(no subject)
So, when we went to Dean Castle on Thursday, the tour guide took us up to the minstrel's gallery. Now, I've done that tour before, when I went with Stewart's class, and yeah I was a little anxious on the stairs, and a LOT anxious at the big hole down to the dungeon (even though it's grated over) but this time? When we got to the top of the stairs to the gallery, I froze. I couldn't even make it onto the gallery. Just sitting there (because sitting down helped a little) watching the guy stand up on the raised bit, which made the railing come to bellow his hips, was horrific. He kept talking about stuff in the hall bellow and I couldn't even lean forward to look. But it was WORSE when I looked up at the high vaulted ceiling, that made me feel like I was being sucked up towards it and up was down and down was up and I was sure, for a horrible moment that I was never going to be able to move again and everybody would be stuck up there forever (coz I was in the entrance way). I obviously looked feart too as Craig came over to ask me if I was okay and held me for a bit. Clearly I managed to get a grip and shuffle back down again, but I didn't stop feeling all wonky for ages after I was back down on the ground :/
No idea whether I have acrophobia, height specific vertigo or both. But it is horrid. It's weird what sets it off too. I am fine in a lift, so long as it is not glass (okay, in this case 'fine' is VERY relative, I am very uncomfortable and a bit nervous, but compared to how I feel on escalators) but escalators, when going up; you know the bit almost at the top when the sharp incline starts to flatten out? When you can see the top and the huge space underneath? Then I feel like I am being sucked backwards.
For as long as I can remember I get disorientated when looking UP at tall buildings, down just makes me quake, but doesn't have the same physical feeling of gravity having screwed up.
I cannot climb more than a step or two on ladders, again I freeze.
Mostly it doesn't effect me too much, it is usually easy to avoid escalators and glass lifts, and castles with vaulted ceilings. Still sucks though, and I would rather know whether this means my inner ear is messed up or if I have a phobia.
No idea whether I have acrophobia, height specific vertigo or both. But it is horrid. It's weird what sets it off too. I am fine in a lift, so long as it is not glass (okay, in this case 'fine' is VERY relative, I am very uncomfortable and a bit nervous, but compared to how I feel on escalators) but escalators, when going up; you know the bit almost at the top when the sharp incline starts to flatten out? When you can see the top and the huge space underneath? Then I feel like I am being sucked backwards.
For as long as I can remember I get disorientated when looking UP at tall buildings, down just makes me quake, but doesn't have the same physical feeling of gravity having screwed up.
I cannot climb more than a step or two on ladders, again I freeze.
Mostly it doesn't effect me too much, it is usually easy to avoid escalators and glass lifts, and castles with vaulted ceilings. Still sucks though, and I would rather know whether this means my inner ear is messed up or if I have a phobia.