How do I get rid of my fear of deep water?

Question

I am a very good swimmer. I was actually on a team for many years, but for some reason I have a fear of deep water (like the middle of the ocean or a lake). I don't think it's so much as a fear of the water but a fear of the unknown (aka whats in the water with me?). How do I control fear or better yet, get rid of it all together?

Answer 1

Fear of open water is fairly common.

The most effective way to treat this type of phobia is called exposure or prolonged exposure and it's exactly what it sounds like.

You gradually expose yourself to "anxiety-producing material for a long enough time to decrease the intensity of their emotional reaction. As a result, the feared situation or thing no longer makes the patient anxious." *

Set goals. Maybe the end goal will be that you want to be able to go scuba diving without fear. So maybe some of the steps to master along the way would be:

1. Get into a lake or ocean in waist-deep water.
2. Put head under water in lake/ocean and open eyes.
3. Snorkeling in very shallow open water.
4. Rent a small boat to take out on a nearby lake.
5. Able to watch Jaws or the drowning scene in The Abyss.

You get the idea. That's my way. That's working for me. I tried exposure and actually swimming in a lake in a life-jacket and it scared the heck out of me and only made the anxiety worse.

Another thing that helped was getting interested in water sports. The more I learned about the way the ocean works, how to fight sharks, what makes surfers** more comfortable than most people, diving safety, etc... the more open to the idea of it I became. Knowledge really is power.

It's not that divers never panic and surfers are never afraid. Those people just understand a little more about how the ocean works and how to be safe in it.

Answer 2

You sound logical to me. It is perfectly rational to think that there are other living things in the water. Of course there are. Water is a very valuable asset to life. It is often said, "where there is water there is life" so the odds of life existing in water are very high. There is life everywhere, in fact, there is life besides you. On a typical day, lets say tomorrow, you can walk down your street and see one of your neighbour's walking their dog on a leash. Above you the blue sky has a flock of pigeons in chaotic flight, and a mail truck drives right by you. The events of that day could have unfolded as a dog walking with its owner, w/out a leash, barking aggressively at you, while a flock of chaotic birds swarm about you, causing the mail truck to miss you by and inch. Or, even worse, you take risks every day. If you really want to be safe from the water, don't GO SWIMMING. Some people want to be safe all the time. The only real way to do that is to stay are home, look your doors, and learn how to use a gun. You obviously want to swim in not so shallow water, so here is a gift to you. A visual exercise you can do in your mind.

Answer 3

I had that same problem once. I feared that there's going to be something that would pull me down. I thought of a way to get rid of my fear. I went to deep parts of the water, and I ended up chickening out.
I think you should first convince yourself that there will be nothing there with you but the cold water. Second, you should practice getting to the deeper parts with a fellow swimmer on your side. Have him or her accompany you underwater. Once you have surfaced, you will discover that your fear was all in your imagination. Good luck!

Answer 4

if you are able or if there is one in your area, visit an Aquarium. This will give you an idea of what is beneath you...and all that goes on under there...the social "humdrum"...it pretty much is the same as our lives on top...they go about their business as we do and do not wish to be bothered really and just have their fun and play.


If you do not have an aquarium in the area...i might then suggest you rent some documentaries on ocean life as well as lake life as seen by SCUBA divers. You might have to go on line and buy some if necessary. I know Jacques Cousteau has some wonderful ocean adventures out as well as his son jean micheal i believe his name is, has more recent video out.

Also go out and learn how to Fish. Umm yeah sounds weird but just try it.

I have a link to a video with some underwater SCUBA
footage of a Lake.

Good luck dear. I used to also fear the "unknown" even after i knew what was under there from watching what was on t.v. and stuff and doing some snorkeling. The aquarium seemed to help alot as well as when i went fishing. For some reason the fact that i was able to have some power in catching the rascals that were under there and eat them for dinner, it made me feel better somehow...in the Lake that is. As far as the ocean...in the MIDDLE of the ocean..unless it is perfectly clear water and i can see to the bottom....i will always be nervous no matter what...not really fear...just nerves...cause i don't like the fact of anything that big like whales and stuff swimming underneath me...just a weird feeling is all.

Answer 5

Well, it always helps to research on what REALLY is in that water. Check Google, and look up whats really in lakes and that should be good. If you still fear, sometimes you just have to go out and DO IT! Swim out as far as you feel comfortable with someone else, then go back to shore and start again. Each time go a little further and soon enough your fear will be gone.

Answer 6

Just do it. You think you ar ethe first one to have this fear?
Not.

You think you are the first one to overcome it?
No.

Think that someone is depending on your action to be saved...your child or your friend or your pet....that will motivate change. Find a reason to reach your goal of comfort or at least overcoming the fear anxiety itself.

Laugh at your fears and face the future without the angst.

Besides, human meat is too salty and not meaty enough for most animals. Even sharks usually only take one nibble bite and spit it out...LOL.

Of course if they are piranhas, you are history! Red mist.

Answer 7

i just think of it as a swimming pool but it gets scary because there is no quick edge to hold on to.

but don't be afraid of the deep water.

we haven't explored 75% of all of the earth. i'm not sure if that is the right percentage i think it is more.

to tell you the truth there are MILLIONS of things in the ocean. small living organisms are swimming with you and when you dip your toe in the water, you have millions of organisms in you.

but they are very very small and can't harm you unless you drink the water. and if the water had an infected organism.

but you shouldn't really be afraid of again.

Answer 8

theres nothing to be scared of if ur afraid of sharks or crocodiles or anything like that in fact u have a bugger chance of crashing then getting attacked by a shark

Answer 9

its simple u got to rid of ur fear because there is alway victory after the crossing limit of fear u have to go into swimming pool again and start from the basic goood luck for the fight against ur fear...................

Answer 10

Jump in. Stare it in the face and take it down.