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Source: https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/7003
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

<p>I used to really enjoy climbing (almost all indoors).  I was bouldering around V2-3 and leading at 5+.  The mismatch was all down to fear of falling - I would repeatedly bail or fall from routes that I felt were well within my ability because of it.  It quickly got to the point where it started interfering with my enjoyment of leading.</p>

<p>I'm a cautious kind of person and am happy being limited by my lowish tolerance for risk (that's a decision I take), but the fear is not rational - e.g. I have no fear while clipping the 2nd bolt although a fall here is probably the worst place on an indoor wall to fall.  I get to a point where I'm scared and just freeze - I know the next move but my arms and legs just will not obey so I hang there, get tired and panicked and then either downclimb to the previous bolt or fall off.  What makes it worse:</p>

<ul>
<li>being above a bolt</li>
<li>body weight not above feet (side pull, overhangs)</li>
<li>empty space below me (overhangs, stepping across onto the other side of a dihedral)</li>
<li>dynamic moves</li>
</ul>

<p>I have taken a few falls, but I don't seem to get used to it.  The irony is that I quite enjoy a big fall <em>as soon as I have left the wall</em>.  Up to that point it's all panic and terror and climbing badly.</p>

<p>Any tips on how to overcome this?  Or should I just give in and stick to bouldering and slabs!   <a href="https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/5657/learning-to-fall-when-leading-what-is-good-fall-technique">This question</a> looks similar but covers the techniques for falling safely.  My problem is all in my head.</p>