Acrophobia - Fear of height: causes and treatment in children and adults. How to overcome the fear of height: methods, recipes, pills

What is acrofobia, as the disease manifests itself and what methods of treatment will be most effective - about all this in our article.

The state of panic horror in people rising at a fairly large height is called "acrofobia". A similar manifestation of fear should be distinguished from the normal feeling of anxiety based on elementary caution and dictated by the instinct of self-preservation in the event of a real threat.

Acrophobia - fear of height: causes

People suffering from acrofobia are experiencing uncontrollable horror, even if the finding at some height is safe and does not threaten fall. At such moments, a person is not able to adequately assess the situation, it covers strong anxiety, dizziness, there is an increase in pulse, heartbeat, increased sweating, tremor limbs, possibly an increase in blood pressure.

There is no single response of doctors and psychologists with respect to certain reasons for the development of this disease. The opinions of specialists disagree, and, therefore, there are several versions:

1. The fear of height may be a consequence of a hypertrophied reaction of protection developed by the years of evolution. In the early stages of the existence of our civilization, the risk of falling from the height was higher than these days. Such a theory causes regular disputes. Instinctive reaction to prevent falling is expressed by some alarm and cautious behavior, while the panic state can disrupt the coordination of movements and leads to the commission of rapid impulsive actions.
2. The presence of phobia can be a consequence of the experienced negative experience associated with falling - for example, memories of early childhood. An additional role also plays a well-developed imagination of the patient, allowing him to imagine it briefly and even survive the effects of falling
3. The causes of acrofobia may be the presence of psychosomatic pathology. When a person is at the height, disorders occur in the operation of the vestibular apparatus and coordination of movements. At the same time, a person is experiencing difficulties with an adequate assessment of the situation, which causes a panic attack.

The development of such disorders can be caused:

• lesions of the brain due to suffered injuries, inflammatory diseases
• humidated heredity - the presence of mental disorders in direct relatives
• childish psychological trauma - problems in the family, overly strict upbringing, entailing a violation of self-assessment, development of imperidity, increased emotionality and timidity

Acrophobia is expressed not only by fear of real height, but also anxiety from thought to be high above the ground

How to overcome the fear of height?

• Acrobia is a serious disease that can affect human quality. People suffering from a phobia experience strong anxiety and fear if necessary, walking in the mountains, can refuse to go to visit friends living in high floors, feel bad in the elevator, on the stairs, escalator, frighten the transparent sex in public places
• All this leads to failures of travel, fencing themselves from communicating with people, the outside world and any disturbing situations. Sometimes even thoughts about the possible finding at height are able to cause panic attack in a patient
• Constantly experienced anxiety causes severe types of depression, depletion of the cardiovascular and nervous system

Uncontrollable fear of flights - one of the symptoms of acrofobia

Acrobia is one of the diseases most difficult to independently treat. Correction and control over their own fear are possible only with the help of specialists in the field of psychology and psychiatry after diagnosing the disease.

• The existence of various areas of schools of psychotherapy allows you to choose a technique that will help to cope with the phobia. The task of psychotherapy is to correctly assess the state of the patient and the gradual weakening of fear due to the training of self-control
• Before contacting a specialist, learn information about its activities, namely the experience in the treatment of anxiety disorders and phobias. If there is such an opportunity, listen to the reviews of the former patients the selected clinic - how comfortable and effective was the visit to the doctor
• During psychotherapy on the basis of a study of your condition, playing situations causing a panic attack, determining the most dangerous points, the doctor will adjust the options for your behavior, arising feelings and emotions
• After some time, the specialist will invite you to really face a situation provoking attacks of horror, starting from the easiest. For control, special simulators of virtual reality can be used. Gradually, such an experience forms a stable stable reaction
• The best result of treatment is a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy with methods of deep hypnotic effects. This technique allows you to influence the subconscious cause of the patient's fear. In the course of treatment, suggestion takes place, the correction of the emotional state and the program of behavior in the situation causing a panic

Visiting psychotherapy sessions is the most effective way to treat acrophobia

Tablets and medicines for fear of heights

Drug treatment of acrophobia cannot be sufficient for cure. For some time, drugs suppress a state of fear for some time and can be used in order to calm, for example, before flying by plane.

Treatment with certain drugs can be used in combination with psychotherapeutic correction as prescribed by the attending physician. The following groups of drugs are usually prescribed:

• antidepressants - drugs used to facilitate depressive states that relieve anxiety and irritability, normalize sleep, appetite, and restore mental activity
• benzodiazepines - drugs with sedative, soothing, anticonvulsant effects
• beta Ingitors are substances that prevent the active production of adrenaline used to eliminate the symptoms of panic states, eliminate trembling limbs and normalize heart rhythm
• nootropic agents are drugs for activating the functions of the brain. Such substances stimulate mental activity, increase resistance to increased psycho-emotional stress

Medicines for fear of heights can be used in combination with psychotherapy sessions

Methods and recipe for overcoming fear of height

It is proved that in order to successfully overcome acropobia, the patient must make efforts and work on himself - to realize his fear and develop the ability to overcome it.

• Analyze the effect of phobia on your life. Remember all cases when you have the most powerful feeling of height fear. What is the atmosphere you were? Existed in those moments any real danger? Were there any cases when because of the fear of height, you sacrificed something important - refused a profitable vacancy or a serious meeting, because it was connected with finding on a high floor or the need for flight
• Think whether fear can be caused by increased impressionability. For example, in childhood you heard a terrible plane crash and project the children's fear of aircraft on your further life. Perhaps, in this case, the study of statistics will help you - the chance to get to the aircraft crash is 1:20 million, while the likelihood of lightning strike is 1: 1 million
• Learning the techniques of relaxation (yoga, meditation, respiratory gymnastics). Such exercises will help to fight the attacks of panic and anxiety. Gradually mastering the relaxation technique, you will understand how the manifestation of emotions is associated with physiological processes in the body - breathing, heartbeat, sweating. Any physical exertion you are doing with pleasure will help you weaken the alarm and calm down
• If you feel that a little advanced in the ability to control fear, take a step towards him. For example, go to the balcony, if before it caused your alarm. Then try to go for a walk in the mountains or ride on the attraction. Promotion gradually, analyzing its condition and trying to overcome the slightest signs of anxiety. Refuse the conceived if you felt that they were not yet ready

Own desire to overcome fear and help loved ones guarantees success in cure from acrofobia

Fear of height in children

Many specialists in the field of psychology and psychiatry agree that any deviations in behavior, including fears and phobias, are rooted in childhood. At the same time, it is absolutely optionally the condition that the child was brought up in a severe psychological situation or was subjected to any physical and moral humiliation. Sometimes there is absolutely normal desire for parents to protect the baby from any danger can lead to a subconscious strengthening and consolidation of fear, which in certain circumstances develops into a phobia.

• If the child loves to climb on high slides, fences or trees, while not having any fear, parents, as a rule, inspire the horror consequences in the form of a broken head, broken hands or feet. Sometimes such explanations occur on elevated colors, which forms fear in the child before the situation and discontent of the parents
• The child's alarm will eventually increase and can become a challenge at school, in sports, while playing with peers. In the children's environment, fears cause mockery that forms complexes and leads to even greater emotional experiences
• To help the baby, carefully look at his behavior. Any manifestations of anxiety - the fear of darkness, heights, water, animals or insects at an early age are quite normal. So the child reacts to a big, not yet understandable to him the world. Talk to the child - explain to him that most situations are not serious danger
• Tell the baby about the necessary caution, rules of behavior on a walk, on the road, when communicating with animals. Create examples from the life of the heroes of books and cartoons when the character had to overcome difficulties and deal with fear. Remember stories from your childhood. The child must feel that in any situation can count on your support.
• If the fear attacks are strong enough - a shiver, a pre-corrosive state, incessant crying, try to distract the child from the problem and switch attention to any object that interests. Be sure to contact a children's psychologist and neurologist. Following the recommendations of the specialists, you can help the child to overcome fear

Parents' help is needed to overcome the child anxiety and height fear

The benefits of fear of height

First of all, fear is the reaction of the nervous system for possible danger or imperfect behavior. Is there any benefit from the experienced feeling of fear?

• Self-preservation - fear stops a person before a dangerous situation without letting the risky actions
• Mobilization of forces to enhance activities - Fear can increase physical forces, increase the clarity of thinking. In a state of fear, under the action of emission of adrenaline, a person is able to make the fact that it is considered impossible in normal condition
• Fixing in the memory of a dangerous situation - fear activates the lasting memorization of events and prevents repetition
• The exacerbation of "intuition" - fear allows you to predict the signs of approaching danger, even if there is nothing in the picture of reality that it may indicate it. A person suddenly appears anxiety, anxiety that is characteristic of real danger.
• Through overcoming fear, a person can improve - fear is perceived as a challenge of its own weakness and the ability to increase self-esteem by overcoming it.

Victory over their own fear is one of the great achievements of a person.

Harvesting height

• The negative aspects of the manifestation of fear are in strengthening and constantly scrolling the possibility of danger. A person may experience a strong concern almost constantly, drawing in the imagination the worst development of events
• Such a state of constant anxiety looses and depletes the nervous system, which ultimately leads to protracted depressions, serious nervous and mental disorders, as well as diseases of the cardiovascular system
• Panic seizures prevent normal lifestyles, limit the circle of classes and entertainment, can push a person to commit the raised actions and jeopardize his life

What does the absence of height fear mean?

The absence of fear, in particular the fear of height, in childhood may be a symptom of autism.

• The manifestation of the disease is expressed as the lack of a sense of self-preservation. The authist children do not specifically subjected their life of danger, but they do not respond at all to the real appearance. They are so deeply immersed in their inner world, which almost do not pay attention to what is happening around the event.
• In autism, children are not able to fully realize and control the surrounding space, do not respond to external stimuli, sometimes they do not perceive the signals of their own body, in the form of pain. This is due to the reduced sensitivity of the nerve endings.
• The disease causes a change in conventional behavioral stereotypes for all children. The authist children do not come to contact, do not seek to attract attention to themselves, cause the reaction of pity and comfort in adults in the event of a fall, bruised
• If you notice such symptoms from your baby, immediately contact a specialist for help. Methods of psychological correction, massage, classes on the method of replacing ontogenesis at an early age will make better results than in a later period.

Video: How to heal fear of height?