The hydrophobia, or fear of water, is more common than it seems. Although there are no official data, it is said that 10% of the Spanish population may suffer from this phobia, which inevitably increases during the summer season.
An irrational and excessive fear that, beyond the cognitive symptoms (catastrophic idea or unreal thoughts), also manifests itself physically: hyperventilation, tachycardia, dizziness or sweating.
It is, therefore, a anxiety disorder It usually appears in childhood and normally disappears over the years.
However, if the characteristics of the fear (both in duration, frequency and intensity) are too high, it is important to start working on the problem as it can worsen over time and even limit the social life of the person affected.
However, in some cases it is not necessarily disabling. A phobia of water can range from fear of drowning to refusing to drink or even avoiding showering.
As explained to the psychologist Ana Gomez Penadel , the fear of water is very common in children “because they are usually unexpected situations to which they have rarely been exposed.”
In addition, “there is a theory that tells us about a biological part of survival that makes us be cautious in the water, to prevent drowning”.
How to overcome the fear of water in the middle of summer?
The most powerful strategy, says Gómez Peña, is to face the situation, “even if it scares us.”
Avoiding what is scary, initially, lowers anxiety in the face of the feared stimulus, but this only works in the short term.
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“In the long term, avoiding situations that generate a feeling of incapacity makes the fear grow bigger and bigger. relaxationbeing a response incompatible with fear and anxiety, can make it easier to face the feared situation.”
But where to start? First, expose yourself to the feared scenes and gradually.
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“It is an expensive process and there are always excuses not to face fear, but with motivation and focusing on small objectives, it can be improved.”
An example that the psychologist gives us about how we could act:
“To understand a bit how it works, let’s give the example of a person who is terrified of the sea, due to the fact that it is deep. We can start, for example, with the exposure in imagination, simulating the smell of the sea and even the sound. Little Little by little, as we see that the anxiety is decreasing, we can move on to larger surfaces. The last step would be to start going by the sea or taking a boat trip without having to bathe, until the anxiety is reduced.”
Being thrown into the pool is not a good idea
The psychologist stresses that “exposing ourselves to fear directly can be positive, but it always depends on how the person is and the risks they may take.”
However, be warned, fear can be very paralyzing and we can put the person at risk.
“For this reason, it is essential to know that the person is swimming and to progress little by little so that they get used to fear. This implies that if a person has a specific phobia of the sea, we can put her at risk by giving her a push. Always keep in mind the safety conditions, and that we can help ourselves with floats, sleeves…”.
In the case of children, you can start with activities around water, such as playing in the bathtub. “This will teach him that he can enjoy himself while being careful.”
An easy way for them to adapt to the unknown, since “working with minors is usually easier because they are more plastic and more resilient.”
“It is important to tolerate the child’s fear, since it is something normal, and to teach him that things can be done with fear, it is not something that he has to avoid.”
When should you see a professional?
“Everyone is aware that they are not going to drown, but these fears are not rational and avoiding water at all times can even be a hygiene problem, since it affects all levels of their lives,” emphasizes the specialist.
So, when this problem begins to affect the person in their social, work, family or personal life, it is when we could talk about going to a professional. “It is not an easy path, but in general they tend to have a good prognosis.”