Are you afraid of being at high altitudes? Here’s how you can deal with your fears, step by step.
Specify the fear. Try to clarify what you are afraid will happen at high altitudes. Are you afraid of fainting? Is it about a fear of falling? Or is the fear about something else?
Thoughts are thoughts. Remind yourself that thoughts are just thoughts and not necessarily a reflection of reality. Thoughts can be both magnified and distorted.
Rank the fear. Write a list of the situations you find unpleasant. Start with the least scary and end with the one you find the most frightening.
Face your fears, step by step. Expose yourself to the different situations on the list, one at a time. Start with the one that feels easiest. Stay in the situation even if it feels uncomfortable. The fear will eventually pass, if you do not run away.
Examine your thoughts. Ask yourself whether what you were afraid would happen actually happened. Or can you, after exposing yourself to the situation, revise your expectations about what will happen?
Avoid avoidance. When you avoid situations and experiences that feel scary, the negative thoughts are consolidated and the fear remains. Challenge yourself continuously by experiencing heights, and thus control the fear rather than letting the fear control you.
