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Acrophobia

Wednesday 21st May 2008 at 7:58:46 AM

ggeneroso
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I want to do rock climbing but I am afraid of heights. What should i do to overcome it. I've done wall climbing (it really took me a great effort to do it) but I guess rock climbing is another thing.

Wednesday 21st May 2008 at 9:43:54 AM

bradkillough
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First, when you climb, you must learn to focus on the climb , instead of the height. Start with bouldering first and that will help you develope your style and technique, not to forget, confidence!!! Try sitting somewhere and totally clearing your mind of everything except "success". Think of something pleasant, something that makes you happy ....! Keep that thought and start climbing, focus on being happy and your moves. Check out our info section. Bouldering only requires a boulder pad (crash pad), chalk bag, and shoes.

Wednesday 21st May 2008 at 10:57:07 AM

chilli
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two quick anecdotal notes:

1) the first time I went climbing, the guy who was telling me how things work, told me "just don't look at the ground. you're not going to be doing anything with it; and even if you are, you don't want to know how far away it is"

i'm sure that's not actually very helpful, but i thought it was funny

2) a friend of mine is VERY afraid of heights, so he did what any logical person with acrophobia would do: he took up rock climbing and became a pilot. he gets a bit freaked out once in a while, and he says that deep breathing and sheer concentration on the task at hand seems to do the trick. he does a lot of TR climbing, so sometimess he'll get to the top, and request to be lowered quickly for a bit of recovery time. i can't say that he uses a specific formula for improvement, but he does really focus on the rock and the particular spot he's located and the next place he's going. he just sort of blocks the idea of the height with thoughts of the next move on the rock. despite his fear, i've watched him slowly become more and more sure of himself and effective. i can tell you though, it's a slow process (from what i can tell, so don't put too much pressure on yourself to overcome the fear itself. i can only assume that would exacerbate things.

good luck

Wednesday 21st May 2008 at 2:23:42 PM

bradkillough
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Familiarize yourself with what Rock Climbing is all about. There are so many informational sources, from books and magazines to internet. Getting the gist of the sport is a big step.
It is important to have acceptance of the element of risk involved. Constant vigilance is essential in order to ensure safety during climbs.
Get familiar with the different Rock Climbing Styles and identify what attracts you most.
Be acquainted with the necessary pieces of Climbing Gear and Equipment. Know their features and uses.
You also need to prepare your body. Rock Climbing is a physically-demanding activity, so it is important to focus on improving your strength and endurance to keep up with the demands of the sport. Make sure to have a training program which is customized to you.
Take formal lessons. In this way, you will acquire knowledge from someone who really knows the sport.
Know and understand at least the basic principles and aspects of the sport.
Learn the different Climbing Techniques and other skills such as How to Tie Climbing Knots.
After knowing the theoretical aspects, it is time to be knowledgeable by putting what you have learned in practice. Start developing your Rock Climbing Moves and skills in indoor climbing gyms.
Get in touch with experienced climbers. You will get something useful from the way they climb or go down. They can also give some important pointers or advice based on their previous climbing trips.

I hope this helps, check out some of these articles!

Thursday 22nd May 2008 at 12:03:47 PM

RockRat2008
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You've gotten some great advice so far and hopefully it is giving you a better comfort level.

One of my primary climbing partners is also deathly afraid of heights. Something that really helped him when he was starting out was learning that rock climbing when done properly is actually a lot safer than people think.

As long as you and your partner do your safety checks, etc there is a very low risk of injury.

Knowing that even if he slipped and fell nothing was going to happen helped him a lot first starting out.

Mike

Thursday 22nd May 2008 at 1:03:16 PM

bradkillough
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Great advice Mike and also when you get a partner, allways practice verbal communication skills"ALLWAYS"

Friday 30th May 2008 at 2:43:09 AM

locorogue
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I actually started from the other end, I rappelled down, then had to climb back up. Supposedly a quicker way to learn, i guess it's supposed to kill any fear of height, hmm, go figure, another option.

Friday 30th May 2008 at 12:58:05 PM

RockRat2008
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That's true, it is another option, and perhaps a good one for some.

However, let's also remember, that there are many rock climbers who may never rappel in their entire rock climbing lives, so it may not be the best option.

Probably 70% of the people I know who climb top rope only; They tie in, climb, get lowered, untie. It is up to the rest of us to lead the routes, clean the routes, rappel down after cleaning, etc.

Mike

Monday 23rd June 2008 at 6:26:27 PM

keane
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its good also to climb with someone you trust.. i mean someone you really feel confident enough given the phobia.. in the end, nobody can prescribe an exact way to overcome the fear, you have to find it out for yourself.

Wednesday 25th June 2008 at 10:05:58 PM

bradkillough
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Thats true also, exploring what avenue to take to get through.

Wednesday 22nd October 2008 at 2:13:02 PM

devil8ball
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I have always had a fear of heights to some degree. Hate flying, don't like tall buildings, balconies, or anything generally more than 20 feet off of the ground. But, I take my time a focus on the climbing, everything else melts aways and before I know, I am 60 feet up and feeling great.

Jim in Germany

Wednesday 22nd October 2008 at 3:11:37 PM

RockRat2008
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That's awesome Jim. When you get to the top of a climb and look down does it freak you out again?

If so, how do you handle it and if not, why not?

Maybe this could help some others with simliar issues.

Wednesday 22nd October 2008 at 5:52:21 PM

bradkillough
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Remember:

Getting to the top is only half of the climb, the second half is getting back down. Stay Focused from ground-to-ground. Live to climb/climb to live.

Thursday 23rd October 2008 at 6:29:10 AM

devil8ball
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RockRat2008 posted the following on Wednesday 22nd October 2008
That's awesome Jim. When you get to the top of a climb and look down does it freak you out again?

If so, how do you handle it and if not, why not?

Maybe this could help some others with simliar issues.

For whatever reason, it generally does not freak me out when I get to the top. I don't know why, but I usually don't have a problem. I just handle it and tell myself that it isn't a big deal, that I trust my rope, by equipment, and my belayer. Deep breathing helps and concentrating on the task at hand. I like the idea of conquering the face/slab/whatever I am on, that gives me the sense of accomplishment I need to say that it isn't the heights that I am worried about, it is how I fear them that stops me. So, once I get the fear out of my head, I can get up the rock. It is only a temporary state, though.

Jim in Germany

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