Dizziness is extremely common, yet it is frequently discounted as an unimportant epiphenomenon of some primary disorder, or simply a symbolic expression of anxiety. This study aims to draw attention to the problem of disorientation and provides a more complete description of the experience. Every aspect of vertigo and dizziness is considered, including environmental causes of perceptual-motor disequilibrium; neurophysiological links between dizziness and anxiety; cognitive appraisals of disorientation and their behavioural ramifications; and the social significance of instability. The result is a wide-ranging exploration of the topic which integrates biological, environmental, psychological and social factors to construct an account of the condition, illustrated by excerpts from interviews with sufferers.