How To Overcome Fear Of Bridges

[TopicStarter]

If you feel anxious when driving over a bridge, you have what is called gephyrophobia. And it is as real as it gets. 

Crossing a bridge might seem like an easy task for most people, but it may seem like an impossible task to some. While few people may feel a little uncomfortable when crossing a bridge, there are some who absolutely dread such a situation. And in the worst-case scenario, they may even start trembling and develop a rapid heartbeat, causing irregular breathing patterns. 

Science has failed to determine the exact cause behind this fear, so there’s no way I can tell you what really causes it. It may be linked to something traumatic that you or someone close to you has experienced in their past. In such situations, you may find it difficult to even walk on the bridge. 

And this might hinder your daily life activities, such as travelling. So, I have listed a few suggestions to help you out. 

#1 Ask a friend or neighbor for help: Sometimes, asking for help is the best thing to do. You can reach out to a close friend or a neighbor who volunteers to help you. Let them know about your schedule beforehand so that they have no problem to be your travel partner. 

There are a few bridges where you may even find a driver who is there to help a gephyrophobic easily cross the bridge by driving them across safely.

#2 Conduct necessary research: It is knowledge that helps you deal with difficult situations easily. When you know the construction outline of the bridge and read enough about its history, you will feel a lot more safe crossing it. This is because it’s mostly the fear of the bridge collapsing that scares you the most. 

Once you know that it is constructed well and has been operative for a long time, your fear is bound to get diminished. Another good thing is to take a walk a few times across the bridge before driving on it. This would surely enhance your confidence. 

#3 Get in touch with a counselor: When your fear gets too difficult to handle all by yourself, I would suggest getting in touch with a therapist. Most of the time, the things that scare you are reflective of the unresolved traumas from your past. Even psychoanalysts can be of great help in dealing with phobias like this. 

Have you had to overcome a fear of bridges? What steps were helpful to you in overcoming the fear? 

[Lana]

Yeah I had to go over the Mackinac bridge one time and wasn't a fan of it. But I wasn't exactly afraid of it coming down or something. I just felt a little uneasy while driving over, because you are suspended in an area that's potentially dangerous. 

Anyway, I got through it by realising that they do a great job taking care of that bridge, and make sure it's safe for travel every day.