Just don't think about falling: how to overcome your fear of falling

Fear is part of climbing. On some days it is barely noticeable, on others it overwhelms us with full force. But how can you contain it so that it doesn't become a complete blockade? Here are some valuable strategies for dealing with (fall) fear. The different faces of anxiety

Fear can manifest itself in different ways, for example in

Fear of a (poorly secured) fall, Fear of heights, fear of long hook distances, fear of bad material or fear of nothing concrete, but just fear that is simply there.

So fear has many faces and only very few climbers can claim never to feel any.

I am even of the opinion that climbers should "specifically" seek out fearful situations or start with them. For example, someone who is rarely afraid when sport climbing can go into the mountains to climb exposed and sparsely secured routes. But why should you do this? The answer is clear, because when you leave your comfort zone, you expand your individual possibilities and abilities.

Fear and its advantages

Fear is part of the game of climbing - and it also has a significant advantage: not only does fear sharpen our senses. It helps us to be more focused and pushes us! We concentrate because we don't want the dreaded situation to happen.

In addition, we emerge from the fearful situation stronger and proud of ourselves once we have overcome it. We grow from the fear. This type of anxiety is positive and can be classified as eustress. It is therefore anxiety in the sense of stress that pushes us.

When fear becomes too much

It's just stupid when fear blocks you.

Many people experience paralyzing fear when climbing in particular. You don't dare to continue climbing, you can't concentrate. These situations usually end with you sitting on the rope or on the pad. This type of fear is classified as distress . The stress level generated by the fear is too high, we cannot cope with it and become paralyzed by the fear.

However, fear is often irrational when sport climbing or bouldering. As a counter-example, let's put ourselves in the following situation: if we're skiing down a steep slope super fast, we're often less afraid than if we're standing a meter above the last bolt, even though the risk and extent of injury is a hundred times greater.

Weird, isn't it?

What can you do about too much anxiety?

I'm not a psychologist - I can only tell you what I do as a climber to deal with fear.

1. I make myself aware of my fear

What am I afraid of anyway? Am I afraid because I'm already so far above the last bolt? Or because the fall terrain is not good? Is it because I don't know my belay partner or perhaps don't trust him enough?

There are numerous reasons for fear. In order to work on this, however, I must first be able to name the exact cause of this fear.

2 I speak the fear out loud

"You know, I really had the feeling that the fall terrain is very bad. Do you think a fall here would be bad?" I analyze the fear together with my climbing partner. He usually calms me down, and if he can't, then just the act of talking about it has already helped me, because I know that my partner is now aware that he has to take particularly good care of me at this point, on this route. So, hand over control to your climbing partner and trust them! (And isn't it very pleasant to have a little less control when climbing?)

3. analyze the fear

Is the terrain really too bad to fall? Has my climbing partner really blocked me into the wall so many times? Can a rope break or a correct knot come undone?

Sure, if I have to say yes to my fear, then it's better to play it safe that day. But if the fear is irrational, then ...

4. ... I face the fear

I try the unsafe move.

I climb to the limit.

I skip a sling (if it's not dangerous).

I only clip when I have the bolt at hip height.

And in the best case scenario: I fall and see: nothing happens (quite unspectacular, actually).

5 I calm myself down

Sometimes, however, letting go is not an option, for example when you're climbing through.
If you want to score points and are always afraid at a certain point, it makes sense to use "calming strategies" early on.

Positive self-talk

"Nothing can happen to me when sport climbing."
"My belay partner is looking out for me."
"I only think about the ascent and concentrate only on the route."
"My equipment is great."
"Falling is not dangerous."

Positive view of the situation

"Falling is fun and is the fun part of climbing!"
"Falling is part of climbing, otherwise it would be a completely different sport."

Visualize

I don't want to have my fear breathing down my neck when climbing, I want to feel the rock and perceive the vertical movements. Visualizing helps you to concentrate on the essentials.

Just as I can visualize the individual moves of my project, I can also let the fear situation play out in front of my inner eye and try to change the situation in my mind: I imagine the fear overtaking me, I take a deep breath in and out, mentally calm myself down with positive self-talk ("Nothing can happen to me!") and think about the next move - because that's the goal: the next move, and the next, and the next. Nothing else.
Mentally replaying the situation helps me the next time I have a feeling of fear, because then I know how to act: breathe - calm down - keep climbing!

6. practise

Of course, none of this works overnight. It takes time and I have to accept that. When I have reached a milestone, for example not being afraid when lead climbing in the gym or having clipped a scary clipper, then I face the next challenge; e.g. falling on a multi-pitch route, skipping a bolt (in safe terrain) etc.

Of course, it is always important that everything is safe - terrain, protection, equipment, climbing partner.

7. make successes visible

The goal of overcoming fear also includes making small successes visible and recognizing them for yourself. Recognizing, controlling and overcoming fear can and should be rewarded in the same way as climbing a route. Overcoming fear is a huge success and should be celebrated!

These are just a few strategies that have helped me to curb my fear when climbing.

They say that if you really want to learn something, you have to repeat it up to 200 times. So, if you really have a fear of falling, you have to fall up to 200 times before you can climb and fall without fear.

Since I don't know this strong feeling of fear, I'm sure I have it a little easier with my fear problems - and can take more risks than others.

But as I said, everyone has their own fear level - and I also want to find out what mine is so that my fear doesn't hold me back in what I do.