Can NLP fix a fear of heights? Yes, and no.
When I teach the fast phobia cure inside the NLP training I always ask if there is someone with a fear of heights. Students often assume that I am asking the question because the fast phobia cure may not work in this situation. The actual reason is the NLP tool itself. There is a point inside the NLP technique where the person is asked to place their awareness in a projection booth of a movie theater and learn how to 3-place dissociate, meaning an extreme way of dissociating from the fear. The problem is that placing someone on an elevated platform in their imagination can set the fear of heights off when the point is to dissociate them from this feeling, so you can teach the brain a different response.
Interesting tidbits!
Did you know that fear of heights is the most common phobia in the world? It’s estimated that around one-third of people suffer from some degree of acrophobia, or fear of heights. This can range from a mild discomfort at high elevations to full-blown panic attacks.
Interestingly, women are more likely to experience a fear of heights than men. One possible explanation is that women are often socialized to be more fearful and cautious than men.
There are a number of different theories about why people develop a fear of heights. Some experts believe it’s related to our evolutionary history, while others suggest that it’s simply a learned response. Whatever the cause may be, there is no doubt that acrophobia can have a significant impact on quality of life.
Can NLP fix a fear of heights?
Over the years I have cured many people’s phobias inclusive of a fear of heights, I am guessing well over 300, perhaps even 400, I don’t even know. I have seen my students collectively cure many more. In any given NLP training the success rate of my students doing the cure on another student is about 90%. Not bad for a first-timer. The tool is that reliable, effective, and most of all, easy to apply after a week’s worth of NLP training.
Not all fears of heights are created equal however, and there are certain situations where a fear of heights can not be cured.
Vertigo
According to the Mayo Clinic, fear of heights is classified as a specific phobia. Specific phobias are defined as irrational fears that are not related to any other psychological disorder. Phobias can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, traumatic events, or simply learning from someone else that heights are dangerous.
A fear of heights can also be related to vertigo. Vertigo causes spinning sensations and a sense of the environment moving when it isn’t This is a balance issue caused by the inner ear. Rationally, people with vertigo will receive a rational fear response around heights that isn’t phobic.
In these situations, it is impossible for an NLP Practitioner to help alleviate the fear of heights. That doesn’t mean that nothing can be done at all. You could help a person be able to process their fear at the moment and when they walk out of the situation. Or when they must be exposed for whatever reason to give them NLP tools suitable to step into a more comfortable place.
If you would like to learn more about how Global NLP Training can help you or your client’s with their fear of heights, contact us — we can help!
Resources
Book
The Chemistry of Calm: A Powerful, Drug-Free Plan to Quiet Your Fears and Overcome Your Anxiety – Henry Emmons, M.D.
Video
Former student? Soon we are launching a new “NLP hub” we are looking for a former student who (in exchange for marketing) is willing to write an article about the use of NLP to fix a fear of heights.
