Have you ever felt a certain "chill in your stomach", a fear of being on a high building or bridge and looking down? It's very normal to feel this fear, which can also serve as a warning to us to be more alert to danger. But when it's an excessive and persistent fear, often causing us to lose control of our emotions, it can be a sign of Acrophobia, which is better known as Phobia, an anxiety disorder specific to high places.

There are cases where the degree of phobia is so high that the individual can't see themselves in places where they need to climb stairs, use the elevator, drive a car over an overpass. There are possible causes of fear of heights:

• Triggered by a survival instinct, as the body anticipates a reaction that could benefit it in the event of a risk;
• Previous accidents involving heights;
• A conditioning to fear heights from childhood.

How to identify this exaggerated fear of heights? If you're somewhere high or suspended, like a building for example, see if you feel it:

• Nervousness
• Agitation
• Malaise
• Panic attack
• Vertigo
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Accelerated breathing
• Nausea
• Sweat
• Muscle tension

People who suffer from acrophobia have these physical and emotional reactions. Fear of heights is not always an anxiety disorder, as it can be instinctive and controllable. It is important, when you feel an exaggerated fear of heights that prevents you from doing things in your daily life, to seek out a psychotherapist who will make a diagnosis and, if necessary, treat this fear. 

The purpose of treatment is to improve the quality of life and independence of the person, who needs to live well in society and whose fear ends up getting in the way of their daily routine of work, leisure and more.