# I need a little advice



## NyQuiL (Nov 17, 2014)

Hello, my name is Dino, I'm 22 years old. I am a roofer for a company in New York. So the company does everything scaffolding, roofing, restoration you name it. I've been working for this company going on 5 months and I absolutely love it. I took my test to get into the union and I am waiting to hear back. I am sure I passed with flying colors. So this is my problem. I've always been afraid of heights which is tough in a business like this.. but I have some what got over it which is great I have no problem being on the roofs or climbing up ladders which I feel safe on. On this past Friday I was told we were setting up a hoist about 30 feet up on one of the sidewalk platforms and I was fine with it. The problem is that we had to go up a 30 foot ladder which it was one of those heavy duty ladders but it was very slim and unsafe. I got very dizzy and had some what of a panic attack half way up and was not able to get onto the platform. I was hoping someone can give me some advice about climbing ladders. Thank you


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

Stop climbing ladders. 

I was/am afraid of heights also. I don't like sloped roofs, so I don't get on anything over a 7/12. Ladders, don't look down and don't think about it. I've stood on the side of 100' plus tall grain elevators, I enjoy the views I get. I look at it this way, at a certain height a fall will kill you, under that height you may not die you will just get hurt, most likely really bad. The key is not falling...

If your getting dizzy spells the last place you want to be is in the air. I had to fire a friend because he had a seizure on the roof once. The doctor cleared him and he was taking his meds again. To much of a risk for a friend or anyone for that matter.


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## SophiaM (Nov 10, 2014)

Here is an article I liked very much to read about this - http://www.phobiaman.co.uk/fear-of-heights-phobia/, but essentially what I understand is that your problem is not fear of height but you feel unsafe.. That's not the same. 

If I'm right on this you can be on 100 feet feeling safe and not scared to look down but at the same time you can be on 10 feet feeling unsafe and start panicking. 

Again, if I'm right - make sure you are safe - comfortably for you safe.


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