Do you also get scared when you see stairs or climb mountains? (Bathmophobia) Let's talk about it?

Do you sometimes feel a sense of dread and fear when you see a staircase, or a large hill or slope? Does it feel like you're having trouble breathing, or your chest is pounding? Maybe you have a condition called 'Bathmophobia'. Let's talk about this in a little more detail today.

What is Bathmophobia?

Simply put, Bathmophobia is an extreme, abnormal fear of stairs, mountains, or slopes. 'Bathmo' means 'step' in Greek. 'Phobos' means 'fear'. So the name is formed when these two are combined.

What are you really afraid of?

Now let's see what a person with Bathmophobia is really afraid of.

• I feel like I'm going to fall down a flight of stairs or a steep slope and get seriously injured, maybe even die .
• I feel afraid of stumbling, slipping, falling, and getting hurt when going up or down stairs.
• There are some stairs that have gaps between the steps. I'm afraid I'll slip and fall through those gaps .
• There is a great fear that you will have a heart attack, asthma attack, or suffocate while climbing stairs or going up a slope.
• Similarly, I feel extremely afraid of going down narrow, steep, slippery, or dilapidated stairs .

What is a phobia?

Okay, so what is a 'phobia'? A phobia is actually an excessive, uncontrollable fear of something that usually does not harm us . We consider this an 'anxiety disorder'. Bathmophobia is a 'specific phobic disorder' that involves a fear of a specific situation, such as stairs or slopes.

How common is this condition?

It's hard to say exactly how many people have specific phobias like bathmophobia. Many people keep their fears to themselves, or don't even know they have them. But what we do know is that about 1 in 10 adults in the United States and 1 in 5 young people will experience a specific phobia at some point in their lives.

What is the difference between Bathmophobia and Climacophobia?

Now there's another thing, what's the difference between Bathmophobia and Climacophobia?

A person with bathmophobia may experience fear and anxiety at the sight of stairs or a slope . This fear may persist even when going up or down stairs.

However, Climacophobia is the fear of climbing . In this case, when climbing stairs or something, the fear and discomfort are felt only during the act of climbing . Sometimes a person with bathophobia can have climacophobia, and it can also be the other way around. That is, it is possible to have both.

Who is most at risk for this condition?

Specific phobic disorders like these can occur at any age and in any gender. However, certain factors may increase the risk of developing a condition like bathmophobia.

• Being a woman . (This is something that has been found through research, the reasons for it are still being investigated.)
• A family history of bathmophobia, another phobia, or an anxiety disorder . (These can sometimes run in families.)
• Having a gene mutation that increases the risk of developing an anxiety disorder .

What other phobias can be related to Bathmophobia?

In addition to climacophobia, someone who is afraid of stairs may also have other phobias, such as:

• Acrophobia: Fear of heights.
• Barophobia: Fear of gravity. (This may sound a bit strange, but such fears do exist.)
• Basiphobia: Fear of falling.
• Illyngophobia: Fear of vertigo or dizziness when looking down stairs or a slope.
• Thanatophobia: Fear of death. (Related to this is the fear of falling down stairs.)

Why am I so afraid of stairs and slopes?

Why are we so afraid of stairs and slopes? Often, the reason for this is a previous traumatic experience . Think about it this way,

• If you have ever fallen down a flight of stairs or a slope and been seriously injured .
• If you have ever seen someone fall down a flight of stairs or a slope and get injured, or even die .
• Or, if you've seen a program on TV or somewhere about someone falling down a flight of stairs/slope and getting injured or dying .

Things like this can cause a great deal of trauma, which can later manifest as a fear of stairs/slopes.

What are the symptoms of Bathmophobia?

Often, someone with bathmophobia knows that their fear of stairs is not normal, that it is a bit excessive. However, they cannot control their feelings when they see stairs or a slope.

Symptoms of Bathmophobia may include:

• My body is getting cold .
• Dizziness and lightheadedness .
• Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) .
• Heart palpitations , which means a feeling like your chest is pounding.
• Nausea , feeling like vomiting.
• Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) .
• Trembling or shaking .
• Upset stomach or indigestion (dyspepsia) .

How is Bathmophobia diagnosed?

The American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic manual, the DSM-5, does not list the fear of stairs or slopes as a separate phobia. However, a doctor may conclude that you have a 'specific phobic disorder' if you have the following symptoms:

• If symptoms occur when you see or think about stairs or a slope, or whenever you have to go up/down stairs .
• If this fear of stairs and slopes persists for at least six months .
• If you have made significant changes to your behavior and daily routine to avoid stairs and inclines, for example, if you have to go somewhere with stairs, you refuse to take that trip, or you take a detour to a place where there are no stairs.
• If your quality of life has been impaired due to the symptoms of this phobia.

Is there a treatment for this fear?

Yes, it definitely is! A mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, can help you overcome your fear of stairs and slopes. Treatment options include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This is a type of 'talk therapy' or 'psychotherapy'. It involves exploring why you are afraid of stairs and what the reasons are for it. Through CBT, you learn the techniques needed to change these negative attitudes and reactions in your mind. Simply put, you change the way you think and the way you deal with your fear.

Exposure Therapy

For people with very specific phobias, this type of psychotherapy called 'exposure therapy' is very effective. In this, your therapist gradually, little by little, exposes you to images and situations that you fear . First, they may show you a picture of a staircase, then a video, then they take you to a small staircase. Over time, you become less sensitive to the thing you fear. This process is called 'desensitization'. In other words, you gradually face the fear and become accustomed to it.

Hypnotherapy

Sometimes your therapist may use hypnotherapy along with psychotherapy. Hypnotherapy involves putting you into a trance, or a deep sleep-like state, and helping you access your memories, thoughts, and feelings related to your fear. This can help you uncover the underlying causes of your fear.

Medications

Some people may find anti-anxiety drugs or antidepressants helpful during treatment. These can help in the short term when you are having trouble coping with stress. However, once treatment is complete, you usually don't need the medication. These should only be taken under medical supervision.

What are the possible complications of Bathmophobia?

This extreme fear of stairs and slopes may make you want to stay at home, or only stay in places that are free of stairs/slopes and that you feel are safe. When you avoid going out and going to crowded places, you may also develop a condition called 'agoraphobia', which is the fear of open spaces and crowded places .

Additionally, phobic disorders increase your risk for things like:

• Depression, social isolation, and suicidal thoughts .
• Panic attacks and panic disorder .
• Substance use disorder . Because some people may turn to drugs to overcome this fear.

When should you see a doctor?

You should definitely see a doctor in the following cases:

• If you have panic attacks .
• If you experience persistent anxiety that interferes with your daily life or sleep .
• If you are showing signs of depression or have problems with substance use .

What questions should you ask your doctor?

When you go to see the doctor, you can ask questions like these:

• What causes me to develop this condition of Bathmophobia?
• What treatment method is best for me?
• Should I try exposure therapy?
• How long will I need therapy?
• Can I get help from medication?
• Should I be concerned about symptoms of complications?

Finally, things to remember

Stairs and slopes are things we see everywhere. In homes, shops, buses, trains, schools, offices, they are everywhere. So, it is not practical to live by avoiding stairs or slopes completely.

This fear of stairs and slopes can limit your ability to visit new places and get out into the world and get work done.

If you find yourself struggling to avoid stairs or slopes, definitely talk to your doctor . Many people with specific phobias, such as bathmophobia, overcome their fears through psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. So, remember that you are not alone, and there is help available.

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