Aquaphobia: How to Overcome a Panic Fear of Water

Imagine that you are going to sink, that your body does not float, that your head is submerged in the water without being able to get out. This is what someone who has aquaphobia feels. The solution? Start by feeling good in the water, where you can touch the bottom, even before you master swimming. Here are the solutions to adopt.

Does the mere sight of a body of water make you break out in a cold sweat? Does going swimming in the sea actually give you a panic attack? If you have an excessive fear of water that has lasted for more than six months, you may have aquaphobia. In this case, it is helpful to consult a doctor to take charge of this anxiety disorder, which can be cured.

Definition and Symptoms of Aquaphobia or Hydrophobia

Aquaphobia, called hydrophobia, is a panic fear of water. An aquaphobic person cannot swim or even go near water. For some of them, the simple fact of being near an aquatic place (swimming pool, sea, lake, even bathtub, etc.) can generate strong anxiety or stress. It all depends on the degree of aquaphobia.

The concept of water phobia is complex because seeing water flowing from a faucet does not cause a panic attack. On the other hand, there is a fear of depth or of being unable to stand, for example, in front of a large lake, a huge expanse of water, etc.

According to the DSM-5 (latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is a reference for specialists around the world), aquaphobia is one of the anxiety disorders.

Why are we afraid of water?

This fear can arise following a trauma experienced directly or indirectly (most often having escaped drowning, having seen someone drown, or having been pushed into the water). Many people refuse to swim following a somewhat traumatic event in childhood.

If a parent is aquaphobic themselves, they may have passed their phobia on to their child.

How do you overcome your aquaphobia with a swimming pool course?

The many swimming lessons since your childhood have done nothing: you can’t be comfortable in the water! A few hours with an association will help you get back into the swing of things.

A weekend course begins on Saturday early afternoon and ends on Sunday evening. When the course starts, everyone enters the pool with water up to their waists, listening to the program. Rather than a program, it is about proposals according to each person.

Never force a person to swim.

A psychiatrist specializing in phobias reminds us here that forcing a person to make them want to swim is not the solution! “There is no point in rushing a person. You can lead someone into a situation they dislike but never force them. And especially not by surprise. People who have phobias are in control, and they need to be able to maintain a certain level of control. The goal is to no longer trust your fear but yourself.”

How to combat aquaphobia with CBT sessions?

To treat a “simple” phobia, such as water phobia, without other associated disorders, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is ideally suited. On average, a dozen sessions are required, with exercises to be repeated at home. The problem can be resolved in three months (one weekly session). The person must, of course, be motivated.

We first try to change the behaviour of the aquaphobic person by gradually confronting, never brutally, the object of their fear. Then we work on their thoughts: “Why am I afraid?”, “am I right to be afraid?” It is about getting the person to reconsider their thoughts and “beliefs” (I don’t float) to bring them back to realistic elements. The psychiatrist’s job will be to help them understand that these beliefs are false.