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UER Forum > UE Main > Conquering Your Fear of Heights (Viewed 11884 times)
NeuroticMatt 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 20 on 7/31/2017 1:16 PM >
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Posted by Samurai
not only am I afraid of heights, but I am fucking terrified of the ocean.
...and plants. (that one I have been trying to figure out since I was 4)



Those fucking vines man. They grab you and do not let go.

I do not care for plants, I think mine goes back to when I was five and my dad took my sister and I to the drive in to see Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I think that was around 77 or 78? I was impressionable.




Simsyb 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 21 on 8/1/2017 12:53 AM >
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Personally I believe it all has to do with experience. The more you face your fear with heights the less scared you will get from heights.




Do what makes you happy. Life is to short
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Vehicular Lord Rick


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 22 on 8/1/2017 10:28 AM >
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Posted by Simsyb
Personally I believe it all has to do with experience. The more you face your fear with heights the less scared you will get from heights.


lol... I disagree.
i'm 44 and still afraid of heights.





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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 23 on 8/1/2017 11:51 AM >
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Posted by NeuroticMatt

Extra Side Note: My fear of heights also freaks me out in deep water. Like I am afraid I will fall to the bottom. Found this out the hard way... If anything I have discovered is that fears are often totally irrational.



Good username. I had a similar experience when I went out to try snorkeling in crystal-clear water somewhere in Hawaii when I was about 14.

I think my fears have increased as I got older. I came down with a major fear of elevators, especially glass ones and high-speed ones. Somehow that was cured after a visit to Pyongyang where I rode many likely very unsafe elevators. I still sometimes feel vertigo after riding a fast elevator up to the top.

And I am afraid of flying, particularly the sensations during takeoff. Though that may have been worsened because I was sitting next to Kim Jong-un.




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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 24 on 8/3/2017 9:25 AM >
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My fear of heights atcually got worse, and I also never experienced it in my teens. No idea where it came from. I suggest to start small, because if you are too high up your legs may start shaking or you just can't move. You may need to be rescued, even if only by a friend.




defrab 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 25 on 9/3/2017 2:23 PM >
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Nope, I never, ever, got used to heights. They still terrify me, but I just push through it. Sucks though.




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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 26 on 9/3/2017 3:35 PM >
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I make myself close my eyes and hold onto something I know is solid for a few moments and then proceed. Worst are things like glass bottomed anything. I recall a visit to the Anne frank house and to get to the attic stairs happen but in how it's set up there was a section where a piece of clear plexiglass is placed over a stairwell and you have to step on it to climb the stairs up. I logically knew that it was solid and could be stepped on but I still had to stop suddenly with heart palpitations as the three people behind me slammed into my back. Still makes me nervous typing it out 11+ years later. That glass suspension bridge in China is my worst nightmare.

And I greatly dislike water. Humans shouldn't be in large bodies of water. Swimming pools are about as big as I can accept. Or on water in boats. Ponds and lakes are a nope bc things touch your legs - blech! Flying over it is fine. And I enjoy being next to the ocean.




Stealth: adj. designed in accordance with technology that makes detection difficult. Wraith: n. A wisp or faint trace of something
sanctive 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 27 on 9/3/2017 4:22 PM >
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My fear of heights has decreased pretty significantly thanks to urbex, particularly rooftopping. It's honestly scary, I've been taking risks I would have never taken two years ago.




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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 28 on 9/3/2017 4:34 PM >
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Never look deliberately down to the ground when actively climbing or walking on a beam, etc at height.
It can be disorienting especially over moving water!
Don't close your eyes; stay focused!
If you can't work through your fear to focus at the task at hand 100%, you are a danger to yourself.
Fear's purpose is either to cause you to avoid something or to concentrate like hell if you precede.

Playing games with fear has no place when climbing.
Know your limitations.
Bug out as soon as needed.
Fear is normal until it controls you rather than you controlling it.
The only thing you need to think of is your movement, the route, real dangers such as slippery surfaces or corrosion damage and to make every hand and foot hold count.
Know your physical limitations and do not exceed them.
Rest in a safe hold as needed during a climb.
Maintain complete control and three points of contact at all times when climbing.
Make sure each hand or foot hold is square on and the material it's self is sound.
Don't move too fast or slow; the type of structure, it's condition and your level of competence/fitness determine the speed.
Moving too fast is a sure way to make mistakes in judgement or miss a hand or foothold.
Stop if you need to think something through in a constructive way.

You are on a mission.
DO IT; there is no try!
Death is the only reward for failure.

-&-

There is no failure in bugging out and living to climb another day!
Sometimes conditions dictate a bug out.
Be it the structure or your own limitations.
-Climb safe, climb for life-






Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
Dee Ashley 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 29 on 9/4/2017 1:47 AM >
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Posted by NeuroticMatt
Not to start a big discussion, but I want to point out that there is a difference between a fear of heights and being uncomfortable with heights.

Most people I know are uncomfortable with heights. I have a fear of heights.

I avoid them at all cost. I experience very uncomfortable physical reactions to being off the ground. Tightness in chest, hard to breathe, often times experience severe dizziness/vertigo. If I am not holding on to something rigid such as handrail I have been known to fall over while standing still. I have issues standing on a chair to change a light bulb.


Do you think there was a particular experience or reason behind your phobia?


Side note: I have no issue on airplanes? Go figure.

I was was the opposite in that I was terrified to fly but didn't have a problem with heights. Biofeedback techniques, Xanax, and (oddly enough) a near plane crash outside of remote BC Canada region somehow alleviated my fear of flying (but I will immediately have some pretty intense flashbacks of that Canadian incident if I hear the unmistakable sound of a stall alarm!).


One last (slightly odd) question for those of you afraid of heights: Does this fear extend to watching other people engaged in activities involving height?
I've experienced extreme discomfort observing others take what I would consider too much risk. This feeling is more intense than I have experienced for myself. Watching someone else take risks I consider too high (pun intended) elicits a very uncomfortable feeling for me, regardless if we are both at the same height or not. Usually, this feeling is most intense when I believe they are taking more risks than I would be comfortable with in that situation. Other examples could be someone showing off or climbing something after drinking alcohol.

I may not be particularly afraid of heights, but I respect them very much.




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Abby Normal 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 30 on 9/7/2017 3:25 AM >
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I've been afraid of heights every since I can remember. And yet I've climbed, rappelled, snow skied (chair lifts can be pretty high), and for the last number of years I've been doing a lot of rope work in old mines. Still, every time I get ready to step over the edge of a ledge, it takes my breath away. I really doubt that I'll ever get over it. About all I can do is try to manage the fear enough that I can function as a mine explorer.

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing." - Helen Keller

Abby Normal




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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 31 on 9/7/2017 5:12 AM >
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Posted by Abby Normal
I've been afraid of heights every since I can remember. And yet I've climbed, rappelled, snow skied (chair lifts can be pretty high), and for the last number of years I've been doing a lot of rope work in old mines. Still, every time I get ready to step over the edge of a ledge, it takes my breath away. I really doubt that I'll ever get over it. About all I can do is try to manage the fear enough that I can function as a mine explorer.

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing." - Helen Keller

Abby Normal


when I was younger, I used to free climb these cliffs along the railroad tracks north of town. I think it was my way of giving the fuck you to my fears. But when people are around, the skin on my balls crawls when heights are involved, almost as if I have an fear that someone is going to toss me off.





telefontubbie 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 32 on 9/10/2017 6:39 AM >
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Some time ago i found my solution - i spent many hours on various solid rooftops (on block-houses). There were always something like "extra floor" on rooftop with tiny steel ladder to the very top. I always imagined that the very last part feels like climbing a tower because the average forest watchtower height are 20 meters or more.
However, i still got shakey legs whenever i climb towers but at least my hands don't shake anymore and i stay calm, slow breathing is important.

Also i avoid rusty ladders which are clearly lasted through decades. I trust my slightest doubts.

There are plenty restored/re-painted forest watchtowers which are still used nowadays, that's the safest choice for me.




Abby Normal 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 33 on 9/15/2017 3:29 AM >
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Here are a couple of pictures from our most recent outing. We had to rappel about 20 feet just to get to this blockage. We are going to go down through that little hole in the middle of the picture.




The gap to get to the top of that ladder is actually much tighter than it looks in the picture. I had to turn my head sideways to get my helmet through the opening. Of course, all this while trying to keep control of my descender so I didn't take a long fall.





Tony is just getting ready to work down through. Notice the widow maker rock just waiting to drop on our heads. No helmet could protect from that impact.





Unless you've done stuff like this, it isn't obvious that going downward is the easy part. Gravity helps you along. Trying to climb back up through narrow squeezes like this takes a bit of strength and a lot of mental focus. Panicking when you get stuck doesn't help.

I need to get back to taking photos and posting trip reports again. Somewhere along the line I've become more focused on the exploring and a bit less on the photos and stories.


All good fun.

Abby Normal




"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan
Dee Ashley 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 34 on 9/20/2017 7:02 AM >
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Posted by Abby Normal
Here are a couple of pictures from our most recent outing. We had to rappel about 20 feet just to get to this blockage. We are going to go down through that little hole in the middle of the picture.

http://i63.tinypic.com/348hq1l.jpg


The gap to get to the top of that ladder is actually much tighter than it looks in the picture. I had to turn my head sideways to get my helmet through the opening. Of course, all this while trying to keep control of my descender so I didn't take a long fall.


http://i66.tinypic.com/xdicy1.jpg


Tony is just getting ready to work down through. Notice the widow maker rock just waiting to drop on our heads. No helmet could protect from that impact.


http://i66.tinypic.com/13ydz88.jpg


Unless you've done stuff like this, it isn't obvious that going downward is the easy part. Gravity helps you along. Trying to climb back up through narrow squeezes like this takes a bit of strength and a lot of mental focus. Panicking when you get stuck doesn't help.

I need to get back to taking photos and posting trip reports again. Somewhere along the line I've become more focused on the exploring and a bit less on the photos and stories.


All good fun.

Abby Normal



These photos instill fear in me when I look at them, but I don't see height when I see them, I see a dark hole with the ability to swallow me whole and asphyxiate me. I'm not claustrophobic, per se, but my greatest death fear is death by drowning or anything that would suffocate me - the slower the process is, the worse it is.
*shudder*
This would be my greatest obstacle to overcome if I ever explore a mine like this one (and hopefully, I will!).




I wandered till the stars went dim.
Abby Normal 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 35 on 9/21/2017 3:21 AM >
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Posted by Dee Ashley


These photos instill fear in me when I look at them, but I don't see height when I see them, I see a dark hole with the ability to swallow me whole and asphyxiate me. I'm not claustrophobic, per se, but my greatest death fear is death by drowning or anything that would suffocate me - the slower the process is, the worse it is.
*shudder*
This would be my greatest obstacle to overcome if I ever explore a mine like this one (and hopefully, I will!).


I can certainly understand your fear. When I started out exploring, I didn't want to go more than about 50 feet in and certainly not try anything scary like climbing down a ladder. It took quite a few trips of progressively more extensive explores before I became comfortable underground. Then I moved to getting reacquainted with rappelling and learning to ascend a rope. It's certainly more scary dangling from a rope underground. I've never gotten over my fear of heights, just been able to manage it a bit better. For some reason my last trip was especially difficult. My fears were worse than they have been for a few years. Not sure why. We will be heading out in late Oct and early Nov so I'm hoping I'm back to my old self. We have a couple of mines that don't look like they been touched in a very long time.

Good luck with your explorations too. Take it a little at a time. Don't be hard on yourself if you decide it's just not right for you.

Abby Normal





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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 36 on 9/21/2017 3:41 AM >
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I'm an experienced rock climber, rappeller, and have training in high angle rescue. Like what was said before, it's human instinct to be "scared" of heights. I think the trick at least for me was being able to manage the fear. I think once you loose all fear of it, you also loose respect for it. Check out a climbing gym and try some top topping. Good times, good work out, and you get a pretty good idea on how climbing gear works while elevated.




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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 37 on 9/21/2017 6:56 AM >
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Posted by Abby Normal

http://i66.tinypic.com/xdicy1.jpg




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Abby Normal 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 38 on 9/22/2017 6:43 PM >
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Actually this is a much more common type of vertical descent/ascent that we do. A nice and easy rappel down a shaft and a climb back up. I had forgotten to take my sunglasses off so I look a bit Hollywood in the photo.




Abby Normal




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Dee Ashley 


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Re: Conquering Your Fear of Heights
< Reply # 39 on 9/23/2017 4:31 PM >
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Posted by Abby Normal
Actually this is a much more common type of vertical descent/ascent that we do. A nice and easy rappel down a shaft and a climb back up. I had forgotten to take my sunglasses off so I look a bit Hollywood in the photo.

http://i65.tinypic.com/2pshe3b.jpg


Abby Normal


I would love to do something like this! Do you have to be in crazy good shape to do this or can you manage if you can still eek out, say a mile run if you tried really hard (and you're a female)? That's the best comparison I could come up with, lol, since I don't have any experience with this kind of thing. I used to be really athletic, but I'm approaching 40 and my only exercise of late is hiking into a location or maybe hopping the proverbial fence or two.

Edit: How hard or complicated is the learning curve for something like this to get to a point where you're (relatively) comfortable in your ability?

I'd be afraid I wouldn't be able to climb back out!



[last edit 9/23/2017 4:38 PM by Dee Ashley - edited 1 times]

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