Aquaphobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of water. Aquaphobia is a specific phobia that involves a level of fear that is beyond the patient's control or that may interfere with daily life.People suffer aquaphobia in many ways and may experience it even though they realize the water in an ocean, a river, or even a bathtub poses no imminent threat. They may avoid such activities as boating and swimming, or they may avoid swimming in the deep ocean despite having mastered basic swimming skills. This anxiety commonly extends to getting wet or splashed with water when it is unexpected, or being pushed or thrown into a body of water.
I wouldn't say that I have a PHOBIA exactly. My fear of water doesn't interfere with my daily life. If I had chosen a career as a life guard, then maybe it would. But I have this fear of water you see, so being a life guard never even entered into the possible list of career choices. My specific fear of water is water splashing in my face, or having to put my face in water (bobbing for apples is out as an activity too - maybe this does interfere more then I thought!)
At a daily level, the only time that this fear manifests itself is in the shower. But I've been showering for awhile now so I have conquered how to do it (and wash my hair) without a single drop of water getting on my face. So I can hop into the shower with nary a concern. I don't wear make up or any other product on my face so I simply just don't wash it. I have a great complexion so that must be working okay.
Living with a 6 year old however has opened up many more opportunities for me to get my face wet. Babies splash when they are in the tub. When they get older they splash on purpose. It was inevitable that water guns would become a part of our outdoor toy selection. I do my best to not let my fear overcome me and stop me from having fun with Liam, because after all, water guns and splashing can be fun! I even took Liam to his mother/child swim classes starting at 9 months old in a hope that I could get over my fear. That didn't work out so well. And as a result, Liam didn't like the water very much either. Since he's been taking swimming lessons on his own, he has overcome that so it doesn't look like my fear has rubbed off on him.
I'm not 100% sure where this fear came from, but I have my suspicions. I have a very vivid memory of being at my Aunt and Uncle's house one summer when I was quite young - maybe 5-6 and someone threw me in the pool, knowing that I couldn't swim. And of everyone standing around the pool laughing while I struggled and panicked before someone finally rescued me. Now neither of my parents remember this (or are willing to admit that they remember it) but that could be because they were all DRUNK at the time which is why they all thought this would be a hilarious idea in the first place!
So there you go, I've shared 2 of my phobias, anyone else have any they want to share?
8 comments:
I am really phobic about heights. Well, not heights exactly, but heights if I have the slightest feeling that I might be able to fall from them. I have been to the top of buildings like the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center (RIP) and was totally fine.
Those grid-style bridges that they have for people to walk across, though? *shudder* (Like the bridges over the gorge at Niagara Falls) Petrifying! Ski chair lifts freak me out. Being up on a balcony higher than a second story and there's NO WAY I'm near the railing. Railings do not tend to feel safe to me.
Okay, this is how bad my fear is - just typing this is making my palms sweat! I practically had a panic attack when I saw Cliffhanger (that delightful Sylvester Stallone flick) in the theater. Even TV shows can get my heart pounding in anxiety if they're showing someone up high.
This is why I will never, ever bungee jump and why I'll never, sadly, be able to be a contestant on the Amazing Race.
I am phobic about mosquitos and the sensation of falling. Either phobic or I just don't like them.
BTW -- I still have you on my Google Reader, but I haven't been fed any of your last several posts. I've missed you!
yes, your feeds are not coming across to me on bloglines anymore either.....
I have no phobias that have presented themselves as of yet...well as a child I had a terrible fear that my parents would die while I was young...my dad died in 1999 I wasn't all that young anymore...
hmmm.. anyone know how to fix the feed problem? I'll see what I can find out.
hmm... you fear is same as mine! :) I used to get absolutely nervous/angry when water splashed on my face until 2 years back.. the same things u did.. i used to do.. never wash my face...(have tried to overcome this fear in the last two years.. :)) and yeh me too mastered the art of showering without any water on my face! :)
Wow, this is kinda bizarre. I'm 18 and have a fear of water on my face. My dad tried to help me over come it when he found out. He started by getting his hands wet and then touching my face, and I could'nt stand it, I had to dry my face. He siad that it's not a fear of drowning so therefore nothing to worry about. I was so anxious about it, but he said just don't get your face wet. So I don't. I thought I was unique in this, but this helped me feel not so alone. YAY!! Thank you!
anyone know if there's a name for this"phobia" for water on ones face? i also have that problem and it really frekas me out. I have become used to showers and even swimming but i have to like mentally prepare myself for getting my face wet. When it happens unexpectedly it just grosses me out completely.
I just found your post, and I know exactly how you feel. I myself at about the same age you were, slipped off of a ladder (we had an above ground pool in our back yard) while my sister and one of her friends were under water doing tricks. It seemed like it took for ever for me to get back to the ladder and out of the water, but when I finally did, they were still under the water. Ever since then (and this was back in the early 70's) I have had the fear of water slashed in any form in my face. Like you, I have also found a way to shower and wash my hair with only a drop or two getting in my face, and I have 2 wash cloths on stand by, with in reach IF it does happen. Funny how we can find ways of adapting to things like this, with out it driving us completely nuts!!
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