[Lefty Seven]

I have within the past few years developed very intense acrophobia (fear of heights). Whenever I am near a precipice, I am terrified nearly to the point of paralysis that I will jump off it. I wasn't exactly a trapeze artist in my youth; I had a healthy respect of heights, but not an irrational fear of them.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Can I blame this on bipolar disorder, or do I have to own it?

[MickeyCheeky]

Acrophobia is a pretty common fear, Lefty Seven; I don't know if I would blame it on your Bipolar, though. Is there any event in particular that made you develop this fear? Perhaps you can talk to your doctor about this. Maybe that could help. Sending many hugs to you

[Guiness187055]

I have dealt with this too as of late. Heights never bothered me in my younger years. I feel the same, this fear I am going to jump off. I don't know why. It has extended to my trips on airplanes. I am afraid I am going to open the emergency exit. This didn't start until my late thirties so I don't know if it's bipolar related or not.

Originally Posted by Lefty Seven

I have within the past few years developed very intense acrophobia (fear of heights). Whenever I am near a precipice, I am terrified nearly to the point of paralysis that I will jump off it. I wasn't exactly a trapeze artist in my youth; I had a healthy respect of heights, but not an irrational fear of them.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Can I blame this on bipolar disorder, or do I have to own it?

Could it be PTSD from any near death experiences resulting from your bipolar?

For instance, after a very serious attempt--when I was able to start walking a few months later and portions of my walks were by a fairly busy road, I would be overcome with the thought of jumping out in front of speeding cars which then would make me feel fear in the pit of my stomach. Occassionally the fear in the pit of my stomach would bring back the smells associated with my attempt (my attempt had nothing to do with cars).

I was pretty fearless when I was younger about jumping off of roofs, into rivers, driving too fast on curvy mountain roads, and riding my horse again and again even though she bucked me off a lot (it was my mom's horse but when she was bucked off--she refused to ever ride it again). With age, I am not as fearless now. Fear of heights seems lack a natural thing. Is the fear accompanied by a panic attack?

[Skeezyks]

I've never had a fear that I would jump. But for as far back as I can recall, I've always experienced an intense desire to jump. It can become so strong that I begin to feel dizzy & disoriented. A few times recently I've even noticed that I felt similarly while watching a scene in a TV program, or on a YouTube video, that was shot looking down from a significant height. (I also sometimes feel the urge to jump in front of speeding vehicles.)

I've never been diagnosed as having bipolar disorder although one pdoc who saw me said she thought there might be a bipolar element to what was going on with me. (I was in the hospital following my last major suicide attempt.) I'm no sort of expert on this sort of thing... but I personally would doubt you can blame what you experience (or what I experience) on bipolar disorder. So I suspect you're going to have to own it...

[BipolaRNurse]

Oh my gosh, I have that same thing too! I never realized that so many people had that feeling. I've always envisioned myself jumping, or stepping in front of a speeding car, or standing on the railroad tracks with a train coming. It's ugly. Maybe it's a malfunction of my bipolar brain, but I tend to think it's an entity unto itself. I don't know what it would be, though.

Look up: l'appel du vide
AKA: Call of the void

It's where my screen name comes from.