Acrophobia is one of the most common phobias in the world. Clinical acrophobia affects 6.4% of the global population, alongside Visual Height Intolerance (a milder fear of heights) which affects almost one in three people.
In 2023, a YouGov poll discovered that 23% of respondents were acrophobic, making it the most common phobia in the UK. So why is this fear often deemed “irrational” if so many people suffer from it?
What is the Purpose of Acrophobia?
Like most common fears, acrophobia is rooted in survival skills, and it is not hard to see why. Historically speaking, acrophobia would have been a “survival of the fittest” attribute. Those of our ancestors who were wary of heights were more likely to survive than those who wandered too close to a cliff edge.
Your fear of heights is essentially a protective measure built into your subconscious. It aims to achieve three main things:
- Staying proactive in keeping you physically distant from “dangerous” drops.
- Being on alert means your body is flooded with adrenaline for quicker reactions
- Acts as a safety buffer. A false alarm is better than a fatal mistake.
Is Acrophobia Non-Associative?
For some phobias, it is common for sufferers to pinpoint the exact moment that led to the development of their fear. For example, between 45-60% of those with a fear of dogs have a direct experience that caused this fear.
However, many people with a fear of heights have never experienced such an event. It is common for people to claim that they have “just always felt this way”. Instead of being a learned reaction to a past traumatic event, acrophobia is largely categorised as a non-associative phobia. These are an innate, evolutionary instinct.
As a non-associative fear, it is thought that everyone is born with a natural aversion or fear of heights. As children learn to navigate high drops (such as stairs), their brains habituate these heights. However, for those who develop acrophobia, their brains simply did not habituate correctly. This causes the natural aversion to remain indefinitely.
An interesting study, known as the Dunedin Study, explored whether a fear of heights is instinctual (or non-associative) or trauma-based. It was reported that only 11% of acrophobic people had directly conditioned cases of height-related trauma.
You may be confused as to why you suffer from acrophobia, whilst having no traumatic experience. It is an evolutionary instinct. Realising that your acrophobia is non-associative means you can stop feeling guilty for being irrational.
Do We Still Need this Survival Instinct?
Speaking of acrophobia as a survival instinct may seem reductive when your fear spikes in a perfectly safe, reinforced skyscraper. In the modern world of architecture, high-rise buildings are commonplace and are not prone to falling down.
How to Conquer Your Fear
Understanding that your fear is not irrational is the first step in normalising and overcoming these feelings. Changing how you perceive heights will not be a simple ordeal, but there are a few steps you can take to help yourself in this recovery:
Acknowledge your fear.
Next time your fear is triggered, stop fighting the feeling and pushing it down. Now that you understand the cause and purpose of your acrophobia, you can face it head-on. Acknowledge your feelings and rationalise them. Your body thinks there is danger where there isn’t, that’s all it is.
Controlled exposure.
You cannot expect yourself to be instantly comfortable with heights. However, utilising gradual, controlled exposure is the most effective way to rewire your perception of heights.
Visual anchors.
If you are trying exposure therapy or find yourself in a triggering situation, try to find a visual anchor. By focusing on something stationary and close to you, such as a clock on the wall or a book on a desk, you can manage your panic. Stopping the spiral will help you to settle any physical symptoms that may be occurring before they become panic attacks.
Looking Forward
With this new understanding, you no longer have to worry about why you are “irrational”. You can now better manage your symptoms and triggers by acknowledging why you are having such a reaction.
Next time you find yourself in a triggering situation, try out some of our suggestions to conquer your fear and ground your anxieties.
