Ground floor, please
I don't like heights.
I've never been keen on them but my dislike has gotten stronger as I've grown older, becoming out and out fear. It doesn't just keep me off high balconies and back from scenic views from on high. I even get nervous watching movies where people stand too close to cliff edges or venture onto bridge railings and such.
"Step back, step back, step back," I'll chant while scrunching deep into my chair as if I'm physically pulling back from the edge. I know it's all fake - it's action in front of blue screen and there's no 100 foot cliff drop in sight - but it doesn't matter. Just the illusion of height is enough to send me into heebie jeebies. It's irrational and ridiculous and I know it. But I can't help it.
Nothing like a little acrophobia to make life interesting.
I mentioned this to a friend recently. Turns out he shares my phobia. Not surprising since acrophobia is often listed as one of the top ten phobias.
He told me about a recent conversation he had with another acrophobic. She had figured out her fear was because she was afraid she'd jump off the edge. I don't think I'm afraid I'll jump (and gee, I really didn't need to have that suggestion implanted in my brain) but I do think I'm afraid I'll fall. I've never fallen off a cliff face before so I've no idea where this fear stems from.
Could it be because of past life experiences? Interesting supposition. My mind wandered as I pondered this train of thought. I wound up with the most unusual possibility.
Maybe I was a lemming in a previous life.
At least it would give me a good excuse for being afraid of heights in this life. I mean, seriously, if you had plunged to your death in an earlier lifetime, wouldn't you be a little leery of heights in your current existence?
I've never been keen on them but my dislike has gotten stronger as I've grown older, becoming out and out fear. It doesn't just keep me off high balconies and back from scenic views from on high. I even get nervous watching movies where people stand too close to cliff edges or venture onto bridge railings and such.
"Step back, step back, step back," I'll chant while scrunching deep into my chair as if I'm physically pulling back from the edge. I know it's all fake - it's action in front of blue screen and there's no 100 foot cliff drop in sight - but it doesn't matter. Just the illusion of height is enough to send me into heebie jeebies. It's irrational and ridiculous and I know it. But I can't help it.
Nothing like a little acrophobia to make life interesting.
I mentioned this to a friend recently. Turns out he shares my phobia. Not surprising since acrophobia is often listed as one of the top ten phobias.
He told me about a recent conversation he had with another acrophobic. She had figured out her fear was because she was afraid she'd jump off the edge. I don't think I'm afraid I'll jump (and gee, I really didn't need to have that suggestion implanted in my brain) but I do think I'm afraid I'll fall. I've never fallen off a cliff face before so I've no idea where this fear stems from.
Could it be because of past life experiences? Interesting supposition. My mind wandered as I pondered this train of thought. I wound up with the most unusual possibility.
Maybe I was a lemming in a previous life.
At least it would give me a good excuse for being afraid of heights in this life. I mean, seriously, if you had plunged to your death in an earlier lifetime, wouldn't you be a little leery of heights in your current existence?
posted by bemused at 9:40 AM
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