Do you feel when looking down that it is the fear of falling or the fear of being pushed? Perhaps the perception of not controlling your ability to remain factors into the fear of the fall.
Many years ago, there was a high diving board at Percy Quinn state park. My friend could climb up the ladder to the deck, climb up on the four foot rails, and jump onto the diving board and then do a one and a half off the board.....I finally got the nerve to do it. I got on the rails, jumped to the board, and started my flip. I landed on my back with the wind being knocked out of me. It even put stripes on my back. In the water, I knew I had the wind knocked out of me. I was really hurting. I began to try to swim to the top, hoping that I was swimming up to the surface of the lake instead of toward the bottom. Was never so glad to see sunlight!!!!!!!!!! NEVER TRIED THAT BS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!
I only have normal & reasonable fears - like not wanting to die. I don't have a problem with sharks or snakes or heights, unless they are about to kill me... It's not really a fear, but I cannot bring myself to pick up lizards. I used to catch them all the time as a kid, and I guess after getting bitten a few times, my hands stopped wanting to go near them. I used to be really freaked out about being in lakes/rivers/oceans when there's no water clarity - was always afraid there were sharks or whatever else under there & I would never know it.
snakes. any animal that can move without legs is pure evil. i'm not afraid to fly but i'm always uneasy till we land. i'm not afraid of cockroaches but if one is in my house i HAVE to kill it. i will tear apart the house to hunt it down. i woke up with a roach on my face a few years ago and i don't want that experience repeated.
