Afraid you’ll jump, even though you don’t want to?

[Bretrick]

Many years ago I moved into a top floor apartment in a nine storey block.
Never before had I been so high. On walking out onto the balcony and looking over the edge, I had the almost overwhelming desire to jump.
My right leg raised itself, unprompted by me, and I made motions to actually jump over the edge.
Somehow I was able to pull myself out of this mindset and quickly went back inside.
It was a week or more before I had the courage to go out on the balcony again.
When I researched my experience I came across - High Places Phenomenon.
Also called "The Call of the Void"
The brain misinterprets alarm signals from the safety centers due to a delay in processing information.

 

[caroln]

Wow. That's scary.

 

[Bretrick]

Wow. That's scary.

It was at the time.
I rarely venture out onto high up balconies because I feel very uncomfortable being so high up.

 

[caroln]

It was at the time.
I rarely venture out onto high up balconies because I feel very uncomfortable being so high up.

Me too. I always stand a few feet back from the railing.

 

[win231]

Well, I'm assuming you don't still live there?
By the way, you don't own a gun, do you?

 

[Bretrick]

Well, I'm assuming you don't still live there?
By the way, you don't own a gun, do you?

I no longer live there nor do I have a gun

 

[Joe Smith]

Wow. That's scary.

You ain't kidding.

 

[Geezerette]

I have kind of the opposite thing. I don’t like to get close to the railings and fences in high places because I don’t trust that they are constructed strong enough to hold if someone accidently pushed me into them.

 

[Bretrick]

I have kind of the opposite thing. I don’t like to get close to the railings and fences in high places because I don’t trust that they are constructed strong enough to hold if someone accidently pushed me into them.

I am sure there are same railings that are in a bad shape and how often are they inspected? Probably never.