Mild fear of heights

[JS95]

Tried the search function but no luck.

As the title implies, I have a mild fear of heights. It doesn't manifest itself on buildings, rollercoasters or things like that where I'm secured in but rather it does so when I'm facing exposure i.e. scrambling when unroped. It's not to the extent that I freeze, but I just don't have a natural head for heights.

I'm considering both the parachute regiment and the royal marines as a career and I'm worried this could be a problem in both cases.

I'm planning on giving the local climbing wall a ring to full on learn to climb and was thinking of organizing a sky dive. Does anyone have any other ideas - I'm very keen to get this squared away.

Thanks lads.

 

[iFarqs]

Doing the climbing is a fantastic idea, I used to have a fear of heights, until a school trip to Wales doing activities like abseiling and rock climbing, I won't lie on the abseil I let out a tear at the top, but as soon as I was down I loved it and was the first to abseil again. I say do it! You'll be so glad you did after. The skydive is a top idea too, that's one on my bucket list.

 

[stokey_14]

It's very natural to haven amount of fear and worry when in a potentially risk situation. It's the body's way of letting you know you should be careful and not end up dead.

As with anything to do with the body it can be trained. face the fear by putting your self into situations that provoke those feelings.

As you say climbing, sky dives seem like logical ideas to safely face up to this fear. Abseiling, cliff jumping, paragliding, wing walking (if you can do this privately etc) are some other ideas.

Good on you for facing your fears and don't think for a second there's anything wrong or weak about having them, who you deal with them decides that.

Stokey

 

[Spud]

Try a high rope obstacle course like 'Go Ape'. They're cheap and you should get a degree of confidence from it. It's also similar to what you'll get up to at CTC, but with more safety equipment.

 

[OSTV]

It's all in the mind. Derren Brown done a show in which he tricked people into thinking their fears had gone by giving them a tablet which contained sugar (They didn't know this) and when they took it they could do the things in which they feared. The mind is a powerful tool, it can hold you prisoner.

Rhys

 

[quickmarch]

It's all in the mind. Derren Brown done a show in which he tricked people into thinking their fears had gone by giving them a tablet which contained sugar (They didn't know this) and when they took it they could do the things in which they feared. The mind is a powerful tool, it can hold you prisoner.

Rhys

I watched that. The guy with the fear of heights who ended up perched on the side of an aqueduct without a care in the world was impressive to say the least.

 

[OneMoreWrap]

The placebo effect.

Just like giving someone 20 beers watching them drink them and be 'drunk', then only to find out they were non-alcoholic.

 

[Jbc]

Tried the search function but no luck.

As the title implies, I have a mild fear of heights. It doesn't manifest itself on buildings, rollercoasters or things like that where I'm secured in but rather it does so when I'm facing exposure i.e. scrambling when unroped. It's not to the extent that I freeze, but I just don't have a natural head for heights.

I'm considering both the parachute regiment and the royal marines as a career and I'm worried this could be a problem in both cases.

I'm planning on giving the local climbing wall a ring to full on learn to climb and was thinking of organizing a sky dive. Does anyone have any other ideas - I'm very keen to get this squared away.

Thanks lads.

Well here's the obvious problem..

Both careers involve being comfortable at heights - whether on the side door of a Hercules, or hanging off Black marlow on the side of a cliff.

My only advice to you is - consider whether this is something you can convince yourself is in your head.

I've always been haunted by Vertigo. However there are times when I just need to man up and get over it - PRMC, basic training, Mountain training, Regular training being a an example.

It's something I get over, I can convince myself it's not a problem - is it something you can do?

 

[JS95]

Well here's the obvious problem..

Both careers involve being comfortable at heights - whether on the side door of a Hercules, or hanging off Black marlow on the side of a cliff.

My only advice to you is - consider whether this is something you can convince yourself is in your head.

I've always been haunted by Vertigo. However there are times when I just need to man up and get over it - PRMC, basic training, Mountain training, Regular training being a an example.

It's something I get over, I can convince myself it's not a problem - is it something you can do?

All I can do is try. The last time I faced exposure/height was on a narrow mountain ridge that needed some scrambling to get along - the weather closed in bringing with it poor visibility and wetness underfoot.

I was 14 and quite scared but I just gave myself a quiet word and did it. I've grown a lot since then, and I hope how I'll perform at the wall and with luck a skydive will reflect this.

Thanks for advice and words of encouragement guys - this thread can keep me accountable.

 

[Sam1]

I've been terrified of heights my whole life mate, high ropes, abseiling, rock climbing, skydiving... s*text deleted*t myself on all of them and they haven't helped with the problem either to be honest. you'll just have to grab your testicles and do it!

 

[JS95]

I've been terrified of heights my whole life mate, high ropes, abseiling, rock climbing, skydiving... s*text deleted*t myself on all of them and they haven't helped with the problem either to be honest. you'll just have to grab your testicles and do it!

Hahaha nice one - I'll remember that quote.