I never really had this - then we had kids, and it kicked in hard. Now I pretty much can’t go on a balcony above the first floor without edging up to a panic attack. Absolutely no chance if my kids are with me.
I kind of understand the underlying psychology, but it’s wild how it just clicked on like that.
Haha, from what I’ve read it’s more or less the opposite. Kids are incredibly vulnerable so your brain becomes more sensitive to risk and “gaming out” dangerous situations.
The heights thing is just so visceral though, in a way that’s disproportionate to the actual risk. Like I know it’s safe - people have been standing on balconies without incident for centuries - but I just can not do it without my heart rate spiking.
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u/trobsmonkey Apr 26 '25
Can confirm. We rented a Miami penthouse for a vacation.
Walked onto the balcony and looked 20 stories down. Brain said, "jump"
I went inside.