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Old 07-24-2011, 01:21 PM
 
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I have a strong fear of heights but maybe not what some people would think is the normal fear. I can stand at the top of a tall building, walk along a cliff with a thousand foot drop or drive a windy mountain road, but you get me 5 feet up a ladder and I start shaking. And forget climbing down a rope even a few feet.
Does anyone else have only this kind of acrophobia?
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Old 07-24-2011, 03:00 PM
 
Location: Between Seattle and Portland
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Hmmmm...that's a new one on me, and I'm well acquainted with acrophobia, since I've been married to a sufferer for 33 years who claims he's nervous just being as tall as he is.

(As an aside, it was a verification of the true love he claimed he felt for me when I dragged him on the mule-back trip in the Grand Canyon, which included the beasts walking on a two-foot-wide path called Skeleton Point that had 4000-foot drop-offs on both sides.)

I was curious since DH has no trouble on ladders or ropes like you do, and Wikipedia had this:

A possible contributing factor is dysfunction in maintaining balance. In this case the anxiety is both well founded and secondary. The human balance system integrates proprioceptive, vestibular and nearby visual cues to reckon position and motion. As height increases visual cues recede and balance becomes poorer even in normal people. Moderator cut: too long a quote, 1-2 sentences and link
It might be worth your while to discuss this with your doctor and undergo some balance-testing, along with asking if you qualify for any clinical trials that are researching this phobia. Good luck!
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Old 07-24-2011, 09:34 PM
 
Location: Tucson for awhile longer
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Some people have issues with heights, or even driving over bridges or through tunnels, due to inner ear problems. It's said to be especially common in people who also suffer depression, although even people who don't perceive themselves as being depressed have improvements in balance issues when they take anti-depressants. I know a woman who could barely travel by car (life-long motion sickness plus fear of bridges and tunnels) who was "miracle-cured" after taking Paxil.
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Old 07-24-2011, 09:41 PM
 
Location: montana
247 posts, read 573,548 times
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im a little nervous, monday august first, my company is doing rope training for a mine rescue class. (i work in an underground mine) im on the rescue team and they want me to repel off a cliff Im not very excited about it.. I have had ear problems all of my life and had reconstructive ear surgery in 2003 and another in 2004. have prostetic inner ear bones (incus bones) and have never been really good with hights.. im thinking maybe ill be ok with my harness and ropes securing me. just worried i guess..
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