Occasionally, aquaphobia is so pervasive that even being splashed or sprayed with wate… Before each snorkel session make a little plan to help calm yourself down and regain control of your emotions. A fear of deep water, however, is fuelled by your imagination. thalassophobia I know, easier said than done since phobias such as this are irrational and your typical pragmatism on land goes right out the window the moment you lose sight of the bottom. Did you know the whole of the Empire State Building will fit into the Mariana Trench, the deepest oceanic trench on Earth? The key to overcoming this initially is to relax. It is different from aquaphobia, which is a fear of flooding and all bodies of … Oddly enough, some sufferers are happy on a boat in the middle of the ocean, as long as they’re not asked to put their feet in the water. Because if they do, you may have thalassophobia… What’s Down There? Tried to control depth, and lost it, bailed out at 690 meters, and hit the escape bladder. This fear of water stayed with him as the years rolled by. Thalassophobia is an intense fear of deep bodies of water. (Photo: PickPik) You may not have realized it but you probably suffer from thalassophobia, a fear of deep water. Try this test. For most people, the belief that something of this scale lies beneath the water is enough to keep them out of the water—this is thalassophobia in action. The phobia is connected to a fear that originated from somewhere, even if it’s just in your imagination. Some people are only afraid of deep water or strong waves, while others fear swimming pools and bathtubs. Drowning prevention begins with learning to manage anxiety outside the pool. There are some great forums online that can help those brave enough, or foolhardy enough, to try the confrontation approach. Aquaphobia, or fear of water, is a fairly common specific phobia. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. This fear doesn’t always have to control us though, and if we take the proper approach that involves both mentally and physically preparing ourselves, we can hopefully find ourselves confident and comfortable snorkeling in deep water. It’s not just the vast expanse […] Fear of swimming in deep water and even just fear of water can cause the body to become nervous and our muscles to become tense. If your phobia is quite strong, the shallow end of a pool is best and then work your way up to larger bodies of water. The fear of deep water is known as Thalassophobia . does anyone else have these fears? Thalassophobia can include fear of being in deep bodies of water, fear of the vast emptiness of the sea, of sea waves, sea creatures, and fear of distance from land. This fear of water ruined his fishing trips. First one out of the box, was over by the Aurora, Reaper Sumuvabitch grabbed me from behind, dropped me in deep water off the ass end (it was a stock PRAWN, only, what, 700 meters?) Thalassophobia (Greek: θάλασσα, thalassa, "sea" and φόβος, phobos, "fear") is the persistent and intense fear of deep bodies of water such as the sea, oceans or lakes. In this essay, he talks about his fear of water and thereafter, how he finally overcame it. But learning facts such as in the last 55 years there have been only 35 fatal shark attacks in US waters isn’t going to make you feel better… you’ll just be wondering if you’re going to be victim number 36. In a way, fearing deep water makes sense. You may not have realized it but you probably suffer from thalassophobia, a fear of deep water. As I do this, I slowly swim back to a more comfortable depth until I feel like I’m back in control again. Those who suffer from thalassophobia fear large bodies of water that are dark and deep, where what lays beneath is unknown. Of course, that may lead to a fear of Dementors…. Past Experiences: This fear may also be partially learned due to experiences people may ha… Our ancestors who were more cautious and fearful of deep bodies of water were probably more likely to survive and pass down these fearful genes to their offspring. Seeing rotting logs, moss, seaweed, etc puts my anxiety into overload. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. A therapist will start by creating a safe image in your mind and encouraging you to procure it at will. It helps if you pick just one thing as too many different options can lead back to a non-focused state of mind and then the fear comes back. After his misadventure in the pool at the Y.M.C.A., Douglas was amidst the fear of water. when i am in water, and cant feel the bottom anymore i panic like there is a huge black hole and start swimming really fast until i can touch again...only if i cant see through it. The Grisly Tale Behind Frozen Charlotte Dolls, The Origins of the Phrase “Shiver Me Timbers!”. Aquaphobia has often been used to describe this condition. As long as I could remember I just get chills at the sight of a shark, whale, or just a body of water. Thankfully, you don’t have to live with extreme thalassophobia. This then makes swimming very difficult. The main difference is the hypnotist prefers to talk directly to your mind, while the psychiatrist tries to talk to your conscious self. This is … Prepare yourself physically and mentally Perhaps you’ve heard tales of Isabella, the crocodile-like Bear Lake Monster, who is also known as the water devil. There’s nothing to be ashamed if you realize you have thalassophobia. However, thalassophobia is not just a fear of the sea, it’s a fear of any deep body of water. Fear of water can be a hereditary condition, suffered by a surprising number of people. Find out more here. Slowly Introduce Yourself to the Environment. It’s not uncommon to have hesitations or even a phobia of deep water. They’ll then help you to imagine increasingly difficult and potentially scary deep-water scenarios. Large areas of the world’s oceans remain unexplored and are likely to remain so. The simple fact is that almost everyone has this fear, although there’s a … In short, there is no limit to what could be in the murky depths below. Because phobias are usually a result of repetitive experiences, it takes time to replace the fear you feel. Thalassophobia is the fear of the sea or deep water. Standing ovation, Mary Anne, Sandhya, and Yvonne! Over a … Not being able to see the bottom can throw even the most experienced snorkelers. Combine this fact with a natural fear of darkness, a fear of deep water is not only unsurprising, but also understandable. Many people with this phobia are further traumatized by feeling embarrassed or ashamed about it. Symptoms can vary depending on the level of fear, but can typically include extreme anxiety, dread and feelings of panic such as shortness of breath, rapid breathing, sweating and nausea. It starts when he was visiting California with his father. What I mean by this is, the moment you start to feel the panic coming back you need to give your brain something else to do, like count to one-hundred, identifying ten different species of fish, or just concentrating on a steady rhythm of breathing. Thank ye gods he didn't chase me. Pictures of sunken ships, sharks, octopi, eels, ugly or otherwise scary fish, make my stomach do flip flops. The causes of thalassophobia are not clea… Thalassophobia ( Fear of Deep Water) is a type of specific phobia that involves a persistent and intense fear of deep bodies of water such Sep 28, 2019 - A image you have to check out! For me, I focus on listening to every inhale and exhale to keep them as steady and relaxed as possible. There is something to be said for facing your fears. Here are a few steps that we have … Read more: The Grisly Tale Behind Frozen Charlotte Dolls. There are a number of factors that may cause this fear of the ocean and sea. The word Bathophobia originates from Greek word bathios which means “deep or depth” and phobos meaning “aversion, dread or fear”. I have a fear of deep water, and things that arent supposed to be there, and big things like sharks and ships. Like all phobias, it may vary dramatically in severity from person to person. Some of the best ones are My Octopus Teacher, BBC Blue Planet I & II, BBC Planet Earth,  and Oceans. But extreme sufferers will display much more intense symptoms. It’s important to note that the fear doesn’t just apply to the sea: any lake or body of water that is too deep to see the bottom will induce the same response. People with thalassophobia experience … [1] X Research source Creators of epic small group snorkeling tours to the world’s premier destinations. So do any of these pictures of swimmers who are in danger (or even perfectly safe) make you feel dread? In fact, there’s a theory that suggests many cases of thalassophobia originated from watching Jaws at a young age. She hasn't entered a body of water since. Others, however, won’t even get on the boat. The common fear of deep water is really a fear of not being able to touch the bottom and therefore of sinking. While the name suggests a fear of water in general, Aquaphobia typically occurs when dealing with deep water. Though very closely related, thalassophobia should not be mistaken with aquaphobiawhich is classified as the fear of water itself. r/thalassophobia: Less than 10% of the ocean has been explored. So do any of these pictures of swimmers who are in danger (or even perfectly safe) make you feel dread? Some are afraid of entering the water, while others cannot bear to even look at a large body of water. Daily new funny videos, wtf, pics. “Thalassophobia” comes from the Greek words thalassa (sea) and phobos (fear), and it generally refers to a deep, irrational fear of the ocean’s vastness and what may lurk deep within it. He never went back to the pool. The excerpt ‘Deep Water’ is taken from Of Men and Mountains by William Douglas. Even as your confidence with the water grows, it’s a great idea to have a mental game plan just incase that irrational fear does start to creep back in. Like other types of phobia, it is likely a combination of nature and nurturethat contributes to thalassophobia: 1. By deep water I will assume you mean the deep end of a swimming pool. The question is whether you want to tackle the fear and dive under the waves, or are you happy to stay on dry land forever? Instead of confronting and mastering your fears, you may simply reinforce them. Deep Water is about the writer’s journey of overcoming the fear of water, which is deeply rooted in him since childhood. Finally he decided to engage an instructor to learn to swim and to overcome his fear. Thalassophobia (Fear of Deep Water): Do You Have It? A close encounter with a shark is likely to be terrifying, but with a little imagination, a shark will seem like nothing compared to what else could be beneath the waves. Learning about the ocean is a great first step in helping control your deep water phobia. Call it a fear of the unknown when the unknown is a huge amount of dark water and knowing what lurks beneath is impossible to know. Read more: The Origins of the Phrase “Shiver Me Timbers!”. It slows their responses and leaves them eager to leave the water. Reddit has an especially good group if you want to see sights that will leave you cold and shivering under your covers. Rather than just plunge yourself into the open blue water, I highly recommend starting off by slowly introducing yourself to it by letting yourself get accustomed to the shallow reefs and sandy bays first. Have you heard of the Loch Ness Monster? He tried his best to overcome it but the haunting fear of the water followed him everywhere. Genetics:From a nature perspective, evolution and genetics may play a role. They’ll go to great lengths to avoid facing their fear. Wherever he went his joys of fishing, boating and swimming were ruined. Though there is no definitive statistics on the number of people who have a fear of deep water, phobias, in general, are experienced by roughly 19 million people in the US. The most common way to overcome this fear of deep water is through hypnotherapy or psychiatry. In many ways, it’s similar to creating the Patronus Charm! Thalassophobia is quite different than Aquaphobia, the fear of water. Thalassophobia: Fear of Deep Water Verywell - Sarah Bence. Bathophobia means the fear of depths. However, accepting your phobia is the first step towards addressing it. Several factors trigger the phobia among people. For many, the fear is so extreme that they even refuse to near deep water bodies. I highly suggest NOT watching NatGeo’s Shark Week or Sharkfest as they really tend to only sensationalize the fear based around sharks and shark attacks and not the reality of a shark’s normal response to snorkelers, which is to either ignore us or swim away. It's all lumped into the same fear: a fear of "depth." It’s generally agreed that a sudden development of the fear is easier to resolve, as it is likely to have been triggered by a specific incident. Belize Snorkel Week - Turneffe Island Resort. He visits a beach where a wave knocks him down and sweeps over him. I can't even look at a picture of deep water or a shark with its jaws extended without going into panic mode in my mind. In most cases, those who have a fear of deep water feel abject fear. Almost half of Americans are afraid of the deep end of a pool. Though it may be unrealistic to say you will be cured completely, with a little help, you can face the fear and even beat it—at least until you watch The Meg or Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest again. I know that every time I jump in the open blue water to try and swim with a pod of dolphins or whale sharks and there is nothing but blue water below me I have to make a slight adjustment to my mental state and just remind myself that floating in the blue is no different to floating just above a reef. I fear deep clear water that I can see the bottom of because I can see what is below me. You are more likely to be injured by your toilet than by a shark by huge margin. The therapy uses a step-by-step approach, allowing you to identify the fear of deep water and replace it with a safe feeling. There are some really amazing underwater documentary movies and series which do an amazing job of capturing the beauty and reality of the underwater world. Though very closely related, thalassophobia should not be mistaken with aquaphobia which is classified as the fear of water itself. This fear doesn’t always have to control us though, and if we take the proper approach that involves both mentally and physically preparing ourselves, we can hopefully find ourselves confident and comfortable snorkeling in deep water. The author started fearing water since the age of four. The movie The Shining actually used this fear, along with bathmophobia , to prey on people's discomfort by shooting from a long distance away as the main characters did something on a stairway. This is the pure nightmare of every thalassophobe. Also, don’t forget to do this with a snorkel buddy who’s already very comfortable in the water. Fear of deep water It takes most people two 24-hour Miracle Swimming classes to reach this point. Aquaphobia (from Latin aqua 'water', and Ancient Greek φόβος (phóbos) 'fear') is an irrational fear of water. This fear of deep waters stayed with him for years and firmly held him in its grip. 2. Humans simply aren’t equipped to get to the depths of the ocean. Thalassophobia is different than aquaphobia, which is simply a fear of water. Because if they do, you may have thalassophobia. The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming contains all the support you need. My Fear Of Sharks And Deep Water. The truth is, humans are not usually great swimmers. What is thalassophobia? Here are a few steps that we have found to be helpful. The simple fact is that almost everyone has this fear, although there’s a great deal of variance in the extent of this fear. A hypnotist will use a similar approach as a psychiatrist. Add to this the large proportion of people that experience a jolt of fear or panic when a fish brushes past them in the water, there is the potential for millions of people to suffer from thalassophobia! Yeah, I lost a PRAWN in deep water. As you progress to deeper waters you may want to use an inflatable snorkel vest, a life jacket, or even additional flotation ring to give yourself an added layer of comfort. Therein lies the real issue: a fear of water (aquaphobia) is often triggered by a singular incident, such as nearly drowning or even being shipwrecked. Thalassophobia is the fear of the sea or deep water. Worse, once it hits the bottom of the trench you’ll have to go seven miles (11.27 km) down just to even reach the top of the tower! In understanding what is actually going on below you as you snorkel should then help curb any unwarranted fears by cultivating a positive state of mind about the ocean and deep water. But working on your mind-set can help you overcome your fear of depth. It reveals how as a young boy William Douglas nearly drowned in a swimming pool. The fear can be of the depths of the ocean, how huge a certain landscape is, or even the depths of something like a hallway. It is fear or anxiety associated with the sea or water bodies of various types, though; many Bathophobic individuals are also known to fear tunnels, mountain valleys or caves. Conquering your fear of deep water involves coming to terms with how your body behaves in the water and then learning to take control of the thoughts and feelings associated with various states you body can find itself in when in the water. Thalassophobia (Greek: θάλασσα, thalassa, "sea" and φόβος, phobos, "fear") is the persistent and intense fear of deep bodies of water such as the sea, oceans, pools or lakes. In other words, you’re not alone. Acknowledge your fear . The term thalassophobia has Greek origins: “thalassa” means sea and “phobos” means fear. These include shaking, sweating, and even vomiting. He realised that his fishing trips, canoeing, swimming and boating were over. Each time you’ll need to focus on your safe, or happy, image to ease the fear out. Swimming in deep water such as the sea can be more difficult but there are some simple ways of dealing with swimming in a deep pool. 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