How to Overcome Fear of Deep Water
Fear of water is common, and it makes sense to some degree. Drowning is real, and sometimes scary things lurk in deep waters of lakes, rivers and oceans. Everyone should be careful in deep water. However the fear of deep water can be debilitating to some people. It can keep them from participating in enjoyable water-related activities and can cause them to pass a fear of water onto children. You can overcome a fear of deep water, but it means forcing yourself to face that fear.Things You'll Need
- Swimming pool
Instructions
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Acknowledge that you are afraid of deep water. Essential Life Skills reports that the first step to overcoming any fear is to admit that you are afraid. If you are in denial about your fears, you cannot overcome them.
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Analyze your fear of the water. Ask yourself exactly what it is that you are afraid of. Are you afraid of drowning? Are you afraid of something in the water? Ask yourself where this fear began. You may have had a traumatic experience with deep water, or someone might have instilled the fear in you as a child. If you know where the fear came from, it is easier to fight it.
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Dangle your legs into shallow water. Then scoop the water with your hands and splash it on your face. Finally enter the shallow end of the water and walk around slowly. After that, you can work on submerging parts of your face in the water. Enjoy-swimming recommends using this technique. They also suggest that you bring a friend for support. Web4Health suggests that slowly exposing yourself to your fears is a way of overcoming them.
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Take adult swimming lessons. A trained swimming instructor will help you learn to overcome your fear. Once you are able to swim confidently, you will have less reason to be afraid.
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Seek counseling about your fear of deep water. A psychologist will be able to talk to you about your fears and discuss ways of overcoming them. Web4Health reports that a therapist may use a variety of approaches in dealing with fears.
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