Acrophobia
Many of us know that a phobia is a fear of something, but many do not understand just how serious and severe many phobias can be. It's important to understand that not all fears are phobias. Many of us are afraid of something, but a phobia is when the fear is that of an object or idea that, generally, is not something to be afraid of. One type of phobia is acrophobia, which is better known as a fear of heights. Aerophobia, or the fear of flying, is also in this classification. Phobias such as this one are typically classified as an anxiety disorder and they can be cured with the correct treatment.
It is believed that acrophobia can be hereditary, but it can also be caused by some type of traumatic experience that causes negative associations with the object or idea. These negative associations would then make the object, such as heights, frightening. Often, a fear of heights is developed through unintentional learning. A person may not have experienced a traumatic event but they believe that heights have the potential to put them in harm's way. They believe that being at any height will lead to a painful fall or even death. When a person is having a reaction to heights, it will manifest as an anxiety attack. Some of the symptoms include racing heart-rate, labored breathing, a feeling of being trapped and extreme sweating.
There are many different treatment options available if you suffer from acrophobia. Those that are often prescribed include beta blockers which block the release of epinephrine into our system when we become frightened. Beta blockers come with a range of uncomfortable side effects including nausea, muscle cramps and rash. Beta blockers also work to slow heart rate and reduce blood pressure, so they can cause heart failure in patients with heart problems. Beta blockers also cannot be stopped suddenly as withdrawing from this type of medication may lead to sudden death. Antidepressants are also often prescribed and while they may help relieve some of your symptoms, they are not a long-term solution and come with side effects and dangers including nausea and difficulty sleeping. Some antidepressants can even cause an increased risk of suicide.
Acrophobia can be treated naturally, without the use of harmful and negative medications. Natural treatments can help a person develop coping skills so that they can handle any scenario involving heights, and this will lead to an increase in confidence. Medications such as beta blockers and anti-depressants do not cure the underlying cause of the phobia, they only help to mask the symptoms. There are many benefits to undergoing a natural treatment for your acrophobia. You will learn to calmly be able to address your fear, you will learn how to manage stress so that your fear does not overwhelm you. You will find that as you learn to manage your stress and face your fear, your self esteem will begin to increase. A natural treatment will also help you reverse negative thinking and habits so that you can regain control of your life.
