Is it possible to overcome a fear of heights? Per Psycom, acrophobia can negatively affect a person's quality of life. Heights are hard to avoid entirely, and many people don't relish a life of constant hyperawareness and fear concerning being up high, be it on a ladder performing home repairs, on a hike that overlooks a valley, or in a hotel room on an upper level.
Is it possible to overcome a fear of heights? There are various therapy options that can help those who suffer from a fear of heights, including CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, which is a method of treatment in which "behavioral techniques that expose the individual to the feared situation ... are employed." It's even possible to use virtual reality equipment to simulate exposure to heights without actually going to high places.
Another option is medication. As Psycom explains, Beta blockers and sedatives have been effective for short-term relief, as they help control panicky or anxious mental and physical reactions. Since 2008, several studies have examined the efficacy of the drug D-cycloserine on anxiety disorders. Some findings indicate "using D-cycloserine with CBT may yield better results than the drug or CBT on its own." More research is necessary, but it sounds like a promising option for those living with severe acrophobia,
