Thalassophobia is the irrational fear of the sea, a condition that causes those who suffer from it to panic when approaching a beach or sailing on a boat. No matter how safe the maritime environment is, the thalassophobic will feel dread even if the sea is in the imagination. These types of problems are generated by previous non-positive experiences with the sea, shipwrecks, drowning attempts, among others. The victims, suffering such traumatic events, would not want to go through them again, which causes great fear.
What is thalassophobia
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Etymologically the term comes from the Greek "Thalassa" which means "Sea" and "Phobos" which means "Fear". As explained, this is a type of thalassophobia sea phobia, which is based on an intense fear of the ocean, that is, the open sea, being surrounded by a lot of water and the terror of thinking that there is something hidden in the sea that can cause harm to the person.
People with thalassophobia are known to be somewhat paranoid, in fact, remain with attitude reluctant to visit the beaches or bathing even in the banks, this represents an extreme thalassophobia.
This is a fairly common phobia, as there are many people who persist with fear, although, of course, some have it more marked than others. Known cases of thalassophobia are clinically diagnosed, this is due to the high levels of discomfort suffered by people with thalassophobia, which cause patients' quality of life to deteriorate little by little and prevent them from performing different types of activities that have to do with water. It is not a situation that can be taken lightly, as each episode of trauma can lead to serious health problems.
Symptoms of thalassophobia
This phobia makes an appearance when the patient is exposed to stimuli that he takes or feels that they are dangerous when being near the open sea, so the most common symptom is anxiety.
Then comes the tachycardia, body tremors, excessive sweating, the broad thought that a catastrophe is coming, loss of control in body movements, marked stress attacks and the imminent sensation of approaching death. Neurologically, people with thalassophobia activate the sympathetic nervous system, which works so that the patient reacts to small stimuli and can flee.
According to psychoanalysts, Thalassophobia can cause physical symptoms in the patient, ranging from dizziness, nausea, the urge to vomit due to movements similar to those caused by the tide, to dry lips, tachycardia and shortness of breath, because the mind reacts to new possible encounters with the sea with the fear of the lived experience rather than with situations out of danger.
Now, when talking about behavior, the patient may have two different reactions, the first is to flee uncontrollably from the place, more as an impulse than as a personal desire, the second is to totally avoid the stimulus that generates the phobia, in this way, it prevents the aforementioned attacks and symptoms.
Causes of thalassophobia
Phobias do not have a fixed cause that cause the attacks or phobic episodes, in fact, these tend to appear according to different factors or experiences that each patient has lived and, consequently, the fear of different things, places or situations.
The same happens with thalassophobia, because the person may have had a traumatic experience at sea and, that situation, led him to leave an emotional mark that is considered unpleasant and that is activated with different stimuli.
According to some thalassophobia tests, most patients have had traumatic experiences in the sea and from there, an irreversible fear of the ocean is generated. These experiences range from being near drowning, having lost a loved one in the ocean, witnessing the death of someone at sea, or encountering dangerous ocean animals.
There is another reason why this phobia can develop and it is related to the lack of information regarding the ocean. Pictures of thalassophobia can be viewed to get an idea of the trauma.
In the thalassophobia test or thalassophobia quiz, certain questions appear about the fear of the depths of the sea and what exists in it, so this may be one of the causes of the phobia.
On the other hand, it is important to mention that there are some phobias that are related to the term studied in this post, these are batophobia (fear of the depths of the sea) and hydrophobia (fear of water). Both phobias can trigger episodes very similar to those of thalassophobia, but they do not occur in the same situations.
Treatments for thalassophobia
Thalassophobics can be cured with psychotherapies, fear recognition sessions and overcoming events. The elimination of the aftermath of a shipwreck can be solved with sleep therapies and visits to relaxed beaches while taking medications that counteract the physical effects such as dizziness and chills.
Thalassophobia is complemented by other phobias also associated with water or the sea. Example: Chemophobia, fear of waves and bathophobia, fear of the depths.
Many people think that all thalassophobics have the same symptoms, but the reality is different, since all people react differently according to the stimuli to which they are exposed, that is why it is important that each treatment is personalized and that it is consulted and applied by a professional.
