Acrophobia

Acrophobia, also known as hipsophobia, is an extreme or irrational fear or phobia of heights, especially when one is not particularly high up. It belongs to a category of specific phobias, called space and motion discomfort, that share similar causes and options for treatment.

For the online game, see Acrophobia (game). For the amusement park ride, see Acrophobia (ride). For the fear of open spaces, see Agoraphobia.
"Fear of heights" redirects here. For the Drake song, see Fear of Heights (song).
Not to be confused with Fear of falling.

Acrophobia
Some jobs require working at heights.
Pronunciation
  • /ˌækrəˈfoʊbiə/
SpecialtyPsychiatry

Most people experience a degree of natural fear when exposed to heights, known as the fear of falling. On the other hand, those who have little fear of such exposure are said to have a head for heights. A head for heights is advantageous for hiking or climbing in mountainous terrain and also in certain jobs such as steeplejacks or wind turbine mechanics.

People with acrophobia can experience a panic attack in high places and become too agitated to get themselves down safely. Approximately 2–5% of the general population has acrophobia, with twice as many women affected as men. The term is from the Greek: ἄκρον, ákron, meaning "peak, summit, edge" and φόβος, phóbos, "fear".

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