Aquaphobia comes from the Latin “aqua” which means “water” and from the Greek “phobia” which means “fear”. It is a common phobia. It is characterized by panic and irrational fear of water. This anxiety disorder, sometimes called hydrophobia, can be disabling in everyday life and in particular hamper the leisure activities of the person who suffers from it. A person suffering from aquaphobia will often not be able to enter the water, even if they have feet, and being near an aquatic area will be a challenge.

Water phobia results in uncontrolled fear and aversion to water. Anxiety disorder manifests itself in large bodies of water such as an ocean or a lake, but also in aquatic places controlled by humans such as swimming pools. In some severe cases, the aquaphobic person is also unable to enter a bathtub.

Aquaphobia manifests itself to varying degrees in different patients. But it should not be confused with a simple feeling of insecurity because one cannot swim or one does not feel comfortable when one has no foot for example. Indeed, in this type of case it will be a question of a legitimate apprehension and not of an aquaphobia.

The reasons that can most often explain panic fear of water in adulthood are most often linked to psychological trauma dating back to childhood:

• An accidental fall into the water;
• drowning in the entourage of the child;
• a striking story heard over a meal;
• or a parent himself aquaphobic.

It is common for the trauma to take place when the child cannot yet swim, which further accentuates the feeling of insecurity and loss of control. Being pushed into a swimming pool at a young age or keeping your head underwater for a long time as part of a child’s “play” can sometimes leave its mark in adulthood.

Disproportionate anxiety manifestations near water can determine that a person has aquaphobia:

• The idea of ​​being confronted with a swim or going out to sea on a boat plunges you into a state of strong anxiety; 
• Near an aquatic area your heart rate accelerates;
• You have tremors;
• Sweats; 
• Buzzing; 
• Dizziness ;
• You are afraid of dying

For some aquaphobes, the mere fact of being splashed or hearing the lapping of water can trigger a state of acute stress, leading the person to decline all hobbies related to water. 

Lifeguards offer courses for adults adapted to different degrees of aquaphobia in order to overcome their fear of water. These small committee sessions are also open to people who simply want to gain ease in a pool. 

Each participant, accompanied by a professional, will be able to tame the aquatic environment at their own pace thanks to breathing, immersion and flotation techniques. Over the course of the lessons, some aquaphobes will be able to successfully put their heads under water and overcome the fear of depth.

Contact your local swimming pool or town hall to find out if there are swimming lessons or aquaphobia courses near you.

Behavioral and cognitive therapy can also be effective in gradually improving tolerance to stressful situations and decreasing the level of anxiety related to fears. 

Psychotherapy can also be useful to understand the origin of the phobia and thus succeed in overcoming it.