In recent years, glass boardwalks across the country have been in a mess. The director also went to a glass boardwalk with a friend, trying to challenge himself, and the result was...
Well, I don't say what the director has experienced, only what the director has seen —
There is a sauce aunt (big sister you get up)
There is a kind of meso (Uncle, is your heart okay?) ）
And a dog...
(The above GIFs are from soogif)
What an unforgettable sight!
Why are people so afraid of heights?
The death anxiety left behind by the ancestors
People who are afraid of heights stand on highs, and the changes in the inner world and brain are generally like this:
When you look down from a high place, the scene is completely different from usual, the house becomes a matchbox, pedestrians look like ants, so the brain exaggerates the height, or the balance system collapses, fear arises in the heart, and then a series of discomforts appear -
Anxiety, helplessness, fear that something terrible is happening,
rapid heartbeat, dizziness, chest tightness,
gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea,
Chills and weakness, trembling hands and feet, weakness of limbs, etc.
(Image source: Internet)
The greater the deviation in the distance judgment, the stronger the fear of heights [1].
Fear of heights is innate. Fear, on the other hand, has a self-protective effect. Why?
Dating back hundreds of millions of years, our ancestors encountered threats from various carnivores that triggered a structure in the brain called the amygdala. It is where fear is generated and is the oldest part of the brain.
There is a sparkle of amygdala shiny appearance
Image source: Tencent Medical Code
When people are in danger, the amygdala is vigorously moved.
It will raise a sense of tension and anxiety, making you aware of the danger coming, beware!
It will make the heart beat faster, and the heart will pump a lot of blood to support you to pull your legs and run.
Image source: Tencent Medical Code
And when you stand on the edge of a cliff, you will have the fear of falling into the abyss at any time, reminding yourself to stop and retreat.
Image source: Tencent Medical Code
Because the amygdala is so dedicated, even if you stand on the glass boardwalk, it is obviously safe, but it will still judge the "danger ahead" and infinitely magnify the fear.
To put it a little deeper, people have a kind of "death anxiety." Standing on a high place, you are deeply threatened with death, and it is inevitable that anxiety will occur.
At this time, you may have flashed hundreds of pictures in your brain:
I haven't been able to live the life I really want!
No girlfriend yet!
Or maybe there is a wife and children at home...
The more you feel that your life is not yet complete and that there are many things unfinished, the higher the anxiety about death [2-3].
Image source: Tencent Medical Code
Looking directly at death is as uncomfortable as looking directly at the sun, which is also one of the reasons why some people are seriously afraid of heights.
Fear of ascending ≠ "fear of heights"
People often equate "fear of ascending" with "fear of heights", but there is an essential difference between the two.
Fear of ascending is more of a normal physiological response of the body, a signal of self-protection sent by the brain's defense system.
This fear is justified and helps us survive.
Moreover, fear emotions, reactions, etc. are not so intense.
Image source: Stand Cool Helo
"Fear of heights" is classified as an anxiety disorder in psychiatry. People with "fear of heights" tend to have an excessive and unreasonable fear of the high environment, and will show a series of physical manifestations, such as blushing, rapid heartbeat, sweating, chest tightness and shortness of breath that we mentioned earlier.
There are also some patients who have compulsive intentions, such as standing on a high place and worrying that they will jump, and there is really an urge to jump!
This sense of fear clearly goes far beyond the self-defense mechanism of "fear of ascending to the top".
An An, a "wingsuit flying girl" who died some time ago, was interviewed by an outdoor media outlet in October last year, revealing that she was a fear of heights, but she enjoyed the "process of overcoming her fears". From a psychological point of view, she is trying to break through the mechanism of self-psychological defense, and finally she has indeed overcome psychological instincts. It's just that the ending is still regrettable.
As for more other heightsphobias, they know that their fears are irrational, but they still can't control their emotions. They will try to avoid exposure to things that cause fear, and as a result, they will bring many obstacles to their lives, such as—
Do not dare to go up to a building of more than 3 floors,
Even if you go up, you always feel dangerous;
Don't dare to live in tall buildings,
Don't dare to work in a high-rise office building,
Don't dare to go shopping in high-rise shopping malls;
Would rather drive around 10 km,
Also avoid crossing a high bridge;
Inadvertently saw a steep staircase,
My heart beats faster, I sweat, I blush, and my chest gets tight
……
Image source: Stand Cool Helo
Can fear of heights be cured?
So affect life, but what to do!
Fear of heights is not insurmountable, and the best way to deal with heart demons is to challenge heart demons.
Usually, you can consciously go to the height exercise, first from the height you can accept, such as: go up 3 stairs, climb a hill, look down from a high place, etc., slowly increase the height, feel the stimulation of the high environment, and try to accept this stimulation.
Image source: Stand Cool Helo
Don't look down on this method, this is a formal psychotherapy method, and there is a scientific name called "systematic desensitization".
If you need to improve your fear of heights, you can turn to a regular counselor or therapist who has other tricks to help you, such as exposure therapy, hypnotherapy, etc. If necessary, it may also be necessary to take some antidepressants.
Review expert: Shi Yingying | Psychotherapist of The Hainan Branch of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital
bibliography:
[1] Menzies R G,Clarke J C. The etiology of fear of heights and its relationship to severity and individual response patterns. [J]. Behaviour research and therapy,1993,31(4).
Bai Fubao. On the Nature of Death Anxiety[J].Medicine and Philosophy(A),2015,36(10):40-49.
[3] Harmon-Jones E,Simon L,Greenberg J,et al. Terror management theory and self-esteem:Evidence that increased self-esteem reduces morality salience effects[J]. J Per Soc psychol,1997,72:24-36.
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