For me, it was when I had to climb a metal structure for work. I didn't want to be afraid in front of my peers. My palms still get sweaty, but mentally I have no irrational fear anymore. As long as think the harness is good, I'm okay. I don't think it's so much that I got over the fear, just that mentally I know that the equipment has me and I'm not going to fall to my death. I went tandem skydiving for the first tim…
>For me, it was when I had to climb a metal structure for work. I didn't want to be afraid in front of my peers.
Interesting, displaying fear in front of your peers was a worse outcome than the perceived risk of heights.
I woke up 13 years ago and decided I could never go on a plane again. Before that, I used to fly often for work. 13 years and I've not been able to visit any countries that I'd love to visit. It's shit. There is no advice that can help me.
How about take a ship?
So far I've taken trains and the EuroStar... but options are limited there.
It's not easy to get to Japan from the UK, for example!
For me, it was when I had to climb a metal structure for work. I didn't want to be afraid in front of my peers. My palms still get sweaty, but mentally I have no irrational fear anymore. As long as think the harness is good, I'm okay. I don't think it's so much that I got over the fear, just that mentally I know that the equipment has me and I'm not going to fall to my death. I went tandem skydiving for the first tim…
Same. I was afraid of heights until I worked in a warehouse. Standing on the forks of a hi-lo, changing lights in the ceiling...
So far I've taken trains and the EuroStar... but options are limited there. It's not easy to get to Japan from the UK, for example!
I don't believe it has changed too much over the years. I once planned a trip from Australia to Europe via Japan and the Trans-Siberian railway. The jump from Japan to the 'World Island' and vice-versa was a ferry between Northern Japan and Vladivostok.
In my case, I wanted to travel at a time when that ferry wasn't running. I ended up flying after all.
I have a reasonable fear of heights. And I thought that I'd 'freeze' at the plane's doorway. No such thing. It was literally a breeze. So much so that I immediately wanted to repeat the experience.
Can you give us more details of what situations you have difficulty in or want to conquer? When I was younger I enjoyed working at height, now I am in poorer shape and am nervous in more situations. Try acclimation, slowly pushing the envelope. Make sure you understand, not just on a theoretical level, that if you can feel confident at three feet, thirty feet only requires a bit more care, nothing more. And remember,…
Sure, and I appreciate your interest for context. I’ve recently relocated for work to a beautiful city in the mountains and I am regularly in areas where I see grand vistas. This is very different from where I grew up which is incredibly flat. So in the face of these vistas, which include huge valleys and drop offs (unavoidable, as these views are often from the main highways!), I often have feelings of lightheadedne…
Okay, vertigo is tough. Tougher than fear that results in "locking up", from what I have observed in others. I have one friend who has issues with vertigo, has seen a doctor, and never found a solution. Others have told me that keeping the ground near them in view helps to maintain perspective - sometimes even sitting on the ground while letting their brain adjust to the terrain. I'm certainly no expert, but hope you can learn to enjoy the vistas.
Indoor rock climbing! Many cities have rock climbing gyms that offer top-rope or autobelay climbing that prevents you from falling if you slip off a hold. I climb actively and while I've never had a fear of heights, several of the people I climb with had a terrible fear of heights when they started climbing. In fact, after a few climbs the (now slightly diminished) fear of heights can often be what keeps climbers coming back.
Indoor bouldering is also a great way to get started. I'd avoid anything outdoors as a beginner, also lead climbing is probably not your best bet.
Heights don't scare me. It's the risk of falling from greater heights and being less in control of mitigating that outcome. Like others have said in the thread, trusting the gear makes most of the difference. I'm always iffy on a roof unless I have a harness, because well, it's not that hard to fall off!
People who have an fear of heights can't go near a window in a high-rise building, for instance.
"Iffy on a roof, if I don't have a harness" sounds like no fear of heights.
I woke up 13 years ago and decided I could never go on a plane again. Before that, I used to fly often for work. 13 years and I've not been able to visit any countries that I'd love to visit. It's shit. There is no advice that can help me.
There is more detail buried in there; changes like this don't happen without a reason. It may be inadequately examined, but it's in there.