Phobia sufferers get trance to scale heights

IT is a daunting prospect even if you're not scared of heights.

But tomorrow, dozens of acrophobia sufferers will try to complete a 100-foot aerial assault course at the world's largest indoor climbing centre.

The group of 50 will be hypnotised to overcome their fear of heights at the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, at Ratho.

Edinburgh-based hypnotherapists Gary and Dawn Flockhart claim it is the world's first mass event to cure the phobia, with participants ranging from Britain's number one amateur boxer, Fundo Mhura, to a city bank manager whose fear of heights has stopped him enjoying holidays.

Mr Flockhart, who runs brain-train at the West End and Stockbridge, has been curing people of all kinds of phobias for more than two years.

He said:

"Phobias can really inhibit people's lives. A fear of heights can inhibit people from flying, visiting relatives who live in flats, or sightseeing. Some people inherit their fear of heights, because they copy it from their parents. Other people have had a bad experience that's locked the trauma into their body.

"What we do is try and find out what the recipe is for their fear of heights, and change some of the ingredients. We work out the feelings they've got associated with it and what they are visualising. Then we have them visualise themselves doing it. "

Several assistants will be on hand at all stages and participants will be taken through the process in groups of eight.

Mhura, 24, from Granton, hopes the event will help him overcome his phobia. He said: "I'll fight anyone, but I just hate heights. When I was younger I was terrified of things like going up tall buildings. I'm not so bad now, but I would never go abseiling or anything like that. I've had hypnosis before to improve my confidence and I think it works."

William Edgar, 24, a Bank of Scotland manager from Broomhouse hopes to overcome his fear of heights to fulfil his dream of completing a parachute jump. He previously took part in the Channel Four programme, Fear of Flying, last year.

He said: "I remember going rock climbing and abseiling with my primary school when I was 11. Everyone was looking forward to it. I got almost to the top of the rocks and I froze. I couldn't move. The guys had to pull me up.

"I'll try anything to get over it. Even going up Arthur's Seat is scary. There's no way I could go off the path. Rollercoasters are an absolute nightmare.

"My dream is to be able to do a skydive. I think it would be the best experience in the world."

Sarah Lees, marketing manager at Ratho, said that participants would be taken up the stairs to the aerial assault course.

They would then be attached to a harness, and would have to overcome obstacles 100 feet above the floor.

She said: "We've seen people who are really scared just face it head on. When they first see it they are really quite afraid. Then everyone comes off grinning as if their face is going to hurt."