What is Acrophobia?
For those of you who don't actually know what acrophobia is the basic definition is an acute fear of heights [http://acrophobia-fear-of-heights.blogspot.com].
It doesn't mean you're feeling a bit squeamish or uncomfortable because you're on top of the Sky Tower in Auckland and you're walking on the glass floor looking down. That is certainly NOT acrophobia [http://acrophobia-fear-of-heights.blogspot.com], that's not even a fear of heights, that is basically normal.
No, a person suffering from acrophobia can't even make it to the entrance to the lift on the 3rd floor of the building.
A formal definition of acrophobia is this:
"Acrophobia is an extreme or irrational fear of heights. It belongs to a category of specific phobias, called space and motion discomfort that share both similar etiology and options for treatment.
Acrophobia can be dangerous, as sufferers can experience a panic attack in a high place and become too agitated to get themselves down safely.
"Vertigo" is often used, incorrectly, to describe the fear of heights, but it is more accurately described as a spinning sensation, which may be caused by looking down from a high place, as well as by some other stimuli. Vertigo is qualified as height vertigo when referring to dizziness triggered by heights."
So in reality what does this mean?
An acute fear of heights is a debilitating phobia, people don't realise how much it is until they are affected by it themselves, or like me, has a loved one with this phobia. There are heaps things people take for granted that we can't do such as go to the cinema at the mall, park in a car parking building (do you know how frustrating it is trying to find a park on the street in the pouring rain!), stay in hotels, visit friends and family at the hospital - this is a big one - my partner couldn't say goodbye to his grandfather because he was on the 7th floor of the hospital.
That is the sad reality of having acrophobia. There are many many more examples of how life is restricted by this terrible phobia but I don't think it would help anyone by listing them all.
What I ask from people is that you don't say you are scared of heights when in reality you are not. There is something quite demoralizing when you hear people saying "oooh I'm so scared of heights, I couldn't look down when I was about to sky dive, it was soooo scary, I hate heights!"
It's like a size 6 girl going on to the size 24 girl about how fat she is, don't you hate that!
As always, I would be very interested to hear from others that suffer acrophobia / acute fear of heights (especially if you have overcome this!)
It doesn't mean you're feeling a bit squeamish or uncomfortable because you're on top of the Sky Tower in Auckland and you're walking on the glass floor looking down. That is certainly NOT acrophobia [http://acrophobia-fear-of-heights.blogspot.com], that's not even a fear of heights, that is basically normal.
No, a person suffering from acrophobia can't even make it to the entrance to the lift on the 3rd floor of the building.
A formal definition of acrophobia is this:
"Acrophobia is an extreme or irrational fear of heights. It belongs to a category of specific phobias, called space and motion discomfort that share both similar etiology and options for treatment.
Acrophobia can be dangerous, as sufferers can experience a panic attack in a high place and become too agitated to get themselves down safely.
"Vertigo" is often used, incorrectly, to describe the fear of heights, but it is more accurately described as a spinning sensation, which may be caused by looking down from a high place, as well as by some other stimuli. Vertigo is qualified as height vertigo when referring to dizziness triggered by heights."
So in reality what does this mean?
An acute fear of heights is a debilitating phobia, people don't realise how much it is until they are affected by it themselves, or like me, has a loved one with this phobia. There are heaps things people take for granted that we can't do such as go to the cinema at the mall, park in a car parking building (do you know how frustrating it is trying to find a park on the street in the pouring rain!), stay in hotels, visit friends and family at the hospital - this is a big one - my partner couldn't say goodbye to his grandfather because he was on the 7th floor of the hospital.
That is the sad reality of having acrophobia. There are many many more examples of how life is restricted by this terrible phobia but I don't think it would help anyone by listing them all.
What I ask from people is that you don't say you are scared of heights when in reality you are not. There is something quite demoralizing when you hear people saying "oooh I'm so scared of heights, I couldn't look down when I was about to sky dive, it was soooo scary, I hate heights!"
It's like a size 6 girl going on to the size 24 girl about how fat she is, don't you hate that!
As always, I would be very interested to hear from others that suffer acrophobia / acute fear of heights (especially if you have overcome this!)
Source...