Fear of heights, why we feel we are being pulled to the edge.
I often work with clients with a fear of heights and they often say that they feel like they are being pulled to the edge of where they are, like being pulled by a magnet.
It doesn’t make sense does it?
It is like the fear is making them do the exact OPPOSITE of what it should be doing, which is keeping them safe!
I found out the other day it has a name, it’s called High Places Phenomenon HPP for short.
HPP happens when the brain is alerted to a potential danger so the Amygdala (our fight or flight reflex) fires up and puts us into emergency mode.
But because this happens so quickly (one third of a second before our conscious brain kicks in) we are misinterpreting the message, focussing on the danger and in that split second thinking we are being guided/pulled to the edge or wanting to jump.
We don’t of course, we do exactly what the emergency programme wants us to do and back away.
Safe and sound 😀
If anxiety is affecting your life, let’s chat.
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