The void is calling you! This strange feeling actually exists!

Audit expert: Taozi

National Psychological Counselor

Have you ever had this experience: when you are standing on a high place such as the balcony of a tall building, the edge of a mountain, or on the railing of a bridge, you will inexplicably have an urge to jump down and feel the thrill of falling?
Looking back, do you feel a little crazy? In fact, there is no need to worry about this mentality. This impulse is not acrophobia or a mental illness, but a very common psychological phenomenon called "The Call of the Void" (L'Appel du Vide).

Source: pixabay

What is Call of the Void?

"The call of the void" is a French phrase that means "the temptation or attraction of emptiness or the abyss." It describes a short and intense self-destructive impulse that humans have when facing a dangerous or death-prone situation. For example, the desire to jump when at a height, the desire to crash into the oncoming lane when driving, the desire to lie down on the train tracks, and so on. This impulse is not a true suicidal intention, nor is it a true fear response. Instead, it may be a self-protection mechanism, a test of survival instincts. When we face dangerous environments such as cliffs, the brain will immediately send out warning signals to keep people away from danger.

Small problem, don't worry Source: pixabay

However, before realizing this signal, the human body may mistake it for a desire to jump. This leads us to have an idea that goes against our instincts: What if I jump? The emergence of this idea does not mean that the person really wants to self-destruct, but rather that we have a strong curiosity and exploration of life and death. When realizing this idea, the brain will immediately deny it and feel scared and shocked. In this way, people will cherish and value their lives more, and be more careful and cautious to avoid danger.

What is the "height phenomenon"?

In addition to the "call of the void", there is another explanation for why people want to jump down when they are standing on a high place, which is called the "high place phenomenon" (HPP). "High place phenomenon" is a psychological term first proposed by Jennifer Hames, a psychologist at Florida State University in the United States, and her colleagues in 2012.

Source: Pexels They conducted a questionnaire survey on 431 college students and found that 54% of them said they had thoughts or impulses to jump when standing at a high place, and 94% of these people said they had never had suicidal intentions or behaviors. They also found that those who are more sensitive to anxiety symptoms are more likely to have the "height phenomenon."

The principle of the "height phenomenon" is similar to the "call of the void" mentioned above. It is essentially a misreading of nerve signals by the body . When the brain processes this signal, people will eventually feel fear and stay away from danger.

Effects of altitude on the human body

The urge to "call the void" when standing at a height is not just a psychological phenomenon, but is also related to physical changes. When the human body is at extreme heights, some changes will occur in the human senses, movement ability and mental state.

Source: pexels

Sensory aspects: When standing at a height, we will feel abnormalities in vision, hearing, balance, etc. For example, we may feel blurred vision, dizziness, tinnitus, etc. These abnormalities will affect the human body's judgment of space and distance, making us feel disconnected from the surrounding environment or out of control.

Sports: When standing at a height, we will feel abnormalities in muscles, blood, heartbeat, etc. For example, the human body will experience muscle tension, trembling, weakness, increased blood pressure, faster heartbeat, etc. These abnormalities will affect the body's motor coordination and reaction ability, making us feel that our body is out of control or unstable.

Mental aspect: When standing at a height, we will feel abnormalities in emotions, cognition, will, etc. For example, we will feel fear, anxiety, tension, excitement, etc. These abnormalities will affect people's thinking logic and judgment, making people feel psychologically unbalanced or irrational. In short, "the call of the void" and "the phenomenon of heights" are a kind of short and strong false self-destructive impulse generated by humans when facing a dangerous or deadly situation. It is a normal phenomenon generated by the survival instinct and is the result of the expression of the fear gene in the human genome. It can help humans adapt to the environment, stay away from danger, and allow the population to continue.

Source: pexels

If you have experienced the "call of the void" and "height phenomenon", you don't have to think that you are abnormal. Instead, you can regard it as a kind of awe and cherishment of life, a kind of self-awareness and exploration. Of course, this does not mean that you can try this impulse casually, because doing so may bring danger and harm to you and others. If this impulse is too strong and affects your normal life, you should seek professional psychological counseling and help in time to avoid doing impulsive and dangerous things. We hope that through this article, you can have a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon, and be able to deal with and cope with it correctly.