Bathophobia, The Fear of Depths: Symptoms, Treatments, & How to Cope

There’s a saying that the deeper you go into the ocean, the scarier it becomes. And in this, I’m not just talking about the creatures dwelling under the sea. I’m talking about the depths of the vast body. We all have some fears, but what many people have is the fear of depths. Also known as bathophobia.

People with bathophobia, a fear of depth, experience anxiety or panic when confronted with or even thinking about great depths. In this post, I’ll help you understand the symptoms and causes of bathophobia, and how you can treat this fear.

But before that, let’s understand what bathophobia, the fear of depths, is all about.

What is Bathophobia, The Fear of Depths?

Bathophobia, also known as the fear of depths, is the intense fear of deep spaces. It’s more than just a simple “bad feeling” or “feeling uncomfortable”. This fear is so specific and intense that it can affect your everyday life. Unlike usual anxiety, which can be about anything, phobias such as bathophobia latch onto specific triggers.

What’s interesting about this is that bathophobia often comes along with other fears such as the fear of heights or the fear of water.

This is because whether you’re looking down from a skyscraper or staring into the deep ocean, your brain will react with the same panic and anxiety.

Some common triggers of this fear of depths can include:

• Water bodies like oceans, lakes, or swimming pools
• Cliffs
• Bridges
• Tunnels or long and narrow hallways
• Caves and wells

Some of the time, even thinking about these places can be enough for panic and anxiety to set in.

Now, you must wonder about what happens to the brain during all this. Well, in little doses, fear can be good. It keeps us alert about what’s happening around us. But when I talk about phobias, our brain can go into overdrive. In such cases, the brain treats the situation as life or death, when it isn’t. This can happen because of an overactive fear response, high stress levels, or even past trauma.

What are the Symptoms of Bathophobia?

Bathophobia is not about “feeling uncomfortable”, as I mentioned before. This fear can trigger intense physical and emotional reactions. Here are some bathophobia symptoms to know:

• Feeling nauseous
• Feeling dizzy or light-headed
• Experiencing rapid heart rate
• Having shortness of breath
• Feeling trapped in your body
• Feeling panic attacks when thinking about or being near deep spaces
• Feeling anxiety when thinking about or being near deep spaces

The Causes of Bathophobia

We cannot pinpoint one cause of bathophobia, but researchers believe that this fear could be linked to past trauma. For some people, this could be genetic or just having a naturally anxious temperament. Other causes of the fear of depths can be:

1. Witnessing someone’s fear or trauma can cause you to have the same fear.
2. An imbalance in brain chemistry can impact mood and fear, causing you to feel anxious.
3. Being in an environment where this fear is around or commonly discussed can also cause you to develop it.
4. If you’re living with an anxiety or panic disorder, then that can also cause you to develop this fear of depth.

The Impact of Bathophobia on Your Life

Bathophobia can impact your daily life, especially when you can’t go to the beach or go hiking with your friends. That’s how impactful the fear of depths can be.

Moreover, you might begin to turn down invitations to trips, outdoor fun, or even gatherings happening near bodies of water. This can cause you to feel lonely and detached from your loved ones. Being constantly on the edge of panic and anxiety can also cause stress, anxiety disorders, or even depression. Especially when your fear feels invalid, even when it’s not.

The constant stress and anxiety can take a toll on your mental and physical health too, causing high blood pressure, fatigue, and even stomach problems. If your fear is not understood by loved ones, then you might become frustrated and even feel resentful after some time. Even your loved ones might feel frustrated because, to them, your fear could very well be irrational.

Treatment For Bathophobia, The Fear of Depths

Even though this fear is intense, it can be treated with care and support. Some treatment options to treat bathophobia can be:

Exposure therapy

This is the most recommended treatment for phobias. Exposure therapy can involve slowly facing your fears in a controlled way. You can start by looking at pictures of deep spaces, then move on to visit the ocean side or similar places, and then, finally work to face them head-on.

Virtual reality exposure therapy

If you’re not ready to face the reality of your fear, then don’t worry. VR therapy can help. VR can mimic environments for you that allow you to face your fears without actually going to the real world. This therapy is comfortable and is done in a controlled space.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is another treatment for phobias where you learn to change your thinking. CBT can help you reframe your negative thoughts with positive ones when we talk about fears. It can be mental training for your brain to challenge your fears.

Medications

While it’s not always recommended, in some cases, medications can help control the anxiety you might face when confronted by deep spaces. Medications can also help when your bathophobia causes you intense discomfort and panic.

Other tips to overcome the fear of depths can be:

Breathing techniques

To reduce the impact of bathophobia, you can practice deep breathing or other breathing techniques to calm your heart and nervous system. You can also learn to focus on your present by practicing mindfulness.

Positive visualization

You can also start small on your own and practice visualization. You can start by imagining yourself either on a boat in the ocean, a boat on a lake, or standing on top of a fenced building. This kind of visualization can help you rewire your brain to your fear response.

Self-affirmations

To overcome your fear of depths, you can also focus on practicing self-affirmations and positive self-talk. This can include saying to yourself, “I’m okay”, “I am safe”, or “I can do this”. These kinds of statements can help you feel in control and calm.

Don’t Let Your Fear Control You!

We all feel scared, but our fear should not control us. In some cases, fear can be healthy, but when it holds you back from living your life, that’s when you need to take control. Bathophobia, the fear of depths, can be overwhelming at times, but with the right help and techniques, you can overcome it.

You don’t have to fight for your mental health alone. There’s always help available for you. Just reach out and you’ll have it.