Back to the Future

I couldn't think of anything SUPER cool to write about so I’ve decided to enlighten people about my fear of heights. I have what doctors call "vertigo": the fear of heights that causes involuntary physical reactions. The first time it ever happened to me, I was four years old with my mother going up the local mall's escalator. My mother said that she had been talking to me and looked down but I wasn't there. I was kneeling on all fours on the step breathing really hard with my eyes completely shut. Though I don't remember my earlier experiences, I can remember some I had when I was a little older. I would get this sense of panic in my head and I would have to relax for my muscles to unfreeze. It's not like its some sort of disorder but rather just a plain nuisance. My younger brother actually had it too when he was little but his story is much more interesting.

We were on the Eiffel Tower in the summer of 1998. This was my fifth or sixth time on the Tower but this was the first time my brother could actually experience it with me. We had been up there looking at the view for a really long time and were ready to get down. When we approached the elevator, my brother noticed a large gap between the elevator entrance and the actually tower and that made him freak out. He dropped to the ground and started shaking really hard keeping his eyes glued shut the whole time. My mother had to hold my brother on the tower and in the elevator as well because the elevator is pure glass so that riders can see all around them. We laugh now about the experience but back then my brother was truly scared.

Now however having had many experiences with my fear of heights I have been able to harness my fear and no longer get such panic and reactions. I have been able to mountain climb, do obstacle courses through trees, go skiing in the mountains and even buggy jump on the beach. Vertigo is just a unique part of my life that makes for great stories and experiences.