Acrophobia describes an intense fear of heights that can cause significant anxiety and panic. Some researchTrusted Source suggests ...UnderstandingAcrophobia,orFearofHeightsMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,Ph.D.,CRNP—WrittenbyCrystalRaypoleonMarch27,2019SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentTakeawayShareonPinterest936872272Acrophobiadescribesanintensefearofheightsthatcancausesignificantanxietyandpanic.Someresearchsuggestsacrophobiamaybeoneofthemostcommonphobias.It’snotunusualtofeelsomediscomfortinhighplaces.Forexample,youmightfeeldizzyornervouswhenlookingdownfromthetopfloorofaskyscraper.Butthesefeelingsmaynotcausepanicorpromptyoutoavoidheightsaltogether.Ifyouhaveacrophobia,eventhinkingaboutcrossingabridgeorseeingaphotographofamountainandsurroundingvalleymaytriggerfearandanxiety.Thisdistressisgenerallystrongenoughtoaffectyourdailylife.Readontolearnmoreaboutacrophobia,includinghowtoovercomeit.Whatarethesymptoms?Themainsymptomofacrophobiaisanintensefearofheightsmarkedbypanicandanxiety.Forsomepeople,extremeheightstriggersthisfear.Othersmayfearanykindofheight,includingsmallstepladdersorstools.Thiscanleadtoarangeofphysicalandpsychologicalsymptoms.Physicalsymptomsofacrophobiainclude:increasedsweating,chestpainortightness,andincreasedheartbeatatthesightorthoughtofhighplacesfeelingsickorlightheadedwhenyouseeorthinkaboutheightsshakingandtremblingwhenfacedwithheightsfeelingdizzyorlikeyou’refallingorlosingyourbalancewhenyoulookupatahighplaceordownfromaheightgoingoutofyourwaytoavoidheights,evenifitmakesdailylifemoredifficultPsychologicalsymptomscaninclude:experiencingpanicwhenseeinghighplacesorthinkingabouthavingtogouptoahighplacehavingextremefearofbeingtrappedsomewherehighupexperiencingextremeanxietyandfearwhenyouhavetoclimbstairs,lookoutawindow,ordrivealonganoverpassworryingexcessivelyaboutencounteringheightsinthefutureWhatcausesit?Acrophobiasometimesdevelopsinresponsetoatraumaticexperienceinvolvingheights,suchas:fallingfromahighplacewatchingsomeoneelsefallfromahighplacehavingapanic