#1 Orcas Breaching In Rough Seas, Photo Taken From A Sword Fishing Boat Off The Coast Of Nova Scotia
According to mental health counselor Bates, exposure therapy paired with relaxation and mindfulness techniques is the typical and most effective way of treating a phobia.
"Since thalassophobia is the fear of deep bodies of water, the issue may not cause any day-to-day dysfunction and impairment. The person suffering from this phobia may have no reservations swimming in a pool, for example, which may occur if they had aquaphobia (the fear of water itself)," he explained to Bored Panda.
"However, the very idea of large, deep bodies of water may cause distress for an individual. Several forms of travel may also be the source of anxiety and panic if there were to fly in a plane over large bodies of water, driving over a bridge, or watching a movie like Titanic," he said.
"Treatment of the phobia would involve a licensed counselor or psychologist helping the client encounter gradual and controlled exposure to large bodies of water, typically starting with imaginal stimuli to real-life experiences," counselor Bates walked us through the process.
"As the client is exposed to anxiety-provoking stimuli of large bodies of water (e.g., a picture of the sea, sound of ocean waves), the clinician will guide them through mindfulness and relaxation interventions to help soothe their nervous system, equipping them adjust to the discomfort and realize they are not in any actual danger."
We were interested in getting the counselor's opinion as to when someone suffering from phobias should reach out for help from a professional. Bates noted that this decision will depend on several factors.
"For a person suffering with thalassophobia, they may want to consider if their fear is so intense that it causes anxiety, even panic attacks. If they are avoiding normal activities, causing disruption to their life, again, they may consider seeking out help. Psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, or other mental health professionals who specialize in anxiety disorders can offer various treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, or medication if necessary, to help individuals manage and overcome their phobias."
#6 Staring Down What Could Be A 1,000-Ft-Deep Wormhole Through The Blue Ice Of The Lower Ruth Glacier
Bates pointed out that thalassophobia is a very treatable issue: "So for those who struggle with this issue, there is hope. They do not need to suffer in isolation. There are effective treatments out there." He shared that counselors and other mental health clinicians regularly work with conditions like thalassophobia.
"Whatever a person is struggling with, it will not shock a clinician. They will work with that individual in a very empathic and supportive way."
Bates regularly covers important mental health topics on the 'Men's Mental Health' blog on Substack and the 'Mental Health Nerd' blog on Psychology Today.
#9 It's 50% Exciting And 50% Scary. The Hole Is 150 Meters Deep, And It's Actually Way Too Cold To Swim In There For Longer Than A Few Seconds
People who suffer from thalassophobia have intense fears of bodies of water that appear vast, dark, deep, and dangerous. This encompasses bodies of water of different sizes, whether we’re talking about something as vast as the ocean or the sea, or something much smaller, like lakes.
Verywell Mind notes that this phobia is less connected to being scared of the water itself than to the fear of what might lurk beneath the surface… just out of sight.
Thalassophobia is caused by a mix of genetic and environmental factors. It’s very likely that our ancestors were very cautious around deep bodies of water, so their genes got passed down to future generations. On the flip side, some of the people who didn’t mind these fears as much might have ended up drowning.
#10 It's Hard To Beat Diving In This Majestic Cenote In The Summer Months
However, it’s not just your genetics that plays a role in the phobias you develop. The way your parents raise you, your environment, and your experiences all have important roles to play. For example, if you were raised in a household where the adults get panicky any time someone approaches any body of water, then you might have ended up copying their response.
Similarly, if you had any scary encounters at the seaside or swimming in a lake, you might avoid large bodies of water like the plague. Seeing others drown or nearly drowning yourself can make you extremely wary of going anywhere near open water from that point onward. Just thinking about it can make you feel nauseous, dizzy, and light-headed.
Some of the other symptoms that people suffering from thalassophobia can experience include intense feelings of anxiety, detachment, a sense of impending doom, and the desire to run away. However, you don’t necessarily have to spend the rest of your life being afraid of going to the seaside, swimming, or sailing.
#18 Diving The Flooded Caves In Mexico Feels Like Time Traveling To A Moment Before The Last Ice Age When These Formations Were Dripping Passage Ways To The Spirit World
Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to slowly desensitize people who suffer from various phobias. To put it simply, the idea is to gradually help someone get used to large bodies of water, with the guidance of a therapist. That might mean taking things very slow at the start, by showing the patient photos of bodies of water, so they can get used to them.
#19 Gjoa Haven, Nunavut. Where Inuit Still Hunt For Food And Often Have To Cross Cracks Like This With Their Snowmobiles And Homemade Sleds (Though Not As Big As This)
