Dear Therapist,
I constantly find myself terrified of the impossible. I know we’re bound to the earth by gravity. Every now and then I think about the infinite void that we’re floating around in and my body starts to feel like it’s dropping quickly. Like I’m falling forever in to space. It hits me worse when I’m driving. Thinking that if I were to dig down and dug far enough I’d be on the other side of the world. It’s like the ground I’m standing on isn’t stable enough. I’m able to run from the fear but it inevitably catches up to me. I don’t wanna run anymore I want to stop this fear once and for all. Can somebody help me please?
– Overcoming Fear
Dear Overcoming Fear,
Your question brings to me a sense that this could be a much deeper and more complicated issue than I can address but I’ll give you some of my initial impressions. It’s possible that your experience is really limited to a “fear” or a particular phobia (Casadastraphobia). If that’s the case then you would likely benefit from some form of CBT or exposure therapy.
However, to me it seems like there are some other possibilities as well.
As you write out your question you tell it as if the images and thoughts come first and then the feelings (your body dropping) come. My first curiosity is whether it’s possible that the order could also be reversed. That maybe you have some physical sensations first that then your mind tries to make sense of by bringing about some images or thoughts to unify that confusing sensation. It’s possible that these are the physical sensation of anxiety. Potentially expanding your thinking beyond “fear” and the particular images might allow you to respond more acutely to what you’re experiencing.
My second curiosity relates to the symbolic nature of these images and fears. There are such themes of insecurity and instability in what you shared. It makes me curious if those words resonate with you about your childhood or primary caregivers. A very common response to chaos or insecurity is control and I can’t imagine a more clear picture of a lack of control than gravity failing. How chaotic and terrifying. Again, I have no idea if any of that might resonate with you but if you’re stuck in this fear maybe opening up to the symbolic and deeper layers of it might help you to find another angle that will help you move somewhere new.
The last thing that I’ll mention is that it makes me curious about your experiences of trauma. I don’t want to pull too hard on that thread here but even if that isn’t the case for you it seems to me that seeking out whatever therapy you can find would be very beneficial to you.
– Kevin
Kevin Cram is a licensed psychotherapist focused on helping people overcome developmental trauma and attachment challenges as well as the symptoms that are inevitably linked. He works from a relational psychoanalytic/dynamic perspective. He sees clients in the southern California area.
Ask a Therapist is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, mental-health professional, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. By submitting a letter, you are agreeing to let Free Therapy Online use it—in part or in full—and we may edit it for length and/or clarity.