Swimming is one of the most complete physical activities in the world.
Complete indeed, because it is not only a source of well-being for the body, but also for the mind.
It is indeed a pleasure bringing great well-being to find oneself practically “weightless” in a body of water, strengthening one’s body and mind.
However, it is impossible to enjoy it if you have a phobia of water.
If you are looking to overcome your fear of water, to better enjoy your trips to the pool or the beach, this article is for you.
It shows you how to overcome your fear of water and take up swimming.
Aquaphobia is the fear of water
Commonly known as aquaphobia or hydrophobia, the fear of water can vary depending on the type and quantity of water.
For some people, the phobia will manifest itself in front of the swimming pool, for others in front of a lake, and for others still, it will be in front of the sea.
The mere thought of being in contact with a large amount of water can arouse this fear.
Sometimes, some people are more afraid of what they will encounter in the water (fear of the unknown) than of the water itself.
This fear can be caused by a trauma during childhood (swimming sessions in primary school that went wrong, for example), or even as an adult (following sessions learning so-called wild swimming).
When a person is aquaphobic, they find themselves in an almost permanent state of anxiety, often even without being in contact with water.
Aquaphobes particularly of being people with respiratory problems, subject to agoraphobia, that is to say, that they have anxiety attacks in large spaces.
Some people cannot even take a bath because their fear is so pressing.
The problem is often not always the water, but the feeling of losing one’s footing when faced with the expanse of water.
Phobias associated with aquaphobia include anthlipophobia (fear of flooding), hydrophobia (fear of humidity), phagophobia (fear of mud), balneophobia (fear of bathing), photophobia (fear of rivers), aquaphobia (fear of aquariums), photophobia (fear of drinking), and ablutophobia (fear of drowning).
A person suffering from aquaphobia may very well develop one or more of these phobias, at the same time.
Whatever the cause, however, this fear can be overcome by gradually learning to become familiar with water.
Water that does not pose a danger to humans.
What steps should you take to overcome your fear of water and start swimming?
Overcoming your fear of water is no easy feat.
Far from discouraging you, the treatment of aquaphobia, like all other phobias, requires professional help.
This is not a question of a simple psychologist, but of a psychologist who is a swimming professional, who understands the language of water.
To help people suffering from aquaphobia, it is essential to go back to the origin of the problem.
No one is afraid of anything for nothing.
It will therefore be a question of helping them by re-educating them, of teaching them to love water (again).
There is a series of 23 recreational exercises designed by professionals in the field.
These exercises can be done during an aquaphobia course to help you overcome your fear of water.
These exercises are divided into three sets of exercises.
First series of exercises: (Re)learning to become familiar with water.
This applies in the case where the person has developed a fear of water following a trauma.
This series of exercises consists of following very specific steps.
- Show him that water is not his enemy.
- Accompany him in the process of (re)contact with water.Here, it is not a question of making the person enter the water, but of helping them to approach it without fear.
- Help him go further.That is to say, moving on to a first immersion.
Preferably in a shallow pool, to avoid the person becoming stressed and having an anxiety attack.
- When the person feels comfortable, half submerged in the water, we can now move on to the next phase which consists of teaching him to put his head underwater.This phase must be able to be done gently because it is a new sensation for the person.
- Teach him to stand up in the water.He needs to be able to feel that he has some control over his body.
- Teach him to float on his stomach, without moving.
- Now teach him how to move in the water.
Now for the step where you change depth.
This step is essential to help him feel comfortable in a swimming pool or the sea.
- Teach him how to overcome obstacles.If an obstacle is overcome, his self-confidence will grow and he will feel much more comfortable in the water.
- Teach him to jump into the water.This is to teach him to be independent, to teach him to go into the water by himself.
If these exercises are successful, you will need to move on to the second series of exercises.
Make sure you go at the right pace.
The second series of exercises: exercises to teach him to be more comfortable in the water.
- Standing in the water with your head out of the water.
- Float on your back.
- Teach him how to propel himself in the water.
- Breathing while swimming.
- Basic breathing exercises.
- Learn not to suck water up your nose.
Third series of exercises: these are games for having fun in the pool; having fun in (or at least with) the water.
- Teach him how to balance underwater.
- Teach him how to do underwater rolls.
- Teach him to swim with flippers.
- Teach him how to use a mask and snorkel underwater.
- Teach him how to reach the bottom of the pool and have him retrieve an object from there.
- Teach him how to jump into the water in a less formal way (like splash jumps).
- Teach him how to make the torpedo.
All these exercises have only one goal: to restore his confidence and make him forget his fear of water.
Fear of water can keep someone from enjoying a swim at the pool or beach.