Fear of Stairs- Bathmophobia: 

For some of you, stairs must be a mere invention that overcomes the difficulty of climbing long passages. But for some other people, it is nothing but a phobia. There is an end number of phobias listed by the researchers, out of which there is a phobia of stairs called Bathmophobia.

Bathmophobia is derived from a Greek word, ' Bathmo,' which means steps, and phobia means fears. 

Some people may find difficulty climbing the stairs, but some suffer dizziness while coming down. 

It is hard to give the exact number of people dealing with this phobia, but a study showed that 1 in 10 Americans had to deal with Bathmophobia at some point in their lives. The problems seem more problematic in teenagers as the report showed that 1 in 5 teenagers had Bathmophobia. 

Causes of Bathmophobia: 

The reason behind developing Bathmophobia can be related to an accident in the past, such as falling from the stairs in childhood. Not only this, Bathmophobia can be occurred due to genetic issues as well.

For those who have Bathmophobia, climbing stairs would only trigger them. So they would go to every extent in order to avoid the stairs. 

Although we do not know the exact causes of bathmophobia, the consensus among most mental health professionals is that both genetics and environmental factors play very significant roles in the development of any given mental disorder. So, taking a closer look at these two different parameters may shed some light on whether you may be at risk for developing bathmophobia.

How to climb stairs confidently: Tips to overcome Bathmophobia 

Start Slow

Every difficulty can be overcome one step at a time. For example, you may need to start slowly by navigating a small staircase with only a few steps. Then work your way up to a slightly larger staircase. As time goes on and you overcome each step and conquer your fear, you can conquer steeper and narrower stairs.

Get Support

You may feel better about going up or down those steps if you have support. Ask a friend or loved one to come with you when you need to make the trip. Explain that you have bathmophobia and are afraid of falling down the stairs. They could hold onto your arm and help steady you as you go. 

Hold On 

If you don’t have anyone to hold onto you, then make a point to hold onto the railing for support. If there are no railings, you can still get help by having onto the side of the wall as you traverse the steps.

Do some renovating 

You may need to do a bit of renovating before tackling this fear. You cannot eliminate stairs, but if you have stairs in disrepair, loose, or uneven, you may want to have them repaired. Also, if the stairs are covered with vinyl or linoleum, that could make you feel like you will fall due to the slippery texture. You could cover the steps with non-slip rubber mats or carpeting. However, this may be a lot of work.