Admittedly, there is something very natural about a fear of heights. Humans weren’t born with wings, and our ability to take flight is pretty recent.
It really puts it in perspective when you consider the earliest anatomically modern humans came on the scene roughly 200,000 years ago, but the first manned flight from a hot air balloon didn’t take place until 1783 (237 years ago). Not to mention, the first successful, self-propelled airplane flight only occurred roughly 118 years ago! Truthfully, it’s not a terribly long time to get used to being airborne.
Here’s the thing. If you’re scared of heights but want to skydive, you’re not alone. That pesky fear of heights is a common fear amongst even professional skydiving enthusiasts! In all honesty, fear is just a part of being human.
The Origin Of Acrophobia
Evolutionary psychologists posit that certain fears, like the fear of heights, may be ingrained into our very being. The idea is that if your ancestors were afraid of heights, they wouldn’t put themselves into potentially dangerous situations, say climbing to the top of a weak limbed tree to raid a bird’s nest or peering over the edge of a cliff during a typhoon. Thus, because they had fear, they would be more likely to survive and procreate, allowing them to pass on their genes, and, likewise, pass those fears on down the line.
Though, before you get too comfortable with the notion your fear is hardwired into your makeup, allow us to offer up another scientific opinion–one that provides a bit of hope if you have aspirations of skydiving.
Behavioral psychologists believe that fears are learned through classical conditioning and can also be learned vicariously. Essentially, the first time you climbed onto something high, you probably didn’t even notice. It wasn’t until you fell, or experienced some other trauma, that you began to associate heights with distress. Or, as in the case with a vicariously learned fear, you heard stories of people falling from great heights and began to develop your own fear of heights.
Thankfully, it doesn’t matter where your fear of heights originates from, it doesn’t have to stop you from skydiving. You can use the same conditioning that caused the fear to get past it!
Use A Skydive To Get Over Height Fear
Exposure therapy is a commonly used method to treat acrophobia. This form of therapy involves exposing a fearful participant to the object or experience that induces his or her fear in a controlled environment. As the fear is faced, the individual becomes more confident and can confront the experiences that originally frightened him or her.
With a tandem skydive, you can confront your fear of heights while being securely fastened to a skydiving instructor. Though your instructor is there to guide you, you still get all the credit for making the leap. Can you think of the last time you did something you were afraid of? Now, imagine the feeling of pride you had, and multiply it exponentially. Because skydiving is so out of the norm, after making your jump, you’ll feel a sense of empowerment like you never have before.
It’s Not Falling. It’s Flying.
Often, when someone is afraid of heights, they are actually afraid of the fall. Luckily, skydiving doesn’t feel like falling at all, it feels like flying. Though you may experience some initial fear at the door, once you leave it dissipates into the air. As you exit the aircraft and look around you, it almost doesn’t seem real. But the fact is, it is real, and you’re doing it! In a way, this moment defines your life from this point forward. You’ll never be the same “you” again: you’ll be even better!
Scared of Heights? It’s Time To Book Your Skydive.
We can’t wait to hear the story of how you faced your fears and made a tandem skydive. Committing is the hardest part. Take the leap and book now. We’re here to help you soar!
