I am now retired, and after a [working] life of missing all the fun and keeping my companion from enjoying such, also, I decided to see if I could attempt a self-healing of sorts. I borrowed a book I found closest to the subject ("Overcoming fear of heights" - Martin Antony, PhD et.al.), but I would still like to ask: has anyone out there fixed on their own such a problem, especially after so many years of "twisted" brain processing of space issues?
About a decade ago we as a group decided to learn Snowboarding, I'd mostly forgotten how terrified I was of heights as I just generally don't put myself into the wrong situation.
But getting in the first cable car it all came back to me, I had to sit in the middle of the thing, not looking out the windows. Then came the chair lifts, which I mostly got through by closing my eyes and gripping tightly on the bar, for a long time, I hated them. But I really enjoyed the snowboarding part and I just kept putting myself through it, closing my eyes and gripping on for dear life.
It took several seasons of this, but I gradually got more confident with it each and every trip, cable cars came easiest at first, possibly because they're enclosed, the chair lifts took some time, and I still get a bit nervous every time they stop, but I'm feeling pretty safe most of the time and I don't worry about it.
But other aspects of mountains still terrify me, narrow paths next to cliff edges, rope bridges, observation platforms with metal grids for floors, I still feel in some situations. I feel I would still just drop to my knees and crawl away
I found top-rope climbing quickly acclimates people to heights, because it repeatedly puts you in situations where you are constantly in high places 5-30 feet off the ground, suspended by ropes, in a situation you're having fun. Having tied all your own knots so that you know they're good, having the ability to ascend gradually and have someone lower you if you get too nervous, having someone below encouraging you and ready to catch you with friction tools ensuring even if you let go of the wall, you just stay suspended at your current height, and getting a better physical sense for one's body as a physical, gravitational object, quickly get you used to being in the air in a context where you're actually having fun, which strongly helps break the fear.
Bouldering, rock climbing on walls without ropes about 5-12 feet in height over thickly-padded floors, accomplishes many of the same goals, and also accustoms and trains you to fall safely and trust in your balance and strength when up high. It's also easier to get started as a beginner, as all you need are rock climbing shoes and a gym.
It works surprisingly well and helps you essentially erase those old memories / fear and reconsolidate new ones.
You need to follow the protocol carefully. It is roughly:
1. expose yourself to the fear
2. take propranolol
3. rest for 90 minutes (light reading, sleep)
4. wait a few days and get good sleep
5. re test
I wish you best of luck!!!
I believe there is opportunity in this area for treating things like fear of heights or spiders.
[0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6823515/
[1] https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/1642239225880682/
I wouldn't say it has cured it, however, as it will come back if I don't actively exercise it. I've had to do the flooding process again when I reverted during a particularly busy time in my life.