Each of us carries a particular fear of something or someone thanks to a trauma. However, many end up surrendering to these fears, allowing them to control their actions and life. Understand better the meaning of acrophobia and what are the main characteristics of this very common fear.

What is acrophobia?

Acrophobia is the morbid fear of standing on high places Thanks to a traumatic event in the past, an individual will feel uncomfortable going up in high places. Even if he gets the support he needs to stand there, he will feel extremely uncomfortable about the situation.

In general, the person had some bad experience when they were younger and created a block in their mind. Before they can even be taken to a high place, their body already gives signs that it is not well. In some cases, acrophobics are paralyzed by the terror they feel. It is estimated that 5% of the world population suffers from this.

It is quite common to confuse this fear with the state of vertigo that we eventually experience. Although they are similar in some points, their natures are different. Vertigo is caused by an internal change in the ear, causing imbalance and dizziness, and does not depend on height for this .

Symptoms

It is quite simple to identify acrophobia in individuals, given the way it appears. Although they are secure, individuals begin to decline as soon as they experience or imagine the stimulus of their fears. In an anticipatory way, this group ends up feeling the effects of the phobia through:

Anxiety

Even though he has not climbed to a high place, his mind and body suffer from anticipation. Suddenly and uncontrollably, an anxiety takes over both of them. Thus, he or she may have heart changes, shortness of breath, or a very unpleasant feeling around the next few moments .

Chills

Many are still able to control themselves, although they cannot contain the chills or even the rise in body temperature. Just the chance of being exposed to these places already invokes triggers in their bodies and minds. It is worth pointing out that this alone is already a discouragement to any action.

Bad Thoughts

As the moment or thought develops, his pessimism increases. This is because he believes that something bad is going to happen very soon to himself. Many even fix the idea of death in their minds, believing that they will plummet from the place where they are at any moment .

Causes

It is quite common for acrophobia to appear in childhood or even in adulthood. Just like any other phobia, this one also comes from situations where the individual was directly exposed to the trigger. In some cases, they can even block the memory, but without ceasing to feel the effects of the problem. The most common causes are:

Experiences

As said lines above, traumatic experiences from the past develop a negative perspective about something In this case, it is very likely that an individual who has fallen from too high a place will later develop the phobia. However, it should be noted that experiences lived by other people can also influence the appearance of this condition.

Cognitive problems

The individual's reasoning, when it functions differently, can contribute to the development of phobias. Thanks to this, the individual can take endless turns around the idea of danger, negatively maturing that moment. With this, it can feed an irrational worry about it and give birth to the phobia.

Genetic inheritance

Scholars say that the individual's genetics may contribute to the development of the phobia. The exact trigger is not yet known, but trends have been identified in several family groups with similar dynamics In other words, your genome may be affecting your perception of some things.

Obstacles

Even though it may not seem like it, even from the ground, a person may have difficulty because of acrophobia. Even if your problem focuses on elevations, your body does not respond adequately to this. In this way, based only on thoughts, you may feel tremors, nausea, and even vomiting.

This makes simple outings with family and friends impossible, for example. If this one goes to an amusement park, to get an idea, the Ferris wheel and the roller coaster will be left out of your itinerary Not to mention any other toy that does not stabilize on the ground.

Furthermore, many people even feel a dread of traveling by air, even though they need it. Although it is one of the fastest and safest means of transportation available, there is a certain reluctance to board the jet. The person knows that the trip is necessary, but thinks about how they can take alternative routes for it.

Treatment

In order to effectively treat acrophobia, the use of CBT, cognitive-behavioral therapy, is indicated for the patient. With proper guidance, he will be induced to gradually expose himself to what he fears, in order to overcome his fear Fortunately, this treatment is usually very effective, but is often rejected in its early stages.

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As the patient exposes himself, a hierarchical structure of situations that cause him fear is built up. This goes from the smallest to the largest, so that the smallest stimuli are seen first until reaching the last. In a controlled way, the patient will experience what causes him discomfort and create ammunition against it.

In this process, the therapist will teach the patient relaxation techniques to work on the anxiety. When the patient begins to expose himself to his phobia, his anxiety can arise and get in the way of the whole process of control. In this way, he will learn to control the negative reactions that the moment can cause him in a real situation .

Final considerations about acrophobia

Many people feel insecure when walking to a higher place. If something goes wrong, they cannot intervene and solve it. However, those who suffer from phobia are different: the fear takes physical form and suffocates their body.

This is what happens with acrophobia: people have the feeling of losing the ground every time they go up. If you fit into the situation described above, you should know that it is possible to reverse this situation. With the help of psychotherapy, you can take control of your routine and choose where you go without hindrance.

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