As you may suspect, fear of heights is one of the most common phobias (followed by public speaking) with an estimated 3 percent to 5 percent of the population suffering so-called acrophobia. It's considered to be a type of anxiety disorder when a person experiences intense fear and anxiety when they think of tall heights or are positioned at a significant height. Acrophobia often manifests as an irrational fear and it happens when a person is not particularly high up.
So let me just tell you this post is an informal test to see if your gut is capable of handling extreme ledges and intense highs. Think of climbers, adventurers and thrill seekers who live for the feeling of getting above the clouds. Maybe you’re one of them? Let us know in the comments!
This post may include affiliate links.
Looking Down At Rio De Janeiro
Francis Merson, clinical psychologist and founder of the Paris Psychology Centre, told Bored Panda that fear of heights, or acrophobia, is quite common, affecting around 5% of the population, with women slightly more likely to be acrophobic than men.
“As is often the case with phobias, fear of heights taps into an ancient fear response, which has evolved to help keep us safe from a basic existential threat—falling from a great height. Our human or pre-human ancestors who had no fear of heights would have been more likely to expose themselves to danger, while those afraid of heights were more likely to survive and pass on their genetic material to us,” the clinical psychologist explained. This means that a fear of heights is something most of us have inherited as part of our genetic hardware.
Matt Bush Hanging Five On The First Freesolo Ascent Of 'Heaven On Earth'. Photo By Micky Wiswedel
A Moist, Steep Staircase In India
This is even most dangerous. If you disagree,just try walking on a moist, mossy surface.
Extreme Unicycling
”If you’re wondering how come some people, especially repair workers, bridge painters, and skyscraper window cleaners, seem to have little if any fear of heights, Francis has an explanation. “As a general rule, any kind of fear reduces with repeated exposure. So the more time you spend at high altitude without anything bad happening, the less it's going to freak you out. In psychological terms, you desensitize to the feared stimulus (in this case, heights)—which means that you gradually begin to perceive it as something safe.”
Francis added that he wouldn't be surprised if people who choose to work at high altitudes are the ones who score pretty low on acrophobia to begin with.
Learning To Fly....
40 Story Spiral Staircase
One False Move... The Eiger Summit Ridge, Switzerland
I'm glad some people have nerves of steel but I can't do it I didn't leave anything up there
The question remains when fear of heights becomes a problem. Francis argues that feeling a bit queasy when looking down from a great height, like the top of the Grand Canyon, is normal—and not a sign that there is anything wrong with you.
Meanwhile, “people with severe acrophobia can be unable to stand on a chair without panicking, let alone go to a rooftop party! Fear of heights becomes a problem when it is extreme, causing distress and interfering with your life. In this case we might start to talk about a specific phobia, which is an intense, incapacitating fear of one particular thing, such as heights, spiders or bodies of water. In the case of acrophobia, this generally leads to avoidance of anything above the ground floor—elevators, multi-story malls, office buildings, flying, hiking, etc.”
Painters On The Then Tallest Building In The World, Woolworth Building, New York, 1926
Hell No
Morgan Freeman voice, "It was at that moment they knew, they F**ked up."
Lol, how did you read my mind. Like how did you read my mind?
Load More Replies...
I looked at the original post, and not only is this only about 50 feet tall (so, shorter than a lot of buildings), there’s also a ladder in the picture. It’s an antenna on a skyscraper that’s using a fish eye lens effect to make it look taller.
Load More Replies...
No that's the I have nothing better to do. Better learn to make banana bread
Load More Replies...
OH PLEASE GOD NO! I'm slowly getting over my fear of height's but even if i fully did I would never do this
You don't have to be afraid of heights to know this is stupid
Load More Replies...
I don't trust being on my husbands shoulders in the pool... in the shallow end. You want me to be on that thing??? Hell to the no.
So how did your daughter die? She was dating an idiot and sat on his shoulders for a selfie...... .... high up in the sky
When I see pictures like this I always wonder how do you get down from there?
Well Congrats on risking getting a Darwin award for a terrifying selfie with your insane boyfriend.
My question is how the heck they got there in the first place, and without falling!?
Didn’t this guy die from attempting another stunt of stupidity like a month after this or am I thinking of a different Darwin Award winner?
Why y’all so mean to them? They’re trying live a full life. The comment section is destroying them and they haven’t done anything to you.
Pretty sure they're on private property, no harnesses or fall prevention in sight, it's actually pretty disrespectful for those of us that work at heights/have seen people fall and be seriously hurt or killed and these two morons are acting like they're invincible...they're are a waste of oxygen.
If he wanted to kill you and have a perfect alibi this would be it
I have anxiety just looking at this picture. As as mom I would so angry at my son if he did this.
I think I would try to climb there, but sitting on someone's shoulders and taking selfie? Hell no. At least hold on a goddamn pole and not his hair, dammit!
The Kids are so stupid!! Only for a moment of fame ( on Tiki top or instagram- ha ha....)
Climbers Resting On Mountainside In Yosemite
How do these young people do this and why?? Firstly I wouldn't attempt it anyway but if I did, I'd be too frightened to turn over, sneeze and then there's the toilet issue.. Think I'll stick to gardening.. Ha, ha, ha...
The clinical psychologist explained that specific phobias such as acrophobia generally respond well to treatment. “The gold-standard method is graduated exposure, which involves confronting your fear gradually, step-by-step. So you might start by looking down out of a one-story window, and when you feel comfortable at that level, moving to a second-story window, then the third-story, and so on,” Francis explained.
“The important thing is to make sure you feel relaxed and comfortable at each progressive stage. Patients find they're soon able to feel OK at heights they never imagined they could handle!” he concluded.
The View Of The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse From Atop The Suspension Cabling, 1940
Jumping Rope Over The City
Yukon Striker - Hell Yeah!
Ukrainian Skywalkers - 116 Meters Up
Alain Robert Rock Climbing
The International Highline Meeting In Monte Piana, In The Northern Italian Alps By Balazs Mohai
I’ve Been Told By Employers That My Current Linkedin Photo Makes Them Nervous
Mountain Overlook
*Deep breath in* "It's not you sitting there, it's some other man, No he's not falling down into the deep jungle, no he won't go *SPLAT*, Calm down", *breath out*
Highline Above Yosemite Valley
When Your Realtor May Have Overstated The "Minimalist Balcony" Feature
How the hell did she get there and more importantly, how does she get back????
[oc] Bigwall Climbing & Extreme Aerials
![[oc] Bigwall Climbing & Extreme Aerials](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/6232e8ce379a4_v7zpad2l5pl61__700.jpg "[oc] Bigwall Climbing & Extreme Aerials")
Doing A Backflip At Trolltunga, Norway
Standing On The Edge Of The World - Mt. Huashan, China
Five Men On The Wilshire Grand Center Tower, Los Angeles
Glad they are wearing their safety helmets, I would have worried otherwise....
Oh You Know, Just Holding Another Plane. In Mid-Air
Photographing My Friend In An Abandoned Theme Park
Wolfgang Güllich Free Climbing In Yosemite
Getting Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed Is Not An Option
This does not look like fun to me. I don't understand these people.
Approaching An Iceberg In The Arctic - Sailing
I Climbed The Oklahoma City Silos This Week
Zhangjiajie Platform In China
Ledge Photo
The Ledge In Chicago
Even when I know the glass floor can hold 15 elephants, I'm still terrified of walking on it
/U/Intertim's GF Doing A Handstand On The Side Of Mt Huashan, China
Not The Highest Tower I’ve Climbed But Thought This Was A Cool Picture
Shasta Dam
Anyone feel like sliding down it? Probably not the best idea haha, but that was the first thing I thought of when I saw this picture
Anyone Afraid Of Heights?
Thanks God Ledge - Yosemite
As he looked down the Thank God Ledge, he finally realised why his wife had suggested the trip to him, one month after they took a hefty life insurance policy on him. "Carol, you b***h!" (Pls continue)
Us Highline Record Broken At 1km — Moab, Ut
At The Top Of A Tower Somewhere In Russia
Just risking their lives everytime they do this.. At some point, their luck will run out.
Note: this post originally had 130 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
Some of these are okay, like the ones with safety ropes or a parachute, as a former skydiver, I can get on board with those. But some are incredibly risky, why do that for a photo when the consequences are so dire?! My feet are tingling…
Some of these photos were made of works, doing jobs, which is okay. Someone has to do the repair and maintenance work. And some sports with safety equipments also right. But the others? Just simple idiots.
I had to stop reading this because it was sending my anxiety through the roof
What these pictures don't show you are the number of people who die every year trying to pull these stunts. And the fatality rates are pretty shocking for some of these activities. YouTube will show you what happens when someone loses their grip while up several hundred meters, doing some stunt. Just use photoshop and stay alive.
My father had excellent distance vision and could have vertigo from standing on a tall curb. After I had my severe myopia partly corrected, in middle age, I looked down out of the window high in a skyscraper. My vision improvement, coupled with my new glasses, gave me my first experience with a fear of heights. I had a hard time even looking at these photos. Yikes!
Sometimes I wish I was more daring. Then I look at what daring people do and decide I'm better off as a wimp with her feet firmly planted on the ground where they belong.
For once, I am not clicking on the "show more pictures" link. That's a big fat nope! Beautiful pictures, but the heights are making my tummy-tums flip.
I don’t have a fear of heights, I have a fear of falling, and almost all of these made my palms sweaty…
For all these examples, how many have died trying to get a pic like this? Stupid to risk your life for some IG likes
I get physically sick just watching movies that have them looking down from high up, some of these had the same effect on me. I dont understand the thrill in putting your life in jeopardy just to take a photo. We have seen enough sad stories of influencers and others falling to their deaths while trying to take the "perfect" photo in the most unsafe way.
I would do any of these. I love heights. In the background is Benbulben mountain. A few years back I climbed it and spent a couple of hours sitting on the top of the mountain at the very edge of the ledge with my legs dangling off the edge just looking out of the magnificent view. IMG_4302-6...53dca4.jpg 
Umm... take all the risks you wish to take but get that sweet pup out of there!
Load More Replies...
Meh, amateurs - half of all cigarette-smokers die as a result of our dangerous sport, but we don't boast about our daring, adventurous spirit.
I don't know why I always look at these posts. I have been known to switch channels on the TV if there's something with heights. Also, I loved the documentary Man On Wire (had known about the story since I was a kid), so of course I had to go see the movie based on it, in IMAX 3D. Never have I been so stressed out during a movie, it was pure horror.
My heartrate went up 😭 I totally understand thrillseeking but do these people not fear death?! How do you do this thinking "yes I am a normal healthy person who wants to live to see tomorrow"... no amount of skill or practice will ever make some of this even remotely safe and you are risking putting everyone who loves you through hell if you die so young of an all too easy accident doing stuff like this
I do not fear death - but I think it is very stupid to go actively looking for it! People overcoming their fear of heights in a life threatening situation (like, climbing out of the window with your baby and your dog because the building is on fire) are brave, people risking their life just for the thrill of it are disrespectful. Every day people lose their lifes to war, accidents, illness, hunger etc. who would have desperately liked to go on, and you are willing to throw it away for clicks and likes? And even if you don't mind ending your life in a final big "SPLAT", please think about the people that have to deal with the mess you leave behind!! I always felt bad because of my vertigo and extreme fear of heights, but honestly? After reading this post I am grateful for my fear! I'd rather make a clown of myself every time I struggle to walk down a flight of stairs without grabbing the banister than proving that I do not value this gift I have been given, like, at all.
Load More Replies...
can't say how many times i said 'WTF'? out loud while scrolling through these....
they way my intrusive thoughts would've yeeted if I were in these people's positions-
I'm not afraid of heights, I'm afraid of falling. When I can stand somewhere safe, sound structure, good fence, it's not a problem. Standing on the edge without anything to hold me? Nope. I went up a mountain in Swiss and it was a cable ride up, I had a panic attack. Little glass box on a rope? Nope. I was up there, walking a bridge going over the side of the mountain. Full steel, sturdy, high fences, no wind, no problem.
this boosted my fear of heights up be oh idk about FIVETHOUSAND F****N PERCENT
Why do my bones hurt looking at these photos. I jumped at a few and scared my cat. Btw.... yes my cat is always by my side.
Personally, I thought most of these were cool. The ones with the rock climbers, they work hard to be able to do those things and if they want to climb mountains then that’s their choice. The ones of the IG influencers were just idiots though
Bored panda posting this is the very reason people do this s**t... and many die from doing this stupid s**t!
Feet were cold this entire time. I really can't with these pictures!
i got to 35 and then i just couldn't anymore. WHAT is WRONG with people?!?!
These are BEAUTIFUL... and anxiety inducing but I managed to make it through the entire thing
You call it fear of heights but that's silly. When you stand on the ground and watch at a skyscraper you're not afraid. It's only when you're on the skyscraper and you look down that you're afraid. So it's a fear of depth y'all suffering.
no I get scared just looking at them. plus, its easier to say fear of heights then "fear of plummeting to my death or imagining plummeting to my death".
Load More Replies...
Some of these are okay, like the ones with safety ropes or a parachute, as a former skydiver, I can get on board with those. But some are incredibly risky, why do that for a photo when the consequences are so dire?! My feet are tingling…
Some of these photos were made of works, doing jobs, which is okay. Someone has to do the repair and maintenance work. And some sports with safety equipments also right. But the others? Just simple idiots.
I had to stop reading this because it was sending my anxiety through the roof
What these pictures don't show you are the number of people who die every year trying to pull these stunts. And the fatality rates are pretty shocking for some of these activities. YouTube will show you what happens when someone loses their grip while up several hundred meters, doing some stunt. Just use photoshop and stay alive.
My father had excellent distance vision and could have vertigo from standing on a tall curb. After I had my severe myopia partly corrected, in middle age, I looked down out of the window high in a skyscraper. My vision improvement, coupled with my new glasses, gave me my first experience with a fear of heights. I had a hard time even looking at these photos. Yikes!
Sometimes I wish I was more daring. Then I look at what daring people do and decide I'm better off as a wimp with her feet firmly planted on the ground where they belong.
For once, I am not clicking on the "show more pictures" link. That's a big fat nope! Beautiful pictures, but the heights are making my tummy-tums flip.
I don’t have a fear of heights, I have a fear of falling, and almost all of these made my palms sweaty…
For all these examples, how many have died trying to get a pic like this? Stupid to risk your life for some IG likes
I get physically sick just watching movies that have them looking down from high up, some of these had the same effect on me. I dont understand the thrill in putting your life in jeopardy just to take a photo. We have seen enough sad stories of influencers and others falling to their deaths while trying to take the "perfect" photo in the most unsafe way.
I would do any of these. I love heights. In the background is Benbulben mountain. A few years back I climbed it and spent a couple of hours sitting on the top of the mountain at the very edge of the ledge with my legs dangling off the edge just looking out of the magnificent view. IMG_4302-6...53dca4.jpg
Umm... take all the risks you wish to take but get that sweet pup out of there!
Load More Replies... Meh, amateurs - half of all cigarette-smokers die as a result of our dangerous sport, but we don't boast about our daring, adventurous spirit.
I don't know why I always look at these posts. I have been known to switch channels on the TV if there's something with heights. Also, I loved the documentary Man On Wire (had known about the story since I was a kid), so of course I had to go see the movie based on it, in IMAX 3D. Never have I been so stressed out during a movie, it was pure horror.
My heartrate went up 😭 I totally understand thrillseeking but do these people not fear death?! How do you do this thinking "yes I am a normal healthy person who wants to live to see tomorrow"... no amount of skill or practice will ever make some of this even remotely safe and you are risking putting everyone who loves you through hell if you die so young of an all too easy accident doing stuff like this
I do not fear death - but I think it is very stupid to go actively looking for it! People overcoming their fear of heights in a life threatening situation (like, climbing out of the window with your baby and your dog because the building is on fire) are brave, people risking their life just for the thrill of it are disrespectful. Every day people lose their lifes to war, accidents, illness, hunger etc. who would have desperately liked to go on, and you are willing to throw it away for clicks and likes? And even if you don't mind ending your life in a final big "SPLAT", please think about the people that have to deal with the mess you leave behind!! I always felt bad because of my vertigo and extreme fear of heights, but honestly? After reading this post I am grateful for my fear! I'd rather make a clown of myself every time I struggle to walk down a flight of stairs without grabbing the banister than proving that I do not value this gift I have been given, like, at all.
Load More Replies... can't say how many times i said 'WTF'? out loud while scrolling through these....
they way my intrusive thoughts would've yeeted if I were in these people's positions-
I'm not afraid of heights, I'm afraid of falling. When I can stand somewhere safe, sound structure, good fence, it's not a problem. Standing on the edge without anything to hold me? Nope. I went up a mountain in Swiss and it was a cable ride up, I had a panic attack. Little glass box on a rope? Nope. I was up there, walking a bridge going over the side of the mountain. Full steel, sturdy, high fences, no wind, no problem.
this boosted my fear of heights up be oh idk about FIVETHOUSAND F****N PERCENT
Why do my bones hurt looking at these photos. I jumped at a few and scared my cat. Btw.... yes my cat is always by my side.
Personally, I thought most of these were cool. The ones with the rock climbers, they work hard to be able to do those things and if they want to climb mountains then that’s their choice. The ones of the IG influencers were just idiots though
Bored panda posting this is the very reason people do this s**t... and many die from doing this stupid s**t!
Feet were cold this entire time. I really can't with these pictures!
i got to 35 and then i just couldn't anymore. WHAT is WRONG with people?!?!
These are BEAUTIFUL... and anxiety inducing but I managed to make it through the entire thing
You call it fear of heights but that's silly. When you stand on the ground and watch at a skyscraper you're not afraid. It's only when you're on the skyscraper and you look down that you're afraid. So it's a fear of depth y'all suffering.
no I get scared just looking at them. plus, its easier to say fear of heights then "fear of plummeting to my death or imagining plummeting to my death".
Load More Replies... 