How many of you have fear of heights / roller coasters?

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by bubbagump, Apr 21, 2014.

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  1. bubbagump

    bubbagump New Member

    I have always had a fear of heights and roller coasters (extreme up/down, side-to-side, or spinning motions) and before I didn't think it was a big deal. But of course, now that I have Meniere's, I am suspecting that there is a connection. I did some googling, and voila, fear of heights basically means you have vestibular problems.

    So, how many of you have fear of heights or roller coasters?
     
  2. VickiS

    VickiS New Member

    Not me...last year I went to the top of Melbourne's tallest skyscraper and loved it, the view was breathtaking.

    I have vestibular migraines and sufferers are supposed to have a history of motion sickness but I don't gave a problem, I recently spent two days whale watching on a pitching boat and was fine.

    Haven't been on a roller coaster in a while though.
     
  3. upgrader

    upgrader New Member

    strangei have always had a fear of rollercoastrers extreme up/down side-to-side and spinning motions but not so much of heaights, maybe there is a connection
     
  4. Vicki615

    Vicki615 New Member

    I have always been afraid of heights and cannot look at merry go rounds, and would not dare to attempt a roller coaster, but then again I've had MM most of my life so I am not sure if I would have felt different if I got MM later in life and still had same fears before getting MM.
     
  5. imasteeler

    imasteeler New Member

    I dislike both, but it is has become much more apparent since I got the Meniere's. Way back when you could climb the Statue of Liberty up into the crown and look out, I did that one time. I've ridden some big coasters with the kids when they wanted to. I pretended to be ok, but I never did like it much.

    A dungeon drop ride at Astro World was the last thing I did like this, about 15 years ago. I was screaming my lungs out in terror before we even got halfway up... spent the rest of the day sitting out any more rides.
     
  6. nicmger

    nicmger New Member

    Before I got this thing, I loved loved loved roller coasters. Haven't been on one since - and quite frankly, quite worried about whether or not it would effect me in any way. Hate to find out the hard way! ;D :D
     
  7. zotjen

    zotjen New Member

    I do have a fear of heights but love rollercoasters. I also get motion sickness on rides that spin but if I take Dramamine I'm usually fine. It has been a while since I spent an entire day at an amusement park though.
     
  8. msprygada

    msprygada New Member

    I often wondered if people that love amusement parks are less bothered by vertigo than people that hate them? So if you love the Tilt-O-Wirl....are you not bothered as much by vertigo attacks?

    Kind of a stupid question hey? :eek:
     
  9. JKC

    JKC New Member

    I survived 7 days in Disney world rode every ride but the tea cups.
     
  10. dizzybee

    dizzybee New Member

    I have a little fear of heights, always hated roller coasters (never got on one) and terrified of airplanes!! :)
     
  11. Nathan

    Nathan New Member

    ... No, it doesn't.

    Fear of heights is a phobia. Phobia is an persistent, irrational fear of specific activities, situations or objects which induce avoidance.

    There is a distinction between a logical fear & a phobia. How irrational do you think it is, for a individual who experiences random episodes of vertigo & motion sickness to fear & avoid roller coasters & standing on higher platforms which increase their risk of potential injury?

    Acrophobia is an evolutionary adaptation to increase survival. The degree of this adaptation varies significantly of course, & only at the extreme end of this spectrum is it considered a phobia. Many mammals, despite their vestibular ability, share this adaption.

    It is logical for those experiencing disequilibrium & dizziness to fear these given situations.

    Asking a forum dedicated to individuals prone to spontaneous motion sickness & vertigo whether or not they avoid or fear visually discording environments & the potential threat of falling from a height is as productive as asking a forum dedicated to individuals who suffer Albinism whether or not albinos fear UV irradiation.
     
  12. Gustav123

    Gustav123 Life,enjoy it.

    Actually when younger I was fairly brave about heights, sometimes painting the trim on houses high up and perched precariously. As I have gotten older I now have a more healthy fear of heights than I did and no longer feel as safe doing that. As a kid i was no big fan of coasters but road a few. As an adult and with meniere's I actually rode and enjoyed some of the best coasters in the country at Cedar Point. Rides never tended to set off dizziness for me. I think growing older and being more risk averse makes sense.
     
  13. bubbagump

    bubbagump New Member

    Um, you seem to have very low levels of comprehension?

    1) Fear of heights or extreme movements is most definitely a physical problem, not a mental one or not JUST a mental one. If you don't have it, good for you. Or maybe some people have varying degrees of it or minor forms of it. I know I have that "phobia" and it's most definitely, a 100% physical reaction I have. I cannot describe it, I just know I have a strong physical reaction to it. It's not the same as being afraid of spiders or small spaces or the dark, because those are obviously mental. It absolutely makes sense that it is related to vestibular issues or weakness, there's a ton of information linking the two.

    2) Anyone on this forum should know that Meniere's affects you later in life, people rarely get it when they're young. Often times it's sudden with no prior symptoms. Prior to Meniere's many if not most people are completely normal in health.
    Fear of heights or sudden motions, on the other hand, usually starts as long as you have memory, or at a very young age. this means people, if they have these issues, will have fear of heights BEFORE they have Meniere's.

    This means your albinism analogy is completely out of wack. My comparison is more like asking people with heart attacks whether they have cholestrol problems 10 years prior. Completely logical question to ask.
     
  14. bubbagump

    bubbagump New Member

    interesting, i am actually ok with airplanes but can't handle balconies in tall buildings.
     
  15. bubbagump

    bubbagump New Member

    you take a drug to go on the ride? LOL...is that healthy? what is that drug?
     
  16. Intrepid

    Intrepid New Member

    People without MM are afraid of heights so Nathan is correct in saying it is a phobia (acrophobia).

    However, people with MM may get sick from heights not necessarily due to a psychological issue.
     
  17. jaypr

    jaypr New Member

    I can't go to the amusement park but I'm ok with heights. I went with my two daughters on the rides when I was about 40 and felt dizzy but it wasn't until about 12 years after that menieres/mav struck.

    I know that some unfortunate people have suffered with menieres/mav since they were very young but in the main it seems to hit the middle aged. Would like to know why generally that is so.
     
  18. chrisk

    chrisk New Member

    Can't stand heights never have, but roller coasters are fun!
     
  19. dizzybee

    dizzybee New Member

    it's called Dramamine. I would take 3 before a flight...didn't help me at all with my fear of flying. Supposed to help with motion sickness. Vodka on the flight didn't help either...lol ;)
     
  20. Skye76

    Skye76 New Member

    HUGE fear of heights all of my life-my legs will literally buckle on high balconies. That being said, I always try to push past it-I even went bungee jumping in college (before MM). That was an epic fail, as I had nightmares for three months afterward. ;) I did love roller coasters, but never anything that spun around. Always anxiety-ridden on flights, due to the fear of heights thing too.
     

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