Thalassophobia is an irrational dread of deep bodies of water, such as the ocean or the sea. The fact that it is focused on vastness, darkness, and depth distinguishes it from aquaphobia or the fear of water in general as reported by Bored Panda.
A discrete condition
People with this illness are scared of the power and mystique of the waves, not of becoming wet.
While the DSM-5, the diagnostic classification of mental disorders used by psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, does not identify thalassophobia as a discrete condition, it is nevertheless rather frequent. And the same-named subreddit is a good example of it. It was founded in June 2013 and now has 969,000 members who share triggers and symptoms.
As a result, we at Bored Panda decided to compile a list of their most popular posts in an attempt to throw some light on this group.
#1 Kayaking With The Giants!
#2 Grand Turks 700 Ft Drop
Online groups that get this big often suffer from huge streams of content that flood them with questionable pictures and videos, diminishing the overall experience of browsing them, but this subreddit manages to stay clean.
But of course, having an active moderator team that makes sure members adhere to these rules helps tremendously as well.
We contacted the moderators of ‘Thalassophobia’ and they were kind enough to have a little chat with us.
“We’re just a bunch of people sharing stories, images, and videos of bodies of water that leave us in awe, wonder, and trepidation.
We prefer for the ocean/water to play the primary role in content.”
#3 Orcas In The Waves
#4 This Seaweed Through Clear Water
#5 Is To Me Or Are Black Tiled Pools Terrifying
The ‘Thalassophobia’ community, according to the mods, is quite passionate and includes both ocean-fearing and ocean-loving people. “It’s around 50/50 between those [two groups] based on past surveys we’ve had in the subreddit.”
“Although half of the community loves the ocean, everyone recognises that certain people are afraid of large/deep bodies of water, and everyone respects that in their postings and comments. It’s a fantastic community to be a part of as a moderator”, they said.
Specific fears usually fall into one of five categories:
- Animal type;
- Blood-injection type;
- Natural-environment type;
- Situational type;
- Other.
Thalassophobia is commonly classified as a natural-environment phobia. These concerns are more common, with some studies suggesting that women are more prone to water-related phobias.
#6 Words Fail Me
#7 Underwater Waterfall
#8 British Underwater Photographer Of The Year Winner 2022
#9 “Uhhhh, There’s More Than Just Kelp And Angelfish Down Here, Over”
Thalassophobia shares symptoms with other specific phobias, such as claustrophobia, and includes:
- Sudden onset of anxiety or fear;
- Shaking and trembling;
- Sweating;
- Dry mouth;
- Increased heart rate or heart palpitations;
- Difficulty breathing, including hyperventilating;
- Chest pain;
- Fear of losing control.
#10 Taken Off The Coast Of Southern California 2 Weeks Ago
#11 The Deadliest Stream In The World – It Looks Normal, But Underneath It Is Full Of Caves Of Powerful Fast Moving Water That Will Drag You Down. 100% Fatality Rate
#12 The Pacific Ocean
#13 That’s Creepy
The aetiology of specific phobias, such as thalassophobia, is not fully known and might vary greatly from case to case. However, it’s frequently a combination of genetic and environmental influences, according to a popular hypothesis.
Certain genes have been linked to distinct phobias, according to research, but no studies have looked into the genetics of thalassophobia specifically. There should, however, be at least some, according to Darwin’s theory of evolution.
#14 “The Big One”
#15 When You Fear Of Flying And Your Fear Of Water Meet Each Other
#16 Beach Weather Is Upon Us!
#17 A Howling Abyss
Consider this: our forefathers encountered deep bodies of water as well, and those who were aware of the hazards they posed may have avoided them, thereby surviving longer to pass on their genes. Research suggests that specific phobias are moderately heritable, which supports this notion.
Although the actual amount varies, animal phobias, for example, have been determined to have a heritability of roughly 45%.
#18 Deep Water Swell
#19 Storm Coming Soon
#20 An Entire Street Submerged In The Deep
#21 Because All My Friends Say This Photo Of Me Freediving Gives Them The Willies
Traumatic situations such as a childhood near-drowning experience, seeing a shark attack, never learning to swim, or even being told terrible stories about the ocean can all trigger thalassophobia.
When a specific event, such as being in deep water, is associated with a panic response, a phobia of that condition might develop over time.
#22 The Eye Of S(E)auron
#23 Could That Be The Megalodon’s Den?
#24 The Image That Started It All
#25 Underwater Path. Magical Zakynthos Caves, Greece
Phobias are long-term conditions that might deteriorate with time, limiting one’s relationships and activities. The good news is that they’re also very curable, even if the process isn’t always pleasant.
However, only approximately 10% to 25% of those with a specific fear seek therapy. This is most likely due to avoidance behaviours, as addressing a specific phobia frequently requires facing the dreaded stimuli.
#26 Taken From A Fishing Boat In Antarctica
#27 There’s Something Particularly Terrifying About The Idea Of Water You Can’t Even Float In
#28 An Abandoned, Flooded Mineshaft
#29 Guadalupe Island, The Most Terrifying Place On This Planet
Fear of the sea is one of the most common and effective phobias to be treated using exposure treatment. During it, a person is exposed to fearful stimuli at increasing intensities.
This may begin with looking at photographs of the sea on this subreddit, progressing to watching films of the ocean or deep water, and then visiting a large pool and taking a vacation to the ocean for someone with thalassophobia. The person learns that the feared stimulus is not dangerous and can begin to link it with more favourable outcomes through controlled exposure.
#30 Jacob’s Well In Texas
#31 Swimming Next To A Ship In The Open Ocean, Miles From Land
#32 The Bottom Of An Iceberg
#33 Whirlpools Are Actually Terrifying, You Guys
#34 A Diver Riding A Giant Underwater Worm (Pyrosoma Atlanticum)
#35 Brine Pools Are Just The Scariest Shit
#36 Depth: Infinite Ft
#37 Apparently This Is The Sunken Goddess Sculpture- That’s All I Know But Look At How Big It Is!
#38 Walked About 30 Minutes Out During Low Tide To Read This!
#39 This Is An Under-Ice Observation Tube In Mcmurdo Station, Antarctica
#40 Anybody Who Wants To Take A Dip?
#41 This Grounded Ship Looking Like A Giant Meg
#42 Fresh Water Always Creeped Me Out More Than The Ocean. The General Low Visibility And Feeling “Enclosed” With Whatever Was In The Water Was Always Gnawing At The Back Of My Mind.
#43 Row Row Row Your Boat
#44 That Last Point Made Me Double Take
#45 This Would Scare Me Tf Out
#46 Flip (Floating Instrument Platform), A Ship Flipping Vertically To Study The Behavior Of Sound Waves Underwater
#47 Going Through Old Pics, Thought I Would Drop This Here
#48 It’s A Nice Peaceful Day Until You Get A Glimpse Of What Lies Beneath
#49 Black Lined Pools Are A Thing… And They’re Terrifying
#50 Found This Gem On Tumblr
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Source: Bored Panda
