. In fact, those who experience it experience a real state of panic with symptoms that indicate precisely the phobia and which, for this reason, can worsen the quality of life.
Let's find out, therefore, what exactly is acrophobia and what are the methods to relieve or cure it.

What are the symptoms of acrophobia

Being afraid of heights is a common instinct that with time and reason you can overcome and even love the thrill that climbing to the top of a mountain or jumping from great heights can give. That said, fearing high places when they're not safe is a life-saving instinct that turns into a phobia when fear is compounded by the anxiety or fear that arises even in safe situations.

The symptoms that occur are:

– Fear
– Anxiety
– Tachycardia
– Dizziness
– Feeling of tightness in the chest
– Headache
– Sweating
– Panic attacks

All symptoms that suggest how unpleasant it is to suffer from this pathology which can also occur simply by simply standing on the balcony, taking a fast lift that goes very high, etc…

How to recognize and treat acrophobia

Generally, having these symptoms is enough to be sure that you suffer from this phobia. However, as per the textbook, a real phobia is defined as one that has lasted for at least six months, which always occurs in conjunction with a given event and which leads to exaggerated and often rationally unmotivated emotional reactions.

When in doubt, therefore, it is advisable to consult a psychotherapist.
First of all, he will try to understand if the fear of heights is isolated or if it occurs frequently and immediately afterwards he will start to investigate the causes.
These can be linked to a traumatic moment experienced in childhood or adolescence or linked to an initial fear that has arisen since childhood and grown over time.

Going to treatment, this phobia can be addressed in several ways that vary according to the severity of the situation. Among the many are psychotherapy for milder conditions and the association between this and the use of drugs for more advanced ones.
Then there are cognitive-behavioral therapy which helps the patient deal with moments of fear. And all kinds of exercises can also be added to it, such as those to be done with virtual reality which allows you to experience heights in a situation of total safety.

By dealing with acrophobia in the right way and following the therapist's instructions , it will be possible to heal or at least improve the symptoms. In this way it will be possible to improve the quality of life and without the fear of having to feel anxiety or panic even in unsuspecting circumstances.