If you're someone who is afraid of heights, simply climbing on a rooftop or standing on the edge of a cliff might be enough to make you nervous. Skydiving? Well, the idea of doing that might make you literally shake in your boots! And yet, there are some people who, in spite of their fear of heights, have a deep desire to skydive. Is it possible for you, as someone who is scared of heights, to skydive and actually enjoy it? In many cases, the answer is yes, but you do need to approach it the right way.

Schedule an appointment with a psychologist

For many people, skydiving is a way of conquering their fear of heights. They feel that if they can skydive, then other experiences at height won't even compare, and their fear will shrink. This can work, but skydiving is not a great first step on your journey to conquer your fear of heights. In fact, it should be one of your last. First, you should see a psychologist to talk a bit about your fear and where it originates. They can help you understand your fear, which will allow you to better work past it. They may also spend a few sessions having you complete other conditioning activities to slowly diminish your fear of heights. Then, you'll be in a better spot, mentally, to move on to skydiving as a goal.

Learn all you can about skydiving

After a few therapy sessions, when you're feeling more confident, start learning about skydiving. The more you know, the less mystery there will be while you are on the plane getting ready to jump. So many fears are based, at least in part, on the unknown. So if skydiving does not feel so unknown, you won't be as afraid. Watch videos, read articles, and listen to podcasts about skydiving.

Schedule a tandem dive

After you've learned quite a bit, it's time to schedule your dive. Definitely schedule what's known as a tandem dive. Most skydiving companies actually require this for your first dive. With a tandem dive, you will be strapped to your instructor, not falling alone. So, you will have someone else there to make sure the parachute deploys, you land properly, and so forth. Be sure to tell your instructor you are afraid of heights so they can take extra time to reassure you.

If you really want to skydive, a fear of heights should not stop you! Just approach the goal of skydiving cautiously as described above.