Acrophobia

PSY/211

March 31, 2014

Acrophobia is the fear of heights. In reality, there is nothing wrong with having a fear of heights. It is a natural defense so that we do not walk off of a roof or a cliff. It becomes unhealthy when it is more of a phobia than a fear. This type of fear can be consuming and debilitating. Many people suffer from acrophobia and there are different levels of fear associated with acrophobia. Climbing a ladder, being on a higher floor of a building other than the first floor, or simply being on the ground floor of a stadium and looking up to the top row of seats can be associated with acrophobia. The symptoms of acrophobia are dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, dry mouth, rapid heart rate, shaking, and anxiety attacks are not uncommon. Fear of heights can happen at any time in your life. Usually something traumatic has occurred for a person to associate heights and fear. It can also be from more than one event. You could have seen something on TV or even another person experience a traumatic event associated with heights. It has also been suggested that this fear can come from a parent. There are some “cures” for defeating acrophobia. One of them being medication.
Medication (Beta blockers) does not cure acrophobia. It only briefly subdues the symptoms. The drawback to taking medication is the side effects. They may be worse than the fear itself.
Hypnosis has also been used to treat acrophobia, but again all it does is suppress the symptoms.
Instead of chemicals you are giving someone short term control of your mind. I do not know about you but I do not want anyone to control my mind. Personally I think acrophobia can be controlled with positive thinking. If you only think of the negative side of being on a ladder, on the top row in a stadium, or on a roller coaster ride then you will have a bad experience. I myself have a fear of heights. I would not go as far to say that I have acrophobia and here is why. I do not like to be on a ladder or the roof of my house, but I have no problem riding a roller coaster. I think the reason I have no fear of a roller coaster or rides at the fair is because I am secured by a harness or a seat buckle. On a ladder or roof I am not secured by anything and this is where the fear comes from or I am unsteady or do not feel balanced. However, my husband has no problem being on tall buildings or climbing ladders or anything of that sort, but he has a fear of being on rides at the fair or amusement park rides.
He had a traumatic experience on a ride at the county fair when he