According to a 2023 YouGov survey, 23% of all Britons say they suffer from a fear of heights
Perhaps you’re among them? For normal people who want to do normal things like traveling on the London Underground, or visiting classic destinations like The London Eye, The Shard, St. Paul’s Cathedral Dome, or Lift 109 at Battersea Power Station (and so many more), maybe fear is a major hurdle. Over the past 20 years we have learned so much on this subject and so much about the people who join us. Here we offer answers on all things to do with a fear of heights, or acrophobia…
What is acrophobia?
Acrophobia is the fear of heights. More exactly it is an irrational and extreme fear of heights. People who experience panic attacks on a London Underground escalator or in the cheap seats of a stadium or theatre haven’t got a rational fear of heights. They are gripped in the confines of an extreme phobia. This is acrophobia.
What is vertigo and is vertigo at heights the same as a height phobia?
Vertigo is most commonly a symptom of inner ear problems, but can also stem from issues in the brain, or from an infection. Vertigo feels like you or everything around you is spinning – enough to affect your balance. Typically it is a short-term issue and something that doesn’t always need treating. It’s often referred to by people who are frightened of heights, but vertigo is not the same as acrophobia or as having a fear of heights.
What are acrophobia symptoms?
The symptoms of acrophobia can vary from person to person, but often follow a similar pattern. When we feel in danger, a small part of our brain called the amygdala kicks in. This is the part of the brain that triggers the fight or flight mechanism.
When we feel threatened our body prepares itself for action (fighting or running away). Our major muscle groups will need oxygenated blood, they will need more glucose, and to prevent over-heating we’re going to need to start sweating…
So what we might experience/see is:
- An increased heart rate& increased blood pressure
- Fast shallow breathing
- Sweating/clammy hands
- We can lose all our peripheral vision and situational awareness – we become mega fixated on what is exactly right in front of us
- We lose all ability to process information. (Our brain is hijacked by the amygdala and so we lose the ability to think rationally)
What is the cause of acrophobia and why do people have a fear of heights?
As a species we have a fear of heights since it keeps us alive. Imagine cave-man waking up early one morning, walks out his cave, scratches his bum, and sees a tiger. He says “I’m going to take you on!” Well, we didn’t descend from that cave-man!
It’s evolution. The cave-men we descended from were the ones that got good at running away.
Our amygdala exists for a reason. For some of us, those of us with acrophobia for example, it is just hyper-sensitive. As we get older we become more risk adverse (some people call it being wiser) but also we get ‘good’ at what we practice. The more we practice being scared, or choosing not to challenge ourselves the better we get at it, and the more likely we will be to turn away from any fear provoking stimulus.
Also, the reason we have acrophobia or an extreme fear of heights might be because that was what has been modelled to us by our parents, or because we have had a traumatic experience in our past that leads us to feel and behave the way we do now.
What is the best therapy for acrophobia and how do you cure a fear of heights?
The good news is that you can overcome and manage a fear of heights. While the fear is rooted in our natural survival instincts, it can be managed and even conquered through exposure therapy and mindfulness practices.
Commonly this process is referred to as Cognitive Behaviour Technique (CBT) or Exposure Therapy which are in essence, the same thing.
By taking on small challenges we step out of our comfort zone, and ideally into what is called the Zone of Proximal Development. If we overly-challenge ourselves (eg “kill or cure”) we will have a negative experience and make things worse. (We would NEVER advise this approach).
Conversely, if we never step out of our comfort zone, we slowly get better at reinforcing the current narrative and make things worse. Our comfort zone decreases.
Taking on new challenges is easier said than done … (After all, you’ve got a fear of heights!) Similarly we all know how to lose weight, but how easy is this to actually do!? It’s the same with height phobias. And just like with weight loss techniques, if we’re to lose weight, we see a specialist, to guide us. To conquer a fear of heights we should also seek the help of a professional.
(Read: Acrophobia Cure – How We Help People Cure A Fear Of Heights)
When you ask how to overcome a fear of heights, the answer is exactly the same. Seek the help of professionals who will safely guide you through a series of exercises constantly helping you to change the narrative that is presently working its way through your brain. To cure a fear of heights, you need to slowly and incrementally expose your brain to new challenges. This is how you grow your comfort zone.
Are there any natural remedies for a fear of heights?
If you’re hoping to pop down to your local health-food shop to find a cure for a fear of heights, I’m afraid that you may be disappointed! While there’s nothing we can eat, there are other natural remedies for a fear of heights. Here I’m talking about meditation and learning to be in the moment.
I first set up our fear of heights courses because this was something that was holding me back too. I have always enjoyed rock climbing, but I just couldn’t make any progress whilst I was scared of heights! I knew I had the ability and the moves, but simply couldn’t put them into practice. I recognised that while I was scared at height, I simply couldn’t be in the moment.
Meditation and also learning how to visualise being calm at height helps maintain control of how our brains think. It helps us be proactive before a situation, rather than reactive. This is one reason why, when people come on our fear of heights courses we do hypnotherapy. We then give everyone a recording of the session that they may go away with to listen to the session over and over again.
This way we are rehearsing how we might positively deal with a stressful situation before it occurs.
How do I get over a fear of heights fast?
Over all these years you have got really good at being afraid of heights. It’s taken time to get this good as you. I’m afraid it’s going to take a bit of time to reverse it now. The key thing is to learn good practice and then to reinforce that and slowly you will achieve stuff you never thought possible. (Honestly!). This brings us nicely onto the next question …
Moving forward …
Overcoming a fear of heights is a journey. It will require patience, some persistence, and the right guidance. While acrophobia is rooted in our natural survival instincts, it can be managed and even conquered through a process of exposure therapy, (cognitive behavioural techniques), and through mindfulness practices.
By gradually expanding our comfort zone and challenging fearful thoughts, we can regain control and embrace new experiences without being held back by fear. Although the process can be difficult, seeking support from professionals can make a significant difference.
With the right approach, it is possible to replace fear with confidence and enjoy the heights that once seemed impossible to face.
Testimonials & Feedback for our Fear of Heights Course
“This course has the perfect blend of psychology, practical tips and explorations, and positivity – all carried out in wonderful surroundings and in a small group with other like minds, learning and sharing with each other also part of the experience…” Claire, May 2025
“I took this course at the weekend. Hand on heart, it’s transformative. Will and Alison are superb; knowledgeable and experienced. Most importantly, they deliver the course in an incredibly kind, patient and human-centred way.” … “Those two days have opened up new pathways and has begun the process of dismantling the barriers that stopped me doing the things I want to do in life…” Colin, May 2025
“I entered the course genuinely terrified of heights, to the point it was stopping me enjoying many things that “normal” people take for granted. I truly believed that was me for life… and I was getting worse all the time… Cut to a few months after and I’m borderline addicted to trying to challenge myself against heights. Any chance I get to look over a ledge – I’m there!” Matt, Aug 2025
Further Reading
Understanding your fear of heights
BBC – Tips for overcoming fear from the world’s best free solo climber February 2019
UKC.com – Playing With Fear February 2018
The Scientist – January 2018
Esquire Magazine – How to Cure a Fear of Heights March 2017
UKC.com – How to Conquer the Fear of Falling – November 2016
“I want to thank you again for an excellent weekend. I actually had quite a lump in my throat on Sunday evening on thinking that I wouldn’t see that group again, as we’d all been through a unique and powerful experience. I think yours and Brian’s fear of heights course is brilliant and on Sunday in particular I felt full of confidence and now can’t wait to do more . . .”
– Stephen N. (More reviews on TripAdvisor here).