Got the jitters? Fear of falling?
Fear of heights is not a bad thing per se. Fear is primal and there to protect us; we would have long since ceased to exist without it. In some situations, however, we need to face it. The good news is that fear of heights, or vertigo, is a classic fear of confrontation, which means that it can be treated and overcome by confronting it—cautiously and with tiny, minimal steps.
Ulligunde facing her fear of heights – step by step.
Getting over the fear of heights: Plan the correct route!
Nothing is worse than getting into a tense situation unprepared. Good planning and a healthy self-assessment are essential. Overcoming and facing your vertigo and the fear that encompasses it must come directly from your inner psyche and never from exogenous factors.
Plan your route well in advance. If you can do it with a mutual, understanding hiking buddy, well, then even better.
Always approach the tour with a healthy dose of pragmatic self-assessment. Try proving yourself to others? Never!
Pick the right hiking companion
Facing an anxiety-induced situation requires an understanding buddy. Anything else can inevitably lead to frustration or an even worse situation. Open, emotionally honest communication is the key on both sides.
What to do when `the fear` kicks in!
Following a few simple steps can help you handle your acute fear of heights.
The first step is calm, deep breathing. Whistling often helps, too, by the way! Gaze over to the next few meters of the trail. If standing is uncomfortable, try briefly sitting down for a bit.
Look at the next stage of the route, preferably with your hiking partner. Determine a point not far down the trail you want to reach first. This is the only section that should count from this point onwards – nothing else. After that, you can determine what’s next.
Talking through your next steps with your buddy can help calm your nerves. Sometimes, it even helps if you verbalize it out loud. Breathe deeply and calmly.
Ask yourself whether you want to face this section of the hike. It’s never too late to turn around.
Become aware of the passage you are facing and be honest with yourself about whether you want to tackle it.
Relax and enjoy little victories
Before you start the first passage, take another deep breath. Snort like a horse; shake your arms and legs – if the terrain allows it. Tense all your muscles for a few moments and then relax them. Concentrate on your deep, loud breathing, and take it ‘step by step.’ If it helps, say each step aloud or ask your touring partner to do it.
Once you have reached the first intermediate goal, Be proud and happy. Breathe deeply and repeat the described approach until you have completed the entire critical distance.
If you have mastered this challenge, rejoice loudly and honestly. If you have a good touring partner, he/she will be equally happy with you. And not just for a moment after the passage but for the rest of the day.
Look at turning back as a victory!
If you do not want to face this challenge today, be proud because you can. Turning around is the greatest strength on the mountain; many do not master it. But it takes a lot to turn around and do without.
One of the mots vital survival skills in the mountains is being able to turn back – many never master this essential survival skill.
7 pointers to help with the fear of heights
- Breathe calmly and deeply
- Focus on the next intermediate goal
- Question why you want to master the passage
- Mobilize all the muscles in your body and then relax them again.
- Take one step at a time, talking out loud to yourself if necessary.
- When you have mastered the route, rejoice!
- If you had to turn around, rejoice! Not everyone has the strength to say no in the mountains!