How To Deal With the Fear of Falling While Hiking, Climbing or Mountaineering

Описание: I'm a Dietitian, Master Personal Trainer and a mountaineering fitness & nutrition expert. I have worked with hundreds of mountaineers & hikers all over the world & am the preferred trainer for many premier international mountain guide companies.

Caveat: Only proceed with exposure when you and your party have the technical skills to complete the challenge safely.

Feeling afraid? It is normal to feel fear when in some of the dangerous conditions on the upper mountain. There are some strategies that you can use to help overcome this fear.

The fear of falling from heights is common and can be quite debilitating.

If you’re afraid of heights, you’re not alone.

I once sat down while crossing a large fallen tree 30 feet above a wide springtime high-flowing river frozen with fear. I was backpacking with friends, carrying a heavy backpack and there I sat trying to figure out how to now stand up and continue without falling. Needless to say, it took some coaxing from my friends & I eventually did it.

Why I sat down in the first place has since been reviewed in my mind many times. I now know that I sat down on that tree because I let my racing thoughts panic me. “If you fall, you’ll die!!” Danger, danger, danger!

All that panic made me stop. The racing thoughts of DANGER! were my brain’s way of keeping me out of harm by sending out the alarm signal. But allowing the fear to overtake you can be dangerous. In my situation I had to stand up on that narrow tree with my heavy pack relying on my strength and balance. By sitting I made a risky situation even more so.

Calm The Brain
It’s important to control the brain’s alarm signal from the amygdala. The amygdala is a structure in your brain that is responsible for the flight or fight response when your brain senses danger. When we perceive a threat, the amygdala sounds an alarm. A series of events trigger the release of adrenaline & other stress hormones which leads to increased breathing, higher blood pressure and a racing heart, shaking & sweating. This is called ‘the amygdala hijack’.

This response makes it hard to think clearly & can make you more prone to an accident.

Am I Really Ok?
There are ways to calm the amygdala. When I start to feel panic, I first pause & assess the situation. Am I really in danger or is it just my brain telling me, “Hold on! Potential danger. Are you ok?”

If I look around & say, “Yes, I’m ok. Be careful, use good sense and good skill.” I continue.

Be Reassuring
I also continue by calming down my brain by talking to myself in a reassuring way. “You got this. You’ve done this before & can do it again.” Use positive affirmations and self-talk to stay focused Remind yourself of your strengths and past successes to boost your confidence. What would you say to a friend to calm them down? Say these words to yourself.

In addition to talking to myself reassuringly, I focus on what I am doing, slow down, pay attention and visualize. On a recent steep snowy exposure, I visualized being in a safe place (In my snowy backyard as a kid). I really put myself in the situation, heard the crunch of snow & felt the joy of playing in the snow. I find visualizing myself in a safe space keeps my heart from racing.

Slow Breathing
You can also calm the amygdala by breathing. Take some nice slow breaths. This helps the production of stress hormones to stop.

Practice the in-breath and out-breath repeatedly at the same intervals. Inhale, counting 1, 2, 3, & 4 then exhale 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Get On Exposed Terrain
The other way to get over the fear of heights is to get on exposed terrain as often as possible. Progressively start by climbing some routes with mild exposure & increase the difficulty gradually.

Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing yourself to heights in a safe & controlled environment. You can start with small heights, such as climbing a few stairs, & gradually work your way up to higher heights.

Get out & do some climbing & hiking routes that scare you (so long as they're appropriate for your experience & skill level).

It is very uncomfortable, but this builds mental toughness. Conquering some minor exposure will build your confidence.

Everyone's journey to overcoming their fear of heights is different. It's essential to be patient & kind to yourself throughout the process. With time & effort, you can overcome your fear of heights & enjoy new experiences without fear.

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Maria Faires, RD | Active Nutrition Fitness and Nutrition Consulting | Sammamish, WA

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