Thank ye gods he didn't chase me. Because phobias are usually a result of repetitive experiences, it takes time to replace the fear you feel. In this essay, he talks about his fear of water and thereafter, how he finally overcame it. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. There are some great forums online that can help those brave enough, or foolhardy enough, to try the confrontation approach. Thankfully, you don’t have to live with extreme thalassophobia. This is the pure nightmare of every thalassophobe. Thalassophobia (Fear of Deep Water): Do You Have It? It reveals how as a young boy William Douglas nearly drowned in a swimming pool. A fear of deep water, however, is fuelled by your imagination. 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! The simple fact is that almost everyone has this fear, although there’s a great deal of variance in the extent of this fear. They’ll go to great lengths to avoid facing their fear. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Here are a few steps that we have found to be helpful. Here the sufferer is highly concerned about the creatures that lurk beneath the water body. [1] X Research source 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. 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. 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. However, accepting your phobia is the first step towards addressing 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. The most common way to overcome this fear of deep water is through hypnotherapy or psychiatry. A hypnotist will use a similar approach as a psychiatrist. Prepare yourself physically and mentally 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. Try this test. He tried his best to overcome it but the haunting fear of the water followed him everywhere. Reddit has an especially good group if you want to see sights that will leave you cold and shivering under your covers. Finally he decided to engage an instructor to learn to swim and to overcome his fear. In short, there is no limit to what could be in the murky depths below. It takes most people two 24-hour Miracle Swimming classes to reach this point. Bathophobia means the fear of depths. Sep 28, 2019 - A image you have to check out! Thalassophobia is an intense fear of deep bodies of water. For me, I focus on listening to every inhale and exhale to keep them as steady and relaxed as possible. 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. Past Experiences: This fear may also be partially learned due to experiences people may ha… Genetics:From a nature perspective, evolution and genetics may play a role. These include shaking, sweating, and even vomiting. The truth is, humans are not usually great swimmers. Standing ovation, Mary Anne, Sandhya, and Yvonne! While the name suggests a fear of water in general, Aquaphobia typically occurs when dealing with deep water. Each time you’ll need to focus on your safe, or happy, image to ease the fear out. This is … 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. The causes of thalassophobia are not clea… The therapy uses a step-by-step approach, allowing you to identify the fear of deep water and replace it with a safe feeling. In a way, fearing deep water makes sense. It’s not uncommon to have hesitations or even a phobia of deep water. 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. Thalassophobia ( Fear of Deep Water) is a type of specific phobia that involves a persistent and intense fear of deep bodies of water such Aquaphobia, or fear of water, is a fairly common specific phobia. Also, don’t forget to do this with a snorkel buddy who’s already very comfortable in the water. But extreme sufferers will display much more intense symptoms. There is something to be said for facing your fears. 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. Acknowledge your fear . Of course, that may lead to a fear of Dementors…. Daily new funny videos, wtf, pics. Fear of water can be a hereditary condition, suffered by a surprising number of people. But working on your mind-set can help you overcome your fear of depth. What is thalassophobia? 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. In most cases, those who have a fear of deep water feel abject fear. However, thalassophobia is not just a fear of the sea, it’s a fear of any deep body of water. The main difference is the hypnotist prefers to talk directly to your mind, while the psychiatrist tries to talk to your conscious self. After his misadventure in the pool at the Y.M.C.A., Douglas was amidst the fear of water. 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. does anyone else have these fears? 2. You are more likely to be injured by your toilet than by a shark by huge margin. Creators of epic small group snorkeling tours to the world’s premier destinations. 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. Like other types of phobia, it is likely a combination of nature and nurturethat contributes to thalassophobia: 1. 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. Those who suffer from thalassophobia fear large bodies of water that are dark and deep, where what lays beneath is unknown. Humans simply aren’t equipped to get to the depths of the ocean. This fear of water stayed with him as the years rolled by. Find out more here. thalassophobia There are a number of factors that may cause this fear of the ocean and sea. Though very closely related, thalassophobia should not be mistaken with aquaphobia which is classified as the fear of water itself. Thalassophobia: Fear of Deep Water Verywell - Sarah Bence. Have you heard of the Loch Ness Monster? Several factors trigger the phobia among people. There’s nothing to be ashamed if you realize you have thalassophobia. Though very closely related, thalassophobia should not be mistaken with aquaphobiawhich is classified as the fear of water itself. 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. It starts when he was visiting California with his father. 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. 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. The simple fact is that almost everyone has this fear, although there’s a … Belize Snorkel Week - Turneffe Island Resort. Whenever he tried to enter water, he was seized by fear. The phobia is connected to a fear that originated from somewhere, even if it’s just in your imagination. Thalassophobia is the fear of the sea or deep water. Deep Water is about the writer’s journey of overcoming the fear of water, which is deeply rooted in him since childhood. 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. Wherever he went his joys of fishing, boating and swimming were ruined. Some of the best ones are My Octopus Teacher, BBC Blue Planet I & II, BBC Planet Earth,  and Oceans. It's all lumped into the same fear: a fear of "depth." I fear deep clear water that I can see the bottom of because I can see what is below me. Before each snorkel session make a little plan to help calm yourself down and regain control of your emotions. 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. This fear of water ruined his fishing trips. As I do this, I slowly swim back to a more comfortable depth until I feel like I’m back in control again. Did you know the whole of the Empire State Building will fit into the Mariana Trench, the deepest oceanic trench on Earth? It is different from aquaphobia, which is a fear of flooding and all bodies of … Tried to control depth, and lost it, bailed out at 690 meters, and hit the escape bladder. r/thalassophobia: Less than 10% of the ocean has been explored. You may not have realized it but you probably suffer from thalassophobia, a fear of deep water. The Grisly Tale Behind Frozen Charlotte Dolls, The Origins of the Phrase “Shiver Me Timbers!”. Because if they do, you may have thalassophobia… What’s Down There? 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. Large areas of the world’s oceans remain unexplored and are likely to remain so. Some are afraid of entering the water, while others cannot bear to even look at a large body of water. It slows their responses and leaves them eager to leave the water. People with thalassophobia experience … The excerpt ‘Deep Water’ is taken from Of Men and Mountains by William Douglas. 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. 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. 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