Oh Good Grief!
True story in answer to Miss D's opening post
Many years ago I spent 28 days with the Army (OK I was in the "Glass House" for minor misdeeds and the RAF don't have their own 'Correction Facility'). The daily routine was harsh and included an assault course, part of which was the "Tree Top Run". This consisted of a rope climb up into the trees and then a sprint long a series of planks tied to branches that led from tree to tree and a "Death Slide" back down at the end. H&S didn't come into it. To get from one plank to the next was a jump of about two feet. Not hard at the run, if it was on the ground but this was 30 feet in the air! The target was to complete the run from ground, up the ropes and then along the planks and down the "Death Slide" in 5 minutes.
The whole thing terrified me but the Staff Sergeant was having no nonsense. I just could not do it until he took me to one side and offered advice. "It is not the height that is your problem.... it's the fear of falling ..... Now what are you more afraid of? A few weeks in sick quarters with those luverly nurses or ME?" ........ "Come on lad, follow me and do what I do" and he went up the rope like a bloody monkey. I followed and managed the course with him shouting at me to "Buck up" the whole way. Repeat daily for 28 days and I was no longer afraid of heights. I still get that tingle in the feet and butterflies in the stomach if I stand on the edge of a cliff or tall building but I know what my fear is and that with effort I can cope with it
So in answer to you question: Yes you can conquer fears if you face and rationalise them.
For the benefit of at least one fellow ex RAF type here of similar vintage yes it was Colchester MCTC.
