“My fear started several years ago when as silly as it sounds, I was on the London Eye and began to not feel comfortable. Firstly I felt light headed and then my legs turned to jelly – this feeling perpetuated until it eventually left me holding on for dear life with my eyes closed. I was on a big wheel that travelled less than 1 mile an hour but I could have been on a rollercoaster for the way I was feeling. I could not understand where this fear of “heights” had come from but nevertheless the feeling would come back whenever in a situation where height was involved.
Tall buildings were especially bad. I knew my problem was getting worse when I had to come down from a revolving restaurant, causing my partner and I to miss her father’s 60th birthday meal at the top of the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas. I felt so bad that I had spoiled a special occasion. This fear of heights eventually spread to planes and on one memorable flight I spent the 2 hr journey from Ibiza to London in an extreme state of anxiety and panic. This was not good at all. I was thinking about my up and coming honeymoon, where I would be travelling around the world. 7 flights in total. The thought was starting to fill me with dread. This was supposed to be a trip of a life time and I didn’t want any of it spoilt for my wife and I.
After talking to friends about my concerns, I was given lots of advice. One involving calming tablets from the doctor and that was the route that I had decided to take until a work colleague overheard a conversation that I was having. He was a certified practitioner in NLP and explained that he had experience in curing people of their fears. He said that it was so easy and that one session should be all I would need. I was a little sceptical but decided to take up the offer. Nothing ventured and all that.
The session lasted an hour. We just talked. He managed to adjust the way I was thinking about my fear. There was nothing to worry about. When we finished I knew that the fear was no longer there. I was able to test the theory straight away by standing on the top of our office building. I could not conjure the fear anymore. Amazing!! Michael gave me some tips on what to do if the old feelings started to return and he also gave me his number and said to call him if any concerns came up before I got on the plane.
I didn’t need to call but it was very reassuring to know he would be there if needed. I have just returned from my honeymoon where I have enjoyed every minute of the flights, being at the tallest buildings in Singapore and Sydney and not wanted to come down. Even taking a ride on the tallest, longest zip line in the world. I even considered a parachute jump which I would never have dreamed about before. So for anyone how is being held back by a fear of any type. Don’t be. Know that you don’t have to be scared of irrational fears. Get it sorted. I did and I’ll never let it hold me back again!”