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Acrophobia refers to the fear of heights. It means people with this phobia are afraid of tall buildings, ladders, etc. This is a feeling of intense fear that brings anxiety disorder like any other phobia. Nevertheless, one can manage it with coping techniques.
However, the severity occurs when they start facing daily problems, like avoiding climbing stairs at work or home. Scroll through this article to learn essential details about Acrophobia, like its causes, symptoms and treatment method.
There are different situations that people with a fear of heights are scared of. These are as follows:
This fear of heights is not the same for everyone. Therefore, depending on the intensity of the fear, one may show the symptoms. Generally, the symptoms are of two types, physical and psychological.
The physical symptoms of Acrophobia include:
In contrast, the psychological symptoms one may get are as follows:
Phobias can develop due to many reasons. However, the actual reason for this phobia is still under research. The most common causes of Acrophobia are:
The vestibular system present in the inner ear of the human body is responsible for maintaining balance. Thus, if one has vestibular disorders, he or she is at risk of tripping and falling.
Hence, if such individuals encounter falling several times, that person gradually grows a fear of heights. So, in short, impaired balance is one of the most important reasons for Acrophobia.
Any genetic flaw or history of phobia in the bloodline can cause Acrophobia. Research shows that a maximum of acrophobic people have a history of phobia in their genetics. However, the effectiveness of family history on growing Acrophobia is still under research.
Often people get fearful because of their negative past experiences with height. For example, they are falling from a height or watching something negative related to height. All these change their perspective regarding heights, and people tend to avoid places with tall heights.
The Evolved Navigation Theory talks about the different responses of people to distance. This is because there are different perceptions of distance in every person. So, one may not consider a place as high as another person thinks.
Thus, according to a study on Evolved Navigation Theory, people with problems with disproportionate distance may grow this phobia as they lack a rational response to the height.
Observing someone getting anxious from a height is another reason for developing the phobia. For example, children will likely develop that fear if the caregivers have any sort of trauma regarding height. Further, watching someone falling from a height can also grow a sense of fear and cause Acrophobia.
Evolutionary theory states that people often fear certain things considered dangerous for a long time. Fear of heights is also a fear that has been evolving into people’s minds over time. Thus, people avoid heights as a natural response to survival.
People can develop a fear of heights anytime with the influence of any unfortunate incident. However, certain risk factors can be:
People with this fear may get the following complications:
However, along with Acrophobia, people may also get other co-occurring disorders, such as:
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) has listed effective diagnosis criteria for phobias. A physician will likely follow these guidelines and run questionnaires and techniques to diagnose Acrophobia.
After a successful diagnosis, healthcare providers opt for different, highly beneficial treatments for managing fear and anxiety.
There are two types of treatment for Acrophobia, medicinal and behavioural therapies. While medicines can cure the symptoms and adverse physical effects, therapies can help to fight the root cause of the phobia and heal it entirely. The discussion is as follows:
The mostly prescribed medicines for treating Acrophobia are:
The therapies that doctors may prescribe are:
Phobia, be it of any type, can last for several years to decades for 10% - 30% of cases. However, it may last more if these are untreated and get merged with other disorders such as extremely anxious nature, mood swings and substance use disorders.
Acrophobia generally occurs at the sight of a tall height. However, if one cannot stand at a minimum height like a regular staircase and gets anxious easily, it is time to see a doctor.
Further, patients with underlying medical and psychological conditions may also be affected by Acrophobia intensely. So, to cure all these issues from the root, they need to visit an expert.
The above guide may have given you a clear idea of Acrophobia, its causes, symptoms and treatments. Most of the time, phobias are treatable with therapies and medications. However, getting caregivers' help can benefit them as they are attentive to the patients so that they can defeat their fear.
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Disclaimer #2: This information is added only for informative purposes and collected from different sources across the Internet. Digit Insurance is not promoting or recommending anything here. Please verify the information before making any decisions.
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