Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Psychological Preparation
• Method 2 of 4: Contact with water
• Method 3 of 4: Widening Your Comfort Zone
• Method 4 of 4: Help from a specialist
• Tips
• Warnings

Fear of water is one of the most common phobias. It may seem like it’s impossible to overcome this fear, but it’s not. With the effort and time left for yourself, you can learn to feel more relaxed about water of any depth. To deal with this fear, you need to prepare yourself psychologically, do certain exercises, and seek the help of a therapist if necessary.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Psychological Preparation

1. 1 Acknowledge the fact that you are afraid of water. Many people who have this phobia feel ashamed or embarrassed because of their fear. They try their best not to talk or think about it. However, acknowledging fear is the first step in overcoming it.
2. 2 Try to think wider. Fear of water is a common phobia. Millions of people are afraid of water.All people have different attitudes to water, and only a few feel completely comfortable when there is great depth under them. You have nothing to be ashamed of.
   • Studies have found that about half of the US adult population has a fear of depth.
3. 3 Determine the cause of the fear. Before you try to go into the water, remember when you realized that you are afraid of depth. Was the fear triggered by an event or person? If you can identify the cause of the fear, it will be easier for you to understand and overcome it.
   • Perhaps your father was afraid of deep water and passed this fear on to you. Perhaps you once rolled over in the boat, and this caused panic. If you understand that fear has reasons, you will stop perceiving it as an irrational feeling, and it will be easier for you to deal with it.

Method 2 of 4: Contact with water

1. 1 Choose a quiet and tranquil body of water or pool. If you're afraid of water, don't start with the ocean and big waves. Head to a pool where temperature, depth, and water flow are controlled.
   • The number of possible factors causing discomfort (for example, low water temperature and a large number of observers) should be limited. Choose a place where you feel comfortable without considering the fear of depth.
   • It is best if the water is clear so you can see the bottom. Dark or cloudy water can increase your fear.
   • If you prefer a natural body of water, choose a calm lake or cove. It is best to find a place with a shallow bottom so that you can enter the water slowly.
2. 2 Ask someone you trust to keep you company. If you are ashamed of your fear, seek help from a professional swim coach or lifeguard who knows the water safety rules and knows how to work with people with a fear of water. If this is not possible, ask for the help of a responsible person who will be ready to help without ridiculing you or forcing you to do what you do not want.
   • For your peace of mind, enlist the support of an experienced swimmer who is comfortable in the water.
3. 3 Begin to gradually enter the water. Stop if you feel fear. Go as far as possible and note the moment when you became afraid. If you are very scared, stop, take a couple of deep breaths, and only then walk back.
4. 4 Try to go a little further. Take one step at a time. Try walking in circles: start in shallow water and gradually increase the circle radius so that with each new circle you can go a little further.
   • Do not hurry. Some can get used to great depths in a couple of hours, others find it more difficult: first they reach knee-deep, the next day - to the waist, and so on.
   • Remind yourself that you are in control of the process. It's important to try to go a little further, but you don't have to push yourself if you feel like things are getting out of hand.
   • If possible, focus on the pleasant sensations of the water, such as how the water touches the skin and envelops the body. This will allow you to take your mind off the feeling of fear.
5. 5 Remember breathing. If you can breathe slowly and calmly, it will be easier for you to stop panic and other instinctive reactions of the body. Continue walking in circles, inhaling deeply for 5 counts and exhaling for 7 counts.

Method 3 of 4: Widening Your Comfort Zone

1. 1 Put your head under the water. This is one of the most difficult actions for those who are afraid of water. Try to submerge slowly at a shallow depth. Once you get used to the feeling of water overhead, it will be easier for you to dive where it is deep.
   • Go into the water until the water starts to reach your waist. This will allow you to bend over and submerge your face in the water.
   • Sprinkle water on your face first to get used to the sensation and temperature. Then hold your breath and bend over so that your lips touch the water.
   • When you can easily tolerate this, bend even deeper so that your chin and lips are submerged.Take deep breaths through your nose and remind yourself that you can breathe even when your mouth is underwater.
   • Once you're comfortable, hold your breath and submerge your nose in the water for a few seconds. Then straighten up and breathe normally. Water can enter the nose, but it will not go beyond the sinuses (which is the only way water can harm).
   • Finally, try submerging your head completely in water for a few seconds while holding your breath. Remember that water can enter your ears, but it will not harm you because the eardrums are an obstruction.
2. 2 Try blowing bubbles. This exercise will help you understand that you can breathe underwater without drawing water into your lungs through your nose or mouth. Thanks to this, you will become more comfortable underwater at a depth and you will learn the correct behavior in the water.
   • First, go into the water up to your waist. Lean forward so that your mouth is directly above the surface of the water. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Repeat several times, paying attention to how the water moves under the influence of your breath.
   • Then immerse your mouth in the water and keep your nose above the water. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Bubbles form in the water due to the movement of air.
   • Take a deep breath, lower your nose under the water and release the air through your nose. When the air runs out, stand up and breathe normally.
   • Take a deep breath and hold your breath. Try dipping your entire head under the water and blowing bubbles through your nose and mouth. When the air runs out, stand up and breathe normally.
3. 3 Try it lie on the water. Understanding that water can keep your body afloat will help you get rid of your fear of depth. If you don't already know how to lie on the water, ask someone to help you learn this skill in a safe and controlled environment.
   • Since the body's natural response to fear is to shrink or lower your legs down, it may be difficult to keep yourself afloat at first. Have someone gently pull your arms in the water so you can stretch out on your back and relax.
   • You can also ask a helper to support you with their arms under your back.
   • When you learn to float with the help of an assistant, ask him to let you go and let you try lying on the water on your own for as long as you can. If you succeed, try to lie on the water and stay afloat for a while on your own.
4. 4 Swim where you can grab the support. If you decide to try swimming for the first time where you cannot reach the bottom, choose a place where you can grab the support if necessary.
   • For example, you can swim along the dividing lines in a deep pool. Let go of the support from time to time and swim, lie on your back, or stay upright afloat for as long as you can. Try to increase the duration of these actions with each new attempt.
   • If you choose to swim in the lake, try to stay close to a stable boat or raft so you can get there if needed.

Method 4 of 4: Help from a specialist

1. 1 Sign up for swimming lessons for adults. Many pools have special courses for those who are afraid of water. Such courses will be especially useful to you as you will study in a safe environment under the guidance of an experienced professional. Plus, getting regular exercise will keep you on track to achieve your goal.
   • Choose courses specifically designed for adults. Perhaps there are special courses in your city for those who are afraid of water. If there are no such courses, be aware that, as a rule, any swimming classes for adults are built with the possible fear of water in mind.
   • Group activities can help you share your feelings and thoughts with others. This will allow you to overcome fear together and not be ashamed of your phobia.
2. 2 Seek help from a professional therapist. If you can't deal with your fear on your own, or if you can't get into the water at all, seek help from a psychotherapist. The specialist will teach you how to keep fear in check and manage your thoughts, feelings and reactions.
3. 3 Try exposure therapy. Exposure therapy involves confronting a person with a fearful situation in small amounts to dull the response to a stimulus. If you are afraid of water, see a specialist who is proficient in exposure therapy techniques.
4. 4 Try cognitive behavioral therapy. Find a cognitive behavioral therapy therapist. A therapist will teach you how to control thoughts and feelings that prevent you from being comfortable with water and overcome fear.

Tips

• Take your time and don't let people rush you. You need help and support, not coercion.

Warnings

• Don't try to overcome your fear by jumping into the water and trying to get out of there. This is an unsafe method. It is much more beneficial to gradually accustom yourself to deep water.
• Avoid watching movies that may increase your fear (eg Titanic, Jaws, Open Sea).
• Don't swim alone. Consider the weather and water conditions.