Thalassophobia: what are the symptoms and treatments for fear of the sea

Thalassophobia is a real fear of the sea. A problem that during the summer season becomes more pressing than ever.

When we talk about thalassophobia we mean the fear of the sea and, more specifically, of deep water. A different problem from hydrophobia or aquaphobia, phobias which, despite having water as their epicenter, present themselves in a different way.
If it is the sea, fear also extends to other factors such as navigation , sea bathing, the simple vision of its depths, etc…

Meaning and symptoms of thalassophobia

The term thalassophobia comes from the union of the Greek word thalassa (which means sea) and the term phobos (which indicates precisely the phobia towards something).
A fear that we often tend to hide from others but which in the height of summer can be a real problem, especially for those who find themselves living or staying in seaside areas and therefore often forced to deal with what scares them the most.

Going more specifically, this phobia extends to several other forms of fears which are:

– Terror at the idea of ​​bathing in the sea
– Fear of deep water
– Fear of swimming where the bottom cannot be seen
– Fear of going by boat or ship
– Terror towards the open sea (especially in a storm)
– Fear of the ocean
– Fear of swimming even in the lake or in the pool
– Fear of going freediving
– Fear towards the sea at night

Going instead to the symptoms, among the best known are dizziness, nausea, headaches, anxiety, tachycardia and panic attacks. In some cases certain symptoms tend to occur just by looking at the sea through an image or a screen.

The symptoms just described make the life of those suffering from this phobia really impossible if near the sea and especially in summer. Reason why it can be useful to understand why and act in order to address them in the best possible way.

Why do you suffer from thalassophobia and how to deal with it

It is thought that a possible origin of these fears is genetics associated with a problem related to negative experiences lived with regard to what is scary. It is, therefore, a problem that can also involve several people belonging to the same family.

The good news is that it is a fear that can be addressed with the help of psychotherapy and, more specifically, with cognitive-behavioral therapy. In particular, you can work on fear by trying to become more and more familiar with the sea . Obviously, it can be useful to understand why the origins of fears in order to analyze them one at a time until you understand the absence of danger.

The path can obviously be more or less difficult based on the motivations and the degree of traumatic experience lived or perceived through the memories of others. In any case, albeit with different timing, it is a form of fear that it is possible to overcome completely or with which, in the most serious cases, one can still learn to live with.

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