How do I get rid of my fear?

[bambambambam 0]

I am scared of heights in a way that I can not climb a ladder. When I do that I start feeling panic, I get dizzy etc etc.

However, I have no problem of living on a very high floor, sitting on high balconies, taking flights.

This kind of limits me when in the tunnel. I feel comfortable up to head height. As soon as I go higher than 2 meters I start feel that dizziness and I feel the panic not being far away. I start doubting my skills.

I have spent around 6-7h in the tunnel so far but I still feel very scared higher up in the tunnel. I can fly comfortably on my belly and back. But I am also scared of trying to fly in higher wind speeds because of this - I am scared of that the wind will shoot my up where I don't feel at ease.

How can I get rid of this? I really want to fix this.

[Westerly 61]

Go skydiving for real? Do a tandem.

[bambambambam 0]

Am not super interested in skydiving. Prefer the tunnel.

[Divalent 145]

Jeeze, after 6-7 hours of tunnel time, one would think you would have a pretty good ability to adjust your fall rate to maintain a level. I mean, that's about 400 skydives worth of free fall (but you're not distracted by other important things, like deploying a parachute before you smack the earth).

A skydiver would have to learn this skill do be able to jump with others that may fall faster or slower than they do, and in general it involves shrinking or expanding the cross-sectional area you present into the wind.

I've never been in a tunnel, but level changes would seem like something you'd work on by now. Maybe focus on that ability so that you gain the confidence that, regardless of the wind speed, you are able to position yourself anywhere you want? (Maybe have the operator first vary it for you, and you work to keep yourself at a relatively low, but constant, level. Then work on changing levels with a constant wind speed. Do it until it becomes instinct.)

Alternatively, as someone else suggested, take up real skydiving: you start high, but gravity will ensure that you get down to where you want to be.

[mbohu 77]

Quote

I've never been in a tunnel, but level changes would seem like something you'd work on by now

Mostly, you're probably right, but you'll likely be surprised when you do get into a tunnel, that there are some new challenges in this regard, which are different from the open air--mostly related to the uneven airflow at different locations in the tunnel and (depending on tunnel-type) even the possibility of the tunnel "stalling out". So, sometimes it can be harder in a tunnel to maintain exact levels. Also: If you do any freeflying and you suddenly go to your back (not to speak of your belly), you'll make that distance up quickly again in the air, but in the tunnel, just a few meters, means you're suddenly at the very top of the tunnel.

[bambambambam 0]

Divalent

Jeeze, after 6-7 hours of tunnel time, one would think you would have a pretty good ability to adjust your fall rate to maintain a level. I mean, that's about 400 skydives worth of free fall (but you're not distracted by other important things, like deploying a parachute before you smack the earth).

A skydiver would have to learn this skill do be able to jump with others that may fall faster or slower than they do, and in general it involves shrinking or expanding the cross-sectional area you present into the wind.

I've never been in a tunnel, but level changes would seem like something you'd work on by now. Maybe focus on that ability so that you gain the confidence that, regardless of the wind speed, you are able to position yourself anywhere you want? (Maybe have the operator first vary it for you, and you work to keep yourself at a relatively low, but constant, level. Then work on changing levels with a constant wind speed. Do it until it becomes instinct.)

Alternatively, as someone else suggested, take up real skydiving: you start high, but gravity will ensure that you get down to where you want to be.

I have no problem maintaining a level technically in the tunnel. The problem is that that I start to panic when I get above head height. I am also able to fly in different wind speeds without problem.

In the tunnels I have been in, the wind is very constant up to 5-ish meters.

I think I need to do some VR therapy or CBT or something.

[Westerly 61]

bambambambam

***Jeeze, after 6-7 hours of tunnel time, one would think you would have a pretty good ability to adjust your fall rate to maintain a level. I mean, that's about 400 skydives worth of free fall (but you're not distracted by other important things, like deploying a parachute before you smack the earth).

A skydiver would have to learn this skill do be able to jump with others that may fall faster or slower than they do, and in general it involves shrinking or expanding the cross-sectional area you present into the wind.

I've never been in a tunnel, but level changes would seem like something you'd work on by now. Maybe focus on that ability so that you gain the confidence that, regardless of the wind speed, you are able to position yourself anywhere you want? (Maybe have the operator first vary it for you, and you work to keep yourself at a relatively low, but constant, level. Then work on changing levels with a constant wind speed. Do it until it becomes instinct.)

Alternatively, as someone else suggested, take up real skydiving: you start high, but gravity will ensure that you get down to where you want to be.

I have no problem maintaining a level technically in the tunnel. The problem is that that I start to panic when I get above head height. I am also able to fly in different wind speeds without problem.

In the tunnels I have been in, the wind is very constant up to 5-ish meters.

I think I need to do some VR therapy or CBT or something.

Maybe try to increase your height slowly overtime. For example, one one day spend a bit of time working at 6'. Then the next day spend a bit of time at 7' and so on and so on. Or you could try forcing yourself to spend a bit of time higher than you feel comfortable every time you fly. Say ok I am going to spend 30 seconds at 10' no matter what today. If you do that enough eventually it will become the norm and you'll probably lose your fear. Most fears in most sports universally come down to the same thing. People are afraid of the unknown.They like to be in situations they can control, or at least have enough experience that they can accurately predict the outcome. If you do something that is unfamiliar often enough, eventually it becomes familiar and then the fear goes away.

[bambambambam 0]

Westerly

******Jeeze, after 6-7 hours of tunnel time, one would think you would have a pretty good ability to adjust your fall rate to maintain a level. I mean, that's about 400 skydives worth of free fall (but you're not distracted by other important things, like deploying a parachute before you smack the earth).

A skydiver would have to learn this skill do be able to jump with others that may fall faster or slower than they do, and in general it involves shrinking or expanding the cross-sectional area you present into the wind.

I've never been in a tunnel, but level changes would seem like something you'd work on by now. Maybe focus on that ability so that you gain the confidence that, regardless of the wind speed, you are able to position yourself anywhere you want? (Maybe have the operator first vary it for you, and you work to keep yourself at a relatively low, but constant, level. Then work on changing levels with a constant wind speed. Do it until it becomes instinct.)

Alternatively, as someone else suggested, take up real skydiving: you start high, but gravity will ensure that you get down to where you want to be.

I have no problem maintaining a level technically in the tunnel. The problem is that that I start to panic when I get above head height. I am also able to fly in different wind speeds without problem.

In the tunnels I have been in, the wind is very constant up to 5-ish meters.

I think I need to do some VR therapy or CBT or something.

Maybe try to increase your height slowly overtime. For example, one one day spend a bit of time working at 6'. Then the next day spend a bit of time at 7' and so on and so on. Or you could try forcing yourself to spend a bit of time higher than you feel comfortable every time you fly. Say ok I am going to spend 30 seconds at 10' no matter what today. If you do that enough eventually it will become the norm and you'll probably lose your fear. Most fears in most sports universally come down to the same thing. People are afraid of the unknown.They like to be in situations they can control, or at least have enough experience that they can accurately predict the outcome. If you do something that is unfamiliar often enough, eventually it becomes familiar and then the fear goes away.

Great advice! Will try to set aside time for just getting used to going higher and higher slowly. Usually, all the focus is on doing new tricks/skills. Since I am scared of going high that is a skill in itself which most other flyers don't have to "learn".

[piisfish 140]

bambambambam

***Jeeze, after 6-7 hours of tunnel time, one would think you would have a pretty good ability to adjust your fall rate to maintain a level. I mean, that's about 400 skydives worth of free fall (but you're not distracted by other important things, like deploying a parachute before you smack the earth).

A skydiver would have to learn this skill do be able to jump with others that may fall faster or slower than they do, and in general it involves shrinking or expanding the cross-sectional area you present into the wind.

I've never been in a tunnel, but level changes would seem like something you'd work on by now. Maybe focus on that ability so that you gain the confidence that, regardless of the wind speed, you are able to position yourself anywhere you want? (Maybe have the operator first vary it for you, and you work to keep yourself at a relatively low, but constant, level. Then work on changing levels with a constant wind speed. Do it until it becomes instinct.)

Alternatively, as someone else suggested, take up real skydiving: you start high, but gravity will ensure that you get down to where you want to be.

I have no problem maintaining a level technically in the tunnel. The problem is that that I start to panic when I get above head height. I am also able to fly in different wind speeds without problem.


I think I need to do some VR therapy or CBT or something.for CBT, Banesura is no longer on the forum unfortunately

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[dolphinka 4]

I have the same fear, so can relate very well. First time I went all the way up to touch the vents I almost had a panic attach. Do you fly with your coach together? I found that when we fly together on the back on high speed you stop seeing where the "head height" is really, as the other person is moving up with you.

I also found it easier to do it once I could sit fly comfortably and go up and down easily. My coach also did a lot of drills with me transferring from belly to sit fly, and of course back to sit fly, so if something happens on high speed and I shoot up, I have all confidence that I can transition from belly or back to sitfly and come down. That gave me tons of confidence! I still do sometimes drills of just going up and down and every time it gets easier and easier.

Good luck!

[BigBUG 0]

I am a tunnel instructor and a skydiving instructor (didn't renew my license so it's doesn't count anymore haha) and I am afraid of height. I am not feel comfortable on the balconies etc and avoid coming close to cliffs.

The question here is a feeling of control. When you driving your car at 80 mph are you afraid of light poles? No. Because you are in control and you will not hit that pole if you don't want to. They are deadly if you hit them at this speed, and still you do not care.

I like to play a little game with my students, who already know how to fly. First I ask them to do some really high layout, or just fly up in the sit, do a headdown transition and fly down to the net. Of course, they are totally capable to do this. Then I ask them to step on the wall on exactly same altitude and do a gainer/transtition down. Most of them are really scared, but nothing actually changed! It is still the very same movement!
It's our brain, suddenly switching from 'flying' mode to 'normal life' mode when you 'step' on the wall - only to found out that it's going to drop from 15 meters :)

When you are in full control, there is no place for fear. Good instructor will not push you out of the comfort zone too far and you eventually build needed skills. Build skills and fears will go away. Practice high-speed recoveries. Make yourself comfortable at certain level and learn how to mainain it in every position.

[dolphinka 4]

BigBUG

It's our brain, suddenly switching from 'flying' mode to 'normal life' mode when you 'step' on the wall - only to found out that it's going to drop from 15 meters :)

Good insights, thank you bambambambam:) Never tried this, will try it next time:)