I used to be fine with heights, clambering up mountains in Scotland and the Lakes then when I was about 12 I had one of those moments up on a scree slope where I just froze - a severe case of the ibeegeebees. Since then I've been useless on heights or more specifically edges. I'm fine on a high plateau but any sort of edge eg Wharncliffe Crags, unsecure stepping stones down Rivelin(!) and I fall to pieces. This would be fine if I was content to sit in a field or town all day but I want to be able to visit places like Kamchatka and the Andes and even places locally in the Peaks without my legs disserting me.

Does anyone know of any orgainsation or group that may be able to help or has anyone managed to overcome this in the past?
Cheers

hot air balloon mate - a trip out over the peak park in one of those will sort you, if you survive it. :D

I'm ok going up but sometimes suffer on the way down - even silly things like metal steps, that has only happened in the last few years and for no apparent reason.

I don't go on fairground rides these days for the same reason.

:gag:

Try going up the Gaudi Cathedral in Bacelona...those spiral stone steps with no inside handrail or anything....horrible...and then you meet someone coming the other way...I feel dizzy thinking about it. I have the same trouble - I heard it was also a fear that you won't be able to stop yourself jumping off.

Originally posted by Tomataheeed
Try going up the Gaudi Cathedral in Bacelona...

When I was there in july there wasn't a great deal of point in wasting a whole afternoon in the queue, there is so much else to do or see in barcelona.


I wouldn't recommend that you go rock climbing. I tried this when I was at school to help me with my fear of heights but it just made me much worse.

I find doing a job where you use a ladder regularly in a very safe environment helps somewhat, but I often still get the fear as I aproach the top of the stairs.

Originally posted by Tomataheeed
Try going up the Gaudi Cathedral in Bacelona...those spiral stone steps with no inside handrail or anything....horrible...and then you meet someone coming the other way...I feel dizzy thinking about it. I have the same trouble - I heard it was also a fear that you won't be able to stop yourself jumping off.

thats exactly how it is with me everytime i go on holiday i always request a low floor but the buggers always give me the highest floor i do sometimes venture onto the balcony but then i get dizzy and start to panic

I wouldn't mind if it were genuine life threatening moments but steppping stones!! Its irrational. On Mam Tor once I nearly bottled it because I was convinced a gust of wind would just blow me away and on Skidaw in the Lakes I had to sit down for the same reason. It also terrifies me to see other people on edges. Last time I was in Scotland there was me crawling around up a sheep track and there are children bounding around on the cliff edges. It makes me feel a right wuss

Easiest way to overcome it is to do a skydive!:thumbsup:

I can so identify with having a fear of heights. I'm dreadful with them.

When I lived on Hyde Park Flats, I used to walk along the landings there, no matter which level, on the door side. if i were any further over, god! i'd have been walking inside the bloomin' properties! lol

I'm the sort of person who got dizzy wearing platform shoes! lol.

i hate going past the stairs in the number one buffet chinese restaurant, cos it makes me feel faint.

I had a cold sweat, yesterday, literally...

I was to attend a meeting at the town hall, on the top floor. lo and behold, the lift door opened, to reveal the staircase encroaching onto the lift foyer. the top satir actually eats into the floor at the lift door. it took very precise manouevering to ensure that pippa, my chariot did not roll over the edge, and send me plunging down the stairs.

It was a real "new underwear please" moment:- man alive! I was terrified.

As for the skydive idea... *Shudders*

When I was nursing, there was to be a sponsored parachute jump, to raise money for a holiday home for the patients we nursed.

It was suggested that I volunteer. My response was "Sod that!! you don't get me 25 feet, up a ladder, never mind 25,000 feet up in a plane!!!"

PT

Originally posted by MarkB
Easiest way to overcome it is to do a skydive!:thumbsup:

I'm sorry but that is a particularly unhelpful suggestion to those who are scared of heights. This is a serious problem.

I experienced something new this year. I drove up a mountain in Yosemite national park and felt a bit light headed when I came to drive back down. I started feeling queasey, hot and tired. Back at ground level I felt dreadful. I ended up going to bed for the rest of the day and most of the next day. I read about it later and it seems I had 'acute mountain sickness'. I've been up loads of mountains and never had it before and didn't come back down particularly quickly.

I've booked to go away again next year and mountains will be involved. I'm worried that I'm going to experience this again or is this something that has evolved within me and am I going to be ill on holiday again?

Originally posted by muddycoffee
I'm sorry but that is a particularly unhelpful suggestion to those who are scared of heights. This is a serious problem.


This is no unhelpful idea tho.My brother was scared of hights for years that he did a skydiveing for a charity thing at his work and we thought he never do it. Yes ok he was scared at 1st but soon as he landed he was never scared of hights again.And this is him that never liked goin up a ladder.I my self was scared too but i thought if my brother can do it then i can.But i only flyed in a plane never jumped out tho.

Originally posted by taxman
I used to be fine with heights, clambering up mountains in Scotland and the Lakes then when I was about 12 I had one of those moments up on a scree slope where I just froze - a severe case of the ibeegeebees. Since then I've been useless on heights or more specifically edges. I'm fine on a high plateau but any sort of edge eg Wharncliffe Crags, unsecure stepping stones down Rivelin(!) and I fall to pieces. This would be fine if I was content to sit in a field or town all day but I want to be able to visit places like Kamchatka and the Andes and even places locally in the Peaks without my legs disserting me.

Does anyone know of any orgainsation or group that may be able to help or has anyone managed to overcome this in the past?
Cheers


go with some people you trust on a hike that involves a section of exposed hiking/scrambling. I used to be terrified of heights and gradually doing more difficult/exposed routes made me find it much easier. Of course it wasnt fun the first time, but I was with people I trust and made it through. then the next time it wasnt so bad!