Too Scared to Look Down!

A lot of people are hindered by their fears. They are trapped by circumstance and location, unable to escape these daunting terrors. Probably the worst fear I have ever had was the fear of heights. If I found myself in a situation where I was more than forty or more feet above the ground I would become immobile and fill with anxiety. Nothing would run through my head, except "Be very still, you do not want to fall down there." It was so bad that my fear would emerge during normal conversation. I couldn't stand hearing about helicopter rides or even trips on a Ferris wheel. Just thinking about it sent me into a fit of terror. Fear itself can eventually become annoying. I grew tired of avoiding high areas and having bad dreams. So in desperation I studied to understand my problem and I learned how to get over my fear.

I like to think of a fear as a habit that needs to be broken. It's a response to something that we are not quite comfortable with. It will cause us to feel panicked and unstable. Some fears stem from an early childhood incident but others are a natural response developed before child birth. Depending on the severity of your fear getting over it can be quite difficult or relatively easy. The main step is facing your fear. Interaction with your fear is important because it will help you to understand and become accustom with that situation. It's better to take small steps instead of taking one big leap. Slowly acclimating with your fear is a much less stressful than taking it in all at once. So if you are afraid of spiders looking at them from a distance at first is much smarter than going straight to the petting zoo and handling a giant tarantula.

To break the habit you need discipline. Going out every day with a desire and persistence will ensure progress. If you do not commit, accomplishments will be thin. Try using a ladder; it's perfect for my metaphor of "taking steps" to get over your fear. Set the ladder up on the side of your house or another high sturdy object and begin to climb. Climb until you start to feel uncomfortable and then stay there for a moment. While you are up there, look down and around. Even test the wobbliness of your ladder if you are feeling brave. It is a good idea to have someone with you during this, to hold the ladder and maybe give you words of encouragement. It doesn't matter how high you go; just climbing the ladder itself is great progress and shows your determination to improve. Each day challenge yourself and taker higher steps up. Overtime you should start to feel more at ease, and eventually you will make it to the top.

Using the ladder should not be your only attempt at conquering this fear. Lengthening your experiences is important and trying new and different things should be top priority. Going hiking is great exercise and it will allow your mind to associate heights with the beauty of nature and the company of friends. Roller coasters are a bold and tremendously helpful way to get over heights. To a lot of people the only actual scary part is the roller coaster's slow incline to the top and the first major drop. After that it's nothing but fun with friends and family. The roller coaster is controlled and tested for safety every day. Keeping that in mind will make the ride much more enjoyable. So the chances of real danger are slim.

So you are finally starting to acclimate and being high up is not as bad as it once was. What do you do now? Well if you are like me and you like to finish with a bang you could always try something new. Something you never would have done before you conquered your fear of heights. Really kick it to your fear one more time and show it who is boss. Try something like bungee jumping or sky diving. Attempt an epic display of mastery over gravity. So that you know in your heart your fear will not hinder you anymore. And you can live a more relaxed and carefree life.

All of this will not happen in a day. It took me less than a year to get over my fear of heights. To truly free you from this fear time must be invested. However success is evident fast and constant improvement is a fantastic motivator. When you see the places that you can now visit or the activities you can now participate in. You'll be very glad that you sacrificed your time and took the proper steps needed to decimate your fears. There is nothing more rewarding than a landscape view over a cliff or an exhilarating ride on the Matterhorn.