I know its safe, I know it feels great but I'm almost 30 and when I try to swim in a lake or the ocean where I don't see whats on the gorund arghhh. I'm afraid of it.

I have the same problem in the ocean. I have done many times scuba diving, then its not a problem because I can go down and see and I'm not alone, but being on the surface swimming grrr.....

Any advise? Am I stupid?

I don't think you are a coward. I think there is a legitimate phobia about that. I will google it and see if I can find the name.

It can feel spooky not knowing what is under the surface.

The lakes in Finland (my home country) are quite muddy and dark. There's a lot of suspended particles in the water and you can really only see the shallowest of depths (say 1-2 feet) before things get dark.

But I guess growing up with this has meant that I don't think about it too much.

As far as psychological or moral help goes, I cannot give any. I tend to tell myself that to get over it, I might as well "do it". Do it a few times, do it a dozen times. Eventually it just becomes routine and I no longer think about it following that.

You could always just stay in the cleanest of oceans/lakes or visit a pool...

Im the same. I love being on the boat or scuba even waterskiing as I am moving. Once in the water I freak out a lot. Ocean, sea, or lake. If I can see the bottom Ill be like a fish in water (pun) If not bweik just got chills now

Not at all.

If you were, people should invent a new word for me.....
(I'm a social phobic)

Would go for the phobia too. And of course, it can be healed

You just made the first step.

adding : at least it's not a water phobia. Are you afraid that something comes from under ?
adding 2 : what about swimming-pool ? Can you swim on the surface ?

Of course if you can see all the way to the bottom and the bottom is more than 50 meters down that can feel just like walking a steel beam at 50 meters. I do both and both can give me the willies.

It's only a problem if it actually interferes with your activities or lifestyle.

you're hardly the first, dude

Stupid - certainly not. I've known lots of folk who intensely dislike/are terrified of swimming in water when they cannot see the bottom. However, as you cannot always see the bottom when scuba diving either I wonder if you have ever tried swimming at the surface with snorkel and diving mask (corrected lenses if you wear glasses). When you swim, do you wear swimming goggles (corrected ones if you wear glasses)?

It's all what you're used to. I grew up on the Atlantic where it was pretty darn murky; we would go in up to our necks and hunt for sand dollars with our feet. The sporting part was that blue crabs feel an awful lot like sand dollars from the top - and those suckers are fast too! After enough pinched toes and shark alerts you kind of get used to it.

I wouldn't say you're a coward though, that's actually kind of logical to be afraid.

Not stupid at all; completely rational in my book and I can relate to it. As a youngster I lived in the tropics and there were all sorts of nasties around (including sharks) and when we got back to Cornwall I used to really freak out when swimming in the sea. Ironically I hadn't been too scared when there was actually a real risk!

Try mind over matter - ie, think rationally about the worst that could possibly be down there - a discarded supermarket trolley (oh no, we are not in the UK!), or similar, but nothing that could really harm you. Good luck!

^

What if it was rusty from being down there, you cut your foot on it, tetanus sets in... the horror!

That's right - look on the bright side and offer encouragement!! Actually, it would be fine as the water would cleanse the wound

Actually, the tetanus would be the least of your worries if the local water treatment authorities aren't doing their job right.

The water could infect you or you could get parasites.

Yuk! So swimming in lakes should actually come with a health warning

Any body of water that isn't salt or directly glacier fed ( freezing) is suspect.

Arm yourself... phobia gone


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Look, I don't like swimming in shadowy swimming pools on my own, watched too many Bond films as a kid. Everyone makes great fun of me, but it's how it is. If there's someone else in, I'm fine, as I reckon it means the shark will go for them as I can swim faster than most people...

*ahem* 2 years in the navy and I swim like a fish (ok, "swam"... and now a fatter fish), but i still shudder if I had to swim in a murky waters.

My fear is more Lake Placid in nature

You mean like this.



Hope this makes people feel better.

ok, seriously now, who wants to engage in self-improvement, overcome one's fears and become the life of the party? (no wait... that last bit was from therapy)

Limmat Swim 2010 is happenin' on 21 Aug this year!