name, signs, what does this phobia mean?

The fear of water, murky, deep waterseabed – grouped under the term aquaphobia – is frequent. What is the meaning a fear of water? Where is that from ? How does it translate? How to overcome this fear and overcome it? Insights and advice from Aline Nativel Id Hammou, clinical psychologist.

What is the name of the fear of water?

There fear of water is defined in the DSM-5 (the latest and fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and Psychiatric Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association) by the term aquaphobia. “Aqua” in Latin means “water” and “phobia” in Greek means “fear”. “You can sometimes hear the term “hydrophobia”, but in practice the term aquaphobia is more often used“, says the psychologist.

What does it mean to be afraid of water?

The fear of water is a phobic anxiety disorder. “This is’a panic fear of water, which is very often accentuated when the quantity of water is large (the ocean for example), when the expanse of water is vast and/or there is depth. This fear is irrational And the result of an underlying fear : it is often linked danger and bodily harm What does the fear of drowning and therefore of dying represent?describes our interlocutor. Babies and children have a natural attraction to water and are not afraid of it. For them, water is a very attractive element and they are not aware of the danger that water can cause. The fear generally develops later and often results from a particular situation that one has experienced with water (a trauma in a swimming pool, a bad memory at sea, an incident in a bath…). These are contexts that have triggered this fear. Conversely, there are some people who have lived traumatic situations with water and who however will not develop a fear of water. It’s not automatic“. The fear of water can also be linked to education and pedagogy when learning to swim, the relationship to one’s family in water, or even to the geographical context in which one grew up. “A person who grew up near the sea, who had habits or sports practices related to the aquatic environment, may feel more at ease with water, for example. There are also people who know how to swim very well and who still develop aquaphobia. Aquaphobia can also be found in certain psychiatric disorders“, notes the psychologist.

What does a fear of murky or deep water mean?

“At the level of clinical classification, we have no reference concerning the appearance of the water or its depth. It is rather based on the degree of phobia“, restores our clinical psychologist.

What are the signs of a fear of water?

The fear of water manifests itself in different ways depending on the individual. “Depending on life histories and trauma triggers, the person with the phobia of water may not be able to bear taking a bath or a shower or even the feeling of water on their skin or simply the act of hear water running, while another is afraid to swim in a swimming pool, in the sea…” list Aline Nativel Id Hammou. Like all phobias, the fear of water is manifested by a fear that is difficult to control, of variable intensity but which can go until the panic. Fear affects a person’s life. Most often, the person avoids situations where they could be confronted with water.

Management depends on the phobic “stressor” (the object of the phobia) and the degree of the person’s phobia. “Cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) are the most recommended in the management of a phobia, as well as the practice ofhypnosis. These two psychological practices have recognized effects in the accompaniment of phobia relief. Then, depending on the age and when aquaphobia is linked to the fear of not controlling one’s body and breathing in water, taking swimming lessons makes it possible to do what is called in psychology “exposure to the stressor”in other words, to confront the person with the object of his stress“, she explains. It strengthens the grounding and reduces the fear of dying. Gradual exposure to water can have very good results if the person’s rhythm and degree of exposure to water are respected. “There are no ridiculous phobias and you should not be afraid to consult, especially if it handicaps daily life. It is also necessary to reassure the patient and tell himself that his phobia can only be alleviated gradually and that there are solutions to live with it.“, concludes our expert.

Thanks to Aline Nativel Id Hammou, clinical psychologist.