AQUAPHOBIA

B Y: A N I S A H B I N T I O S M A N
 INTRODUCTION
Aquaphobia or waterfright is a persistent and abnormal fear of water.

Aquaphobia is a specific phobia that involves a level of fear that is beyond the patient's control or that may interfere with daily life.

People suffer aquaphobia in many ways and may experience it even though they realize the water in an ocean, a river, or even a bathtub
poses no imminent threat. They may avoid such activities as boating and swimming, or they may avoid swimming in the deep ocean despite
having mastered basic swimming skills.

This anxiety commonly extends to getting wet or splashed with water when it is unexpected, or being pushed or thrown into a body of water.
Before we study Aquaphobia in depth, it is essential to clear the misconception between the terms Hydrophobia and
Aquaphobia. Both these conditions are not the same: Hydrophobia is the term used to represent the fear of water developed in
later stage of Rabies. Aquaphobia, on the other hand, is a social phobia that is defined as the persistent, unwarranted and
irrational fear of water.
Many people have an extreme fear of water. They conjure up images of dying in water, drowning, gasping for breath, or
encountering eerie, unseen things such as snakes or sharks in the water. Often, those suffering from Aquaphobia are non
swimmers. Some phobics not only fear large water bodies, lakes, ponds or rivers, many even fear running water or water being
poured onto their heads.
The fear of drowning is a rational and logical fear experienced by many who cannot swim. Aquahobic individuals, however,
experience great deal of anxiety around all kinds of water bodies ranging from large oceans to small bathtubs. Some cannot
even look at a photograph of the ocean without experiencing chills. Logically, few are aware that they will not drown in a
bathtub; but they are unable to control thoughts of death that come up in their minds.
 BODY

this fear inevitably leads to drownings every year. The reason is simple: Those who are afraid of
the water dont learn to swim; those who cant swim are susceptible to drowning. Thats
especially true if they become unexpectedly immersed in water. When that happens, fear turns
to panic, which often leads to drowning.
Most research focuses on preventing child drownings the second leading cause of
unintentional death in children age 0-4. But of the more than 3,400 annual drownings in the U.S.,
as many as
70 percent are adults. Experts agree: an inability to swim increases the risk of drowning. Thats
especially true among African American males. Often adults who grow up with a fear of the
water, pass on that fear to their children, which perpetuates the cycle, which partially explains
why African Americans are three times more likely to drown than others. Regardless of race, for
those who suffer from fear of water, its more complicated than just saying, Get over it.
An increasing number of xperts are recognizing that this deeply entrenched fear needs to be
treated like any other phobia before a person can learn to swim. Often this treatment involves
getting into shallow water and slowly addressing the persons fear. While this can be done on
your own (or with a friend), many aquaphobics find it helpful to work with a professional who
specializes in helping adults overcome their water fears
FOR 45% OF AMERICANS, THIS IS WHAT A NIGHTMARE LOOKS
LIKE. FROM HECTOR ALEJANDRO .
 CAUSE

Nearly 19.2 million Americans suffer from different specific phobias of which
Aquaphobia is a type.

TRAUMATIC INCIDENTS

The roots of this phobia can be traced to prior traumatic incidents with water,
where one might have almost drowned, or was pushed into a water body as a
prank, or fallen off a boat or deck. One might even have witnessed a traumatic
event such as the drowning or death of a loved one in water.
 CAREGIVERS OR PARENTS

The fear of water can sometimes be learned from caregivers or parents: these
adults might have given too many cautionary warnings to the child about going into or
near the water. A parent who is afraid of water is likely to pass on the fear to the child.
Stories, movies, incidents or news reports about drowning etc can also instill a deep sense
of fear of water.
 SANDY DESERT AREAS

People who are not used to water, such as ones who

have grown up in sandy desert areas are more likely to
develop Aquaphobia
 SYMTOMS

People with Aquaphobia tend to display following symptoms:

They try to avoid water at all costs.
They might experience anxiety or panic attacks at the thought
of facing water.
 Sufferers of Aquaphobia often have poor hygiene as they avoid taking baths for
long periods.
At the sight of water, they start to hyperventilate; have higher blood pressure
and heart rate or shallow breathing.
They might faint or pass out at the sight of water
Sweating, shaking, crying, trembling and other signs of loss of control are
common in Aquaphobic individuals.
The symptoms vary based on the degree and extent of the phobia. Some patients are
not even aware of their phobia and their mind unconsciously comes up with creative
ways of avoiding water rather than facing embarrassment or experiencing emotional
distress.
 HOW TO CURE

In many cases of Aquaphobia, individuals do not seek treatment

since their daily life is not affected due to it. However, if the fear
of water is affecting ones social and recreational activities then
one must find ways to reduce distress and overcome the
avoidance of water.
Exposure therapy is the first line of treatment for treating this
phobia. This is of two types: in-vivo or virtual exposure. In
either case, the individual is exposed to the fearful environment
and learns to unlearn his fear of water.
In combination with exposure therapy, doctors often prescribe
certain medications that can help the phobic relearn how to react
to fears. SSRIs or selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors can
reduce panic attacks. Remember that: drugs do not have lasting
effects and might have withdrawal symptoms. Hence, care must
be taken to avoid long term use.
 Cognitive behavioural therapy(CBT)
An individual may be able to manage their aquaphobia through the combination of cognitive and behavioural. By
speaking to the individual, a medical professional is able to better understand the individual's thought
processes of water. By understanding these thought processes and speaking to the individual, a medical
professional is ultimately able to change an individual's negative thought processes of the phobic stimulus
(water).
For example, an individual suffering from aquaphobia may be sat down in a room by a medical professional and
be spoken to about their phobic stimulus (water), when they feel frightened and why.
Managing aquaphobia through behavioural therapy involves the application of learning theories such as classical
and operant conditioning in order to deal with and alter an individual's responses to water.
Overall, when CBT istherapy. Through cognitive therapy a medical professional will simply speak to the individual
suffering from aquaphobia used to treat an individual suffering from aquaphobia, the individual is encouraged to
develop an understanding of their thoughts about water. The individual is given information and facts about water,
and they are encouraged to develop thought processes that are more positive, which will ultimately change their
behaviour too.
I advise any individual willing to try out CBT to speak with their doctor, a psychologist, psychiatrist,
psychotherapist or counsellor.
CBT is based on the assumption that if an individual's (with a specific phobia) thoughts (cognitive) can be
changed, ultimately their behaviour can too. Cognitive therapy focuses on an individual's thoughts, beliefs and
attitudes .
 SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION:

Systematic desensitisation:
Managing aquaphobia through systematic desensitisation would involve the individual suffering
from aquaphobia being taught to relax while being exposed to stimuli that became increasingly
similar to water. The first step of managing aquaphobia through systematic desensitisation would be
teaching the individual suffering from the phobia relaxation strategies. For instance, the individual
may learn certain slow breathing techniques. The second step would involve individuals (with the
help of a medical professional) creating a fear hierarchyof feared objects and situations relating to
water.A fear hierarchy of someone with aquaphobia would possibly look like this---
-going into water
-touching water with toes
-being close enough to touch water
-seeingthe beach from a car
-seeing water on a photograph or on television
-talking about water with medical professional

Each of these steps (most feared at the top and least feared at bottom of hierarchy) would then be
experienced by the individual with aquaphobia, while being paired with the relaxation strategy in
order to minimise phobic responses and manage aquaphobia.
 FLOODING

Flooding would involve an individual being in direct contact with water

An individual may be able to manage their aquaphobia through flooding.Through flooding, an individual
with aquaphobia wouldbe brought into direct and prolonged contact with their most feared stimulus,
water. The individual would be in contact with water (possible touching it, sitting in a pool or standing
up in the ocean) until their aquaphobia disappears. Flooding can cause a great amount of distress to
individuals, so before choosingflooding as a management for aquaphohbia it is advised that you (or
anybody else you know who may sufferers from aquaphobia)see a medical professional for further
information.
 CONCLUSION

Fear is a wound to your heart, says M. Ellen Dash, who founded a national
swim school for adults afraid of the water. Dont bother with the mechanics
of freestyle or backstroke until youve dealt with the panic. Start slow. No
scrambling, no hurry, no tension, no worry, Dash says. Walk around in the
shallow end of a pool. Keep your mind on the present; notice the sensation
of liquid against skin. Allow yourself to feel in control. Dont manage your
fear, Dash says. Heal it.

Some 19.2 million American adults suffer from phobias (twice as many
women as men). Fear of water is among the more common. If you can, talk
about your anxiety. In the first hours of class, Dashs students explain the
root of their water aversion. For some, it stems from a traumatic experience;
for others, its a learned trait. Of the 5,000 adults who have been through
Dashs program, some 90 percent have at least one parent who was afraid
of water. Unlearn the terror before you pass it along.
 You wont want to initially, but try putting your face underwater. Stand in the
pool, holding the edge with one hand and pinching your nose with your other.
Dip your face in quickly. Repeat until youre no longer clenching your jaw, until
you can let go of your nostrils and allow them to fill with water. Celebrate:
Youve just passed a major milestone.
It might take days or even years, but eventually you will need to go into the
deep end, where your feet dont touch the bottom. The goal what Dash
considers to be the mastery of aquaphobia is to float peacefully in deep
water for at least five minutes, 10 feet from a wall or support. First, sit at the
edge, dangling your legs over. Then slide in, holding on to the pools lip. Trust
this medium of hydrogen-and-oxygen-based molecules to buoy you up. You
may be an air-breathing land animal, yet your body is a watery one. A newborn
baby is about 68 percent water. People dehydrate as they age and fatten, but
even an adult woman who is 30 percent fat will be more than 50 percent water.
Be comforted by that and push off from the edge. See, Dash says, you are
not sinking!