Is it scary to skydive? That may seem like a rhetorical question, but it’s a more complicated question than you might think. Multiple fears can be triggered when preparing to skydive, and fear of heights is chief among them. Let’s face it, when you’re making your first skydive, SCARED OF HEIGHTS isn’t exactly the label you want to be taking into the sky with you. Or is it?
It might surprise you to learn that there are actually a ton of skydivers, both new and highly experienced, who are afraid of heights. So if you’re wondering how to get over the fear of skydiving or a fear of heights in general, the answer is to just do it! In fact, the extreme altitude of skydiving might not even trigger your phobia at all!
If you’re still wondering: Should I go skydiving??? Read on to turn that uncertainty into an undeniable yes!
We hear the term fear of heights thrown around quite a bit, but what exactly is it? According to the Cleveland Clinic, acrophobia is defined as a type of anxiety disorder. A person with acrophobia experiences intense fear and anxiety when they think of tall heights or are positioned at a significant height.
In other words, it’s the fear of a situation that poses a threat of physical harm or even death. Yay evolution! Sounds perfectly logical, right? Well, the 3 to 6% of people who experience true acrophobia will tell you that the reaction transcends the typical fear of a dangerous situation.
People who are afraid of heights can experience rapid heartbeat, dizziness, excessive sweating, shortness of breath, trembling, and queasiness just at the thought of a high-up place. Of course, there are different severities of acrophobia, and everyone experiences this fear differently.
Either way, it doesn’t take a genius to tell you that jumping out of an airplane thousands of feet above the ground and a fear of heights don’t sound like they mix. So, should you skydive if scared of heights?
This might sound silly, but any skydiver who’s afraid of heights will tell you that skydiving is just … different. And there’s scientific truth to that! Our brains are only designed to process so much information, and the extreme height of skydiving turns out to be more than our little bio-computers can fathom.
In other words, you’ll be so high up that your brain won’t even realize it!
There’s also a complete lack of any visual reference points to clue your brain in as to how high up you are. Things like ladders and roller coasters have visible connections directly from your body to the ground. These help your brain calculate and confirm your distance above the Earth. There’s none of that in the open sky, so it frees your mind from overthinking!
The skydiving experience itself is also set up to be highly organized and as predictable as possible. Your instructor will give you all of the training and preparation you need to be successful on your jump, and you’ll get into the airplane feeling like you know what to expect.
It may also help to know that skydiving dropzones operate under stringent safety protocols and follow extensive rules and regulations to mitigate risk. Your instructor, pilot, and dropzone staff are highly trained and hold appropriate job certifications. And, as a United States Parachute Association member dropzone, we follow all rules and recommendations when it comes to safety.
Not only are you able to go skydiving if you’re scared of heights, it’s actually good for you! Is it normal to be scared before skydiving? Sure it is, whether you’re afraid of heights or not. But that’s why going skydiving is so life-changing.
Overcoming fears and pushing your personal limits results in a feeling of euphoria and confidence that can’t be matched by other day-to-day activities. Imagine how powerful you’ll feel after you fight your fears and jump out of an airplane. Even just thinking about it probably gets you amped up.
Every other challenge will suddenly seem less daunting after you go skydiving. All you have to do is remind yourself what you overcame and you’ll feel unstoppable. And it will be true – it takes guts to skydive!
The adrenaline and endorphins you’ll experience during your skydive will also add to the overall feeling of empowerment. Your jump will create a natural high that will elevate the sense of joy and accomplishment you’ll feel.
Pro tip: if you want to hang onto the feeling even longer, get a video and photo package to commemorate your jump!
Now that you’re seriously considering doing this, you might be wondering: What's the scariest part of skydiving? How scary is the first time skydiving? The truthful answer to those questions is that it depends. Everybody has a different tolerance for risk and fear, and everyone is afraid of different things. The best thing you can do is prepare yourself before the jump so that you can be in the moment when the time comes:
Have we convinced you yet? The only way to find out is to try! Book a jump with us today and find out how powerful overcoming your fears can be! Blue skies!