Thalassophobia is a type of specific phobia characterized by an intense fear of deep water, like oceans and large lakes.
It’s associated with several risk factors, including genetics, temperament, and past experiences.
Like other specific phobias, thalassophobia can be managed with some combination of therapy, medication, and coping techniques.
Thalassophobia is an overwhelming fear of deep bodies of water, like oceans, seas, and lakes. It falls under the umbrella of specific phobia, which is a fear of places and situations that aren’t typically harmful. While experts aren’t sure how many people are living thalassophobia, they do know that specific phobias are some of the most common anxiety disorders [1] in the U.S.
If you believe that you or someone you care about is living with thalassophobia, it’s best to seek professional support. Coping with thalassophobia can be challenging, but it’s possible with therapy and coping tools [2].
Symptoms of thalassophobia
Thalassophobia involves a fear of water that seems deep, dark, or dangerous. For people with thalassophobia, even just the idea of deep bodies of water can lead to extreme anxiety and emotional distress.
With thalassophobia, symptoms can feel out of proportion to the actual risk or situation causing them. You may realize that your fear is irrational but can’t shake the feelings of anxiety, dread, or overwhelm.
Thalassophobia is associated with a range of physical, mental, and behavioral symptoms. For someone with this type of phobia, seeing or thinking about deep water can lead to:
Feeling like you’re in immediate danger
Experiencing panic and a desire to escape
Sweating
Rapid heartbeat
Nausea
Dizziness
It’s important to note that thalassophobia is different from aquaphobia. Thalassophobia is a fear of deep bodies of water, while aquaphobia is a fear of water itself. This can include any type of water, including a bath and shallow pools.
Causes and triggers of thalassophobia
Thalassophobia is associated with several possible risk factors, including:
Genetics: You may be more likely to develop a specific phobia like thalassophobia if you have a close family member with it.
Past experiences: Having a traumatic water experience, like nearly drowning or witnessing a serious accident in the water, can contribute to thalassophobia.
Co-occurring mental health challenges: Living with a mental health condition like anxiety or depression may increase your risk of developing a specific phobia.
Temperament and personality traits: Thalassophobia may be more common among highly sensitive people or with a strong need for control.
If you have thalassophobia, symptoms can be triggered anytime you think about, view, or visit a large body of water, like when you’re driving past a beach or having lunch next to a lake. In some cases, even looking at a photo or thinking about deep water can trigger a physical and emotional response.
The emotional effects of fearing deep water
Thalassophobia may seem very situation-specific, but it can impact your life in more ways than you may realize.
These signs might mean it’s time to seek support for your fear of deep water:
You feel anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed when you see or think about large bodies of water.
You avoid deep-water-related activities, including beach days with your family, flights that pass over the ocean, and movies involving deep water.
The idea of deep water leads to physical symptoms, like dizziness, sweaty palms, shortness of breath, and racing heartbeat.
You imagine worst-case scenarios, like falling into the water, drowning, or encountering something troubling beneath the surface of the water.
How thalassophobia is diagnosed
If you’re showing signs of thalassophobia, it’s best to speak with a qualified mental health professional. They’ll learn more about your symptoms and challenges to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
To be diagnosed with thalassophobia, your fear of deep water should be significant enough to impact daily functioning for at least six months. Your anxiety must be out of proportion to the situation triggering it and not related to any other mental health conditions.
Overcoming thalassophobia with support
Overcoming a fear of deep water may not be easy, but it's possible with the right motivation, mindset, and support. Like other specific phobias, thalassophobia can be treated with a combination of talk therapy and medication, if needed.
The most effective therapeutic approaches and strategies for overcoming thalassophobia include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT can empower you to challenge and change the way you think about your fears. If you believe you’re not safe near deep water, you’ll learn to replace these thoughts for a more realistic alternative, like, “I may feel uncomfortable, but I am not in danger.”
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is another effective approach for managing specific phobias [3], like thalassophobia. With the support of your therapist, you’ll learn how to face your fear of deep waters in a controlled way. For example, you might start by viewing a photo of the ocean while using healthy coping tools to deal with the emotional distress.
Self-coping tools
If you want to successfully overcome thalassophobia, it's important that you have the tools to get there. Mindfulness exercises have been shown to help reduce anxiety and calm the nervous system.
These exercises may be helpful for managing distress during challenging moments:
Deep breathing: This includes techniques like box breathing and belly breathing. To try box breathing: Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, then wait four seconds before you inhale again.
Progressive muscle relaxation: The goal with this exercise is to tense then release each muscle group. Start with your toes and work your way to your head, one muscle group at a time.
Mindfulness mediations: Mindfulness meditations, like body scans, can help you stay present. With body scans, you focus on different areas of your body and notice any physical sensations without judgment.
The care you need, when you need it
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People may assume a fear of deep water is simply about not being a strong swimmer. But the fear can also come from feeling out of control or not knowing what’s beneath you, which can make the situation feel unsafe.
Brandy Chalmers, LPC
Clinical reviewer
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Living with thalassophobia can impact your ability to spend time with loved ones and try new things. If a fear of deep water is holding you back in life, know that help is available. Therapy can provide a supportive environment to identify your triggers, reduce their emotional impact, and overcome your fears.
At Rula, we’re here to help you feel better. Rula makes it easy to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who takes your insurance. That way, you don’t have to choose between great care and a price you can afford.
Rula patients pay about $15 per session with insurance, and 93% say they feel better after getting care through Rula. We have 21,000+ providers, and appointments are available as soon as tomorrow. We’re here to help you take the next step — wherever you are in your mental health journey.
References
- What are Anxiety Disorders? https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders
- Fear of drowning (thalassophobia) and its coping strategies in nurses working in public hospitals in Eastern Guilan https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9115833/
- The relative efficacy and efficiency of single- and multi-session exposure therapies for specific phobia: A meta-analysis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796722001747
Alex Bachert
Alex Bachert is a freelance copywriter and mental health advocate. Since earning her masters degree in public health, she has focused her career on creating informative content that empowers people to prioritize their health and well-being. Alex has partnered with organizations like Ro, WellTheory, and Firsthand, and her work has been recognized by the Digital Health Association.
When she’s not writing about mental health, Alex is usually playing pickleball, meeting with her local board of health, or enjoying time with her three kids.
Brandy Chalmers, LPC
Having faced challenges like childhood abuse, neglect, and the loss of her father to suicide, Brandy Chalmers is deeply passionate about providing compassionate care. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and Registered Play Therapist with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy.
Brandy also teaches at a university, sharing her expertise with future mental health professionals. With over a decade of experience in settings like inpatient care and private practice, she specializes in helping clients with perfectionism, trauma, personality disorders, eating disorders, and life changes.
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