Shark phobia

[mumtumfun]

Name change for this one

Embarrassed to admit but I have a terrible shark phobia

I am 45 and it of course started with watching Jaws at a very young age.

I used to be ok snorkelling and swimming in tropical seas in my twenties but for some reason my phobia has worsened with age

I can no longer swim in a pool alone (even not alone my heart races in the deep end) I panic swimming in a lake unless I can touch the bottom. I will only paddle in the Mediterranean sea and just will not go swimming or do any water activity. I won't swim in the UK sea (but not hard as lots of sewage warnings near me)

I cannot do the above as a just visualise a shark behind me as it seems very graphic and real. The logic of a shark being in a pool /lake of course is ridiculous but I cannot stop the paralysing fear.

My children have teased me by showing pictures of open mouthed great whites and my heart feels like it stops .

Anyone else? can I overcome this somehow? I don't think it impacts my life too much and of course I can live without swimming but any advice would be appreciated!

Why not a pool? You know for a fact that there is absolutely 0 chance of a shark being in there.

@CherryValley5 because phobias are irrational! If it was a question of logic, then the OP wouldn't have an issue...

The OP explains why in their post.
The whole point of a phobia is that it's an irrational fear.

Doesn't help you but OP I am very similar and it also comes from watching Jaws as a child. Pools with waves machines are the worst as a shark could come out of the grates in the Deep end. I feel you.

@mumtumfun don't be embarrassed about it. I'm the same, similar age to you and the same cause - saw Jaws on the TV when I was a bit too young for it.

I only swim in a small local pool with my family and don't tend to swim in the deep end. If anyone comes close to me or worse, touches me, whilst swimming I will have a small panic. I have been able to avoid that happening around the children and they don't have any fear of water.

If you haven't got any strong reason to try to address it, I wouldn't worry about it. You can obviously swim, and it's not impacting your life, so no worries.

Hi! I am ok in a pool or lake but absolutely panic in the ocean.

You could look into cbt. You can do that for specific phobias. But personally, I would just not go swimming if it's not enjoyable for you. Having phobias that are hard to avoid can really be very distressing and reduce quality of life. At least this particular thing is easily avoidable.

oh yes , the grates!

reassuring to hear similar stories thank you

I would put it differently: do you need to swim in the lakes etc?

yes absolutely. I can avoid swimming and baths (!) easily and if my life depended on it I could still swim I guess

Try hypnotherapy. This isn’t an uncommon phobia and hypnotherapy can be really effective for dealing with phobias. National Council for Hypnotherapy if you are in the UK and most offer zoom sessions so doesn’t even have to be someone local to you.

Same OP, watched Jaws too young.

Had terrible fear of even swimming pools, even as an adult.

I thought I'd confront my fear head on and read all I could about sharks. I won't tell you what I learned but it made me more fearful of even paddling in the sea!

Anway I can now swim in a pool, but never more than knee deep in the sea, any sea!

I'm just grateful my phobia isn't spiders or holes (a common MNet one) or something that would affect my daily life!

So basically no advice from me. Sorry, just empathy! Sorry!

I agree try CBT I think its good for very specific phobias like this

I used to be the same until I became fascinated by sharks in my 20’s and learned everything I could about them. Funnily enough actually seeing a shark in the wild whilst snorkelling in my early 20’s (black tip reef shark) didn’t make me panic but actually made me feel very calm, like I’d finally confronted something I was so scared of and nothing bad happened. I won’t be cage diving with great whites anytime soon though!

On this logic you are as lil to have a shark in your bath, washing up basin or cup of tea OP. I think you can overcome the pool thing if you try.

I’m very similar OP. Also saw Jaws too young. It’s one of the great comforts of my life that I never have to go in the sea again if I don’t want to!

I also am very frightened of seaweed and things that could nip like crabs. I would not go in a lake but I can go in the pool ok. I won’t swim on my back tho.

I also have an irrational fear of sharks in swimming pools when I'm in the deep end. I can overcome it but it lingers in the back of my mind. I would never swim in the ocean. What's worse for me is my children swimming in the sea but I don't want to pass my fear on to them.

Me too. Are you scare of the dark and woods too ? As I am and wonder if they are related.

I did one session of hypnotherapy and it really helped. But I just stay in my depth in the sea and don’t go to the pool much !

I’m similar but ok with pools. It’s not just sharks don’t like big fish, crabs, etc. Tbh I dont swim alone in lakes or the sea & swim horizontally not out if that makes sense. Avoid dusk/dawn swims & churny seas to reduce shark rush.

@greenwoodentablelegs woods are eerie though if you’re alone! Also hate the dark if alone. It genuinely doesn’t impact me too much though.

The man who wrote Jaws expressed regret later in life and worked to promote marine conservation.

As well as CBT, hypnotherapy and other treatments for phobias, I suggest learning about them. Sharks are wonderful, adapted animals. Interesting and cool. Start with an entry level harmless shark like the Greenland shark. Look at how revolting people have wiped out so many, partly because people lack empathy for them (because of Jaws!).

DD has a soft spot for misunderstood animals.

I'm the same with dogs. Sadly they're everywhere as most other people tend to love them.

I can't go to a park alone, or any of the beaches near me because people let them run off lead. It's complicating many aspects of my life, and I have turned down job opportunities because of it (roles that involve going to people's houses)

I have tried different things, some have helped a bit but it only takes one unsupervised dog bounding towards me to set me back.

It's miserable.

So I have no advice OP but just know you're not alone with your phobia

I had a milder fear of this as a child - that a shark or piranha could be in the swimming pool, I was scared of the deep end and things coming out of the sluice bits at the side. Basically I outgrew it, it was the same as thinking there could be a velociraptor in my wardrobe. So not much help but I can relate to irrational fears of sharks in pools!