Hi Everybody,
I need your help. I am writing a book that aims to help people overcome their fear of water or deep water and I need some input and interviews with anyone who fits the following categories:
1. You are comfortable in the water/underwater. Yet you can remember a time when you were not and can describe in great detail what changed for you.
2. You consider yourself part fish(!) and are extremely comfortable in any one or all of the following: surf, deep scuba, competitive swimming, open water swimming, or freediving. How do you view fear in your activity? Are there things that are beyond your considerable comfort zone?
3. You may be a confident swimmer, but still have fear or anxiety about being in deep water/open water/ or water over your head. What thoughts, feelings, and ideas are contributing to that unease? How do you feel in a pool, lake, river, sea, or ocean?
4. You or someone you know overcame a fear of the water on their own or with the help of someone else. What made the difference?
Obviously, it would be great to have a discussion here, but I am also looking to interview those of you with have interesting things to say that can help other people see their own relationships to water in a new light. I believe that thread content is copyrighted, so I don't think I can use anything posted for my book. I will ideally like to conduct the interview over the phone, Skype, or by email. If you are in Vancouver, BC, I'd be happy to meet you.
Please send me a Private Email if you can help!
Many thanks,
Peter Scott
Vancouver, BC
Jeff (Muppet) and I have something in common. I have a huge fear of deep water. I have been in the water pretty much my whole life. Started competing at age 5 but if you get me around deep water or water that I can't see down into, I freak out. I have a fear of bridges over water and being in water (in a boat) under a bridge. I also grew up water skiing. Started when I ws 6. My parents owned a boat. But the fear was there and real. Even now, if I go in a boat under a bridge, I have to tuck my head in my lap and cover my ears. For the bridge over water, I can have panic attacks. I used to live in Portland, OR. One nickname is Bridge City. I got stuck on a draw bridge once and went into full panic attack mode. I had all windows rolled down for fear that the bridge will collapse and I would drown. I have had panic attacks on docks and when ever I realize I'm near deep water (BIG one in Pensacola on a concrete peir once near a sign that said "no swimming. deep water" ack!). But, I have managed to get past the fear for a while during a tour of an air craft carrier (didn't go near the edge) and a submarine, which was in the water.
No idea where this came from. I have never had a near drowning experience and I know how to swim well enough to save myself. You can certainly PM me.
Alison
I've spent a lot of year in open water in Florida. Word of advice: don't be first; don't be last.:rofl:
This is true for sharks and the like, but the drafting effect is up 30 percent!
I used to be just fine in water. Then I went to see "Jaws" ... and now everything I'm out alone in the ocean pretty far from shore I start hearing that theme music ... dum dum dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum do doooo .
Thanks, John Williams, for scarring me.
Dear Peter:
I have given this advice for people totally new to the art of swimming and may have a lot of discomfort or even a phobia about drowning.
I spent a while in Japan where the bathroom tub was actually a deep sink that could be filled with water to about 2-1/2 feet and this was the first time of my life where I experienced the basic sensation of “swimming”. So here’s my personal advice to anyone who has not learned to swim.
Before going to a pool, you might try sitting in the middle of a hot tub until you just become buoyant, which is about chin deep. Then you can just use some broad hand and arm movements to stay afloat. Once you know how to overcome that fearful sinking effect, you will be comfortable with getting in the pool and learning the basic swimming positions. If possible, stay in an area that is no more than 4 to 5 feet deep so if you become uncomfortable or panicky, you can just get on your feet.
Once you are comfortable being in the deep end of the pool, you can graduate to something more challenging (and a lot more fun to). :applaud:
Good Luck -
Dolphin 2 :)
