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My Relationship with Water: a Journey of Triumph Over Aquaphobia

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Learning to Swim Is Hard. Especially When You're 31 and Terrified of Water.

My fear of water has held me back my whole life. So I dived into the science of how and why all of us are scared of something—and then I took the plunge.

That alone isn’t what troubles me, though. It’s that my lack of skill puts me in a petrified state that keeps me from living life to the fullest. If I’m forced to set foot on a beach (and let’s be real: I try to avoid it), I won’t even go into the water up to my ankles. If I’m on a boat, even if it’s the bougiest of yachts, you can find me wearing a life vest with my hand clenching a railing. I’ll only consider standing in a pool if it’s less than four feet deep. I never, ever take baths.

I’m not quite sure what caused my extreme aquaphobia. I have no recollection of being held underwater during a prank, having to dodge the jaws of a great white, or getting warnings from protective parents that left a permanent scorch mark on my brain. There is, at least, a little comfort in knowing that everyone’s scared of something. Whether it’s a fear of spiders or a fear of setting off a social-media disaster, each phobia has the same disruptive effects on our brains and lives. The fear response doesn’t discriminate; it works in the same way no matter what scares you shitless. What I do know is that I was sick of living this way. So I did something rash.

I signed up for eight weeks of one-on-one swim lessons with Life Time swim coach Kevin Dominguez. Trial by water. Whatever you want to call it, I was going to conquer my fear by plunging into its depths and learning how my fear—and all our fears—work.

My first lesson got off to a rocky start. I was supposed to learn to float, but I couldn’t relax even with the instructor holding me up. My heart rate climbed. I started overthinking, then panicking, and afterward I felt hopeless.

So I called licensed clinical psychologist Zach Sikora, Psy.D. , who practices with the Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group in Illinois, to help me understand why I’ve been so scared of swimming and why it’s held me back for so long. Sikora says that my intense fear of dipping even a toe in the water is really just my brain doing its job. My amygdala, the brain region that registers fear, “is responsible for detecting threat in order to keep you safe,” he says. It’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to—it wants to keep me alive, so it’s sending warnings about water, which is the right response, since, after all, I don’t know how to swim.

Meanwhile, my frontal lobe—the part that takes care of reasoning—is trying to rationalize these thoughts and reduce the fear. That creates tension as one area is putting me on high alert and the other is trying to prevent me from succumbing to said fear.

Knowing that the fear and the stress around it are just biology, not a character flaw, helped me feel less apprehensive about the next lesson. But then I got in the water, tried to tilt my head to the side to breathe, and realized that my fear of dying via water had gone on the back burner. Now I was fully engaged in the fear of being a washout—I didn’t want to waste my time, let alone my instructor’s. And I had a sudden fear of dependency when I determined I could only move around in the pool while holding foam noodles. The whole swimming endeavor felt like less of a physical challenge and more of an attempt to correct a personality defect. “It is common for anxiety to breed more anxiety. Your fear may be specific to one situation, but then you find it in other areas,” Sikora tells me, calling it a “generalization of fear.”

That’s when I understood I might need even more support and wondered if I should call on my trusty therapist to help me become a fearless swim warrior. Instead, I called UCLA fear researcher Michael Fanselow, Ph.D. , who explains that “it would be very difficult, if not impossible,” to just think my way out of this. To navigate this situation really well, I’d probably require a blend of exposure therapy via the swim lessons I was already doing and cognitive behavioral therapy, in which I’d practice reframing problematic thoughts.

This would help me establish pathways in the brain created by the thought that the water isn’t so bad. The process I was undergoing isn’t about getting rid of the fear response—that’s still important. It’s about helping my brain learn to select which association—the water is bad, the water isn’t bad—to act on when.

In the pool, I worked on gaining confidence and ability—“generating some evidence that you’re not going to drown,” as Julie Johnston, Ph.D. , an expert in swimming and sport psychology at Nottingham Trent University, puts it. Both in and out, I worked on questioning established thinking patterns (“There’s no way I can swim”) and figuring out how to think in a more productive way about the water I was in (“breathe, kick, relax”).

In the third session, for instance, I managed to swim a lap using the tips of Kevin’s fingers as a guide. I wasn’t sure if his compliments were only intended to give me confidence or if I was actually doing as well as others do by this point. But I reframed that and realized that getting past this fear meant taking each victory as it came.

Initially, I struggled to separate the concepts of having a less-than-exceptional swim lesson and failing as a person. Eventually, I found an alternative and accepted that I wasn’t going to be the next Michael Phelps and that I might never do a flip turn. I gave up that requirement to be successful and let go, dictating what the outcome of these lessons would be on my own terms. If I left each lesson with a pulse, I was happy.

The weeks flew by—some easier than others. I doubt a triathlon or an open water swim is in my near future. But I know that even if I never learn to love swimming, I don’t have to keep fearing the water. Nor do I have to keep worrying about letting my instructor—or myself—down. By understanding how fear works, I made every one of those 19-yard laps count (even the few that I walked). I came away from every session with a pulse and a little more wisdom.

I’ll take that as a win.

Your 3-Step Plan for Managing Fear

Normalize it.

Recognize that fear is just your brain doing its job of protecting you. It’s good to be afraid of things that can hurt you. Knowing this keeps you from fighting what you’re feeling and getting even more tense, agitated, and incapable of dealing with the problem.

Flex Your Expectations

It’s important not to set a timeline for getting through your fear. When I accepted that I wasn’t going to be crush ing 3,000 yards after eight weeks and chose a realistic goal for each session, I gained control over the process.

Call in Backup

Exposure therapy—getting in the pool—was vital for getting through my fear. But so was learning to identify and challenge the dysfunctional thinking (“the water is going to kill me”) that was perpetuating my anxiety.

This story appears in the July/August 2023 issue of Men's Health .

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How to Overcome Fear of Water

Drowning prevention begins with learning to manage anxiety outside the pool..

Posted December 9, 2014 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

• What Is Fear?
• Find a therapist to combat fear and anxiety

I’ve been traveling the country speaking about facing fear since Some Nerve came out last year. Nowhere has it been more of a life and death issue than the 11th annual World Aquatic Health Conference (WAHC) hosted by the non-profit National Swimming Pool Foundation®(NSPF®) , where I gave a keynote speech in October. This year, the WAHC focused on how to help people overcome their fear of water, to find solutions to the perpetual high rates of drowning in this country, and to begin a conversation amongst attendees on how to move forward.

Look at these statistics:

Two-thirds of Americans are afraid of deep, open bodies of water and 46% are afraid of the deep end of a pool. Thirty-seven percent of Americans are unable to swim, and almost 4000 people a year in the United States die of drowning.

Knowing how to swim (and equally important, knowing how to prevent panic in the water) are unquestionably life-saving skills, but if most swim lessons begin with “get in the pool,” those afraid of that first step will avoid lessons entirely.

Those who enter the pool afraid are often prone to panic at some point in their learning and never go back. Studies show that most children of non-swimmers don’t get enough practice to become competent swimmers themselves, perpetuating the cycle. How can we help the millions of fearful swimmers learn to enjoy the water safely?

We must address the fear first .

Anyone who enters the pool feeling overwhelmed by fear of embarrassment , failing, or being out of control, or who goes into flight/fight mode, will have a terribly hard time listening and learning over their pounding heart and racing thoughts.

In my remarks, I advocated for training swim instructors on how fear and anxiety affect students physically and emotionally, and how to de-escalate the fear and regain control. In profiling aquatic therapists like Jeff Krieger of Strategies for Overcoming Aquatic Phobias for the Water chapter of Some Nerve, I observed several differences in his approach vs the standard beginner class:

• Starting the lesson outside the pool and establishing trust . Very often anxious students are told, “there’s nothing to be afraid of.” But they are afraid. So anyone who says this immediately loses credibility. Taking the student’s concerns seriously before they enter the water makes them feel more safe and able to learn.
• Demystifying the water, explaining the properties of buoyancy, what happens when we’re in it and it goes into our ears or nose, washes overhead, etc.
• Practicing relaxation techniques like breathing and visualization outside the water first so they become easily accessible if needed in the pool.
• Going slow and accepting that it may be an emotional process, but keeping the goal clear: competence in the deep end. While many believe the fear of water is simply too hard to overcome, that isn’t true. In the documentary film Taking the Plunge (produced by Shawnelle King of Falcon Rattler Media) screened at WAHC, we see two of Jeff’s adult students go from tears in the shallow end to swimming laps with pride and joy within 10 classes.

Even more than learning strokes, learning to cope with fear and maintaining ease in the water is what prevents drowning. I can swim but ever since I had a terrifying experience getting swept down a river as a teen , I’ve struggled with anxiety in moving water. I once needed the lifeguard to pull me up in the three feet of water at the bottom of a waterslide, simply because I was flustered and forgot how to stand up. Even competitive swimmers panic — that’s why there are swim angels to help triathletes in the open water. When you get scared, you forget what you know. Teaching people what to do when they feel fear is about the most empowering antidote.

In the U.S. today, there are only a handful of swim instructors who specialize in teaching fearful students (presenting at the WAHC were Jeff Krieger of Strategies for Overcoming Aquatic Phobias (S.O.A.P.) , Melon Dash of Miracle Swim , and Kimberlee Shults of Face in Water ). These pioneers have developed effective strategies that have helped many, many students but there is still so much need out there.

If you or someone you love is afraid of the water, connect with them, or advocate for your local pool to get their staff trained by them . I would love to see basic “Getting Comfortable in the Water” classes as ubiquitous as Toastmasters International which started with 1 club to help people overcome the fear of public speaking and has grown to over 13,000 chapters in 116 countries. Why not?

With the energy, imagination , and commitment of aquatics professionals like the nearly 400 swim program directors, pool operators, health officials, parks & recreation representatives who attended WAHC, everything is possible. Many were eager to brainstorm ideas at the conference — we talked about adding parent classes alongside kids classes, or offering a free private lesson for parents of kids enrolled. We talked about enlisting mental health professionals to get certified to teach or consult with staff. We talked about starting every beginner class outside the pool, with more direct instruction on managing anxiety. We talked about Spanish language classes in underserved communities. Talk that I am confident will lead to action.

Perhaps most moving for me were the swim instructors who told me that they never understood the adult students who couldn’t do basic things like put their face in the water and blow bubbles before. More than one had tears in their eyes as they said things like, “I had students quit after one lesson and I never knew why. I wish I could go back and do it over again,” and “Now, I get it. This is going to help me understand my students a whole lot better.”

What can you do to help? Can you raise awareness of the issue in your community? Can you fundraise to get pool staff trained to teach fearful swimmers? Or build partnerships between health and wellness providers to educate the public about anxiety and drowning prevention? A good place to donate is the NSPF Step Into Swim Campaign , a 10-year initiative to create 1 million new swimmers. So far they have raised $103,427 with matching funds.

Let’s start viewing fear of water as something that can be overcome, and swimming as a human right. All of us can play a part in saving and improving lives by sharing our ideas and then taking the plunge.

Patty Chang Anker is the author of Some Nerve . She also blogs at Facing Forty Upside Down.

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Overcoming Fear Of Water: A Guide For Adult Beginners In Swimming

• December 16, 2023

Introduction: Overcoming Fear Of Water

Overcoming fear of water is a common challenge faced by many adult beginners in swimming. This fear, often rooted in past experiences or a lack of familiarity with water, can be a significant barrier to learning how to swim and enjoying the numerous benefits of this activity. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore effective strategies for overcoming fear of water, offering practical steps and encouragement for adult beginners embarking on their swimming journey.

Understanding the Origin of Your Fear

The first step in overcoming fear of water is to understand its origin. For many adults, this fear may stem from a negative experience in childhood, such as a near-drowning incident or being forced into water without proper support. For others, it might simply be a lack of exposure to water during their early years.

Identifying the root cause of your fear is crucial as it allows you to address it directly. Acknowledge your feelings without judgment and remind yourself that it’s never too late to learn and overcome these fears. Understanding that this fear is a common issue for many can also provide comfort and a sense of solidarity with others on a similar journey.

Starting with Small Steps

When it comes to overcoming fear of water, starting small is key. Begin with activities that gradually increase your comfort level. This might mean starting with sitting on the edge of a pool and splashing your feet in the water, progressing to standing in shallow water, and eventually submerging yourself partially.

It’s important to progress at a pace that feels comfortable for you. Celebrate each small victory, whether it’s putting your face in the water for the first time or floating on your back. These gradual steps are essential building blocks in overcoming fear of water and developing confidence.

Creating a Positive and Supportive Environment

A positive and supportive environment plays a significant role in overcoming fear of water. Choose a swimming environment where you feel safe and comfortable. This could be a quiet time at a local pool, a private swimming instructor, or a beginner’s swimming class with other adults who share similar challenges.

Having supportive people around you, be it a coach, friends, or family members, can also make a significant difference. Surround yourself with individuals who understand your fear and are patient and encouraging in your journey to overcome it.

Learning Basic Water Safety

Knowledge is power, and this holds true in overcoming fear of water. Familiarize yourself with basic water safety rules and techniques. Understanding how to stay safe in and around water can significantly reduce fear and anxiety.

Start by learning how to float, how to tread water, and the basics of water safety. This foundational knowledge will not only make you feel more secure but will also empower you to take further steps in your swimming journey.

Breathing Techniques and Relaxation

Proper breathing techniques are crucial in swimming and in overcoming fear of water. Often, fear and anxiety can cause people to hold their breath or hyperventilate, which can exacerbate the fear. Learning how to breathe calmly and rhythmically while swimming can help alleviate anxiety.

Practice breathing exercises both in and out of the water. Techniques like deep breathing or mindfulness can be beneficial. These practices not only aid in relaxation but also improve your overall swimming experience.

Building Trust with the Water

Developing a sense of trust with the water is a critical aspect of overcoming fear of water. This involves learning how the water supports your body and how you can control your movements in it.

Start by practicing floating in shallow water where you can easily stand up if needed. As you become more comfortable, experiment with letting go and trusting the water to support you. The realization that water can hold you up is a significant milestone in overcoming your fear.

Using Swimming Aids

Don’t hesitate to use swimming aids when starting. Items like kickboards, floatation devices, and even swim fins can provide additional support and security. These aids can help you focus on learning specific skills without the added stress of staying afloat.

Gradually, as your confidence and skills increase, you can start reducing your reliance on these aids. This gradual weaning process is an effective approach to overcoming fear of water, allowing you to build trust in your abilities and in the water.

Incorporating Play and Fun Activities

Swimming doesn’t always have to be about structured lessons or techniques. Incorporating play and fun activities into your time in the water can be a great way to reduce fear. Games, relaxed floating, or even just enjoying the sensation of water can make your experience more enjoyable and less stressful.

Viewing your time in the water as a fun and enjoyable activity, rather than just a challenge to overcome, can shift your mindset and help reduce fear and anxiety associated with swimming.

Seeking Professional Help

For some, overcoming fear of water might require professional help. This can be in the form of a skilled swimming instructor who specializes in teaching adults with water fears or even a therapist who can help address deeper, underlying phobias.

Don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance if you feel it’s necessary. The right guidance can provide personalized strategies and support tailored to your specific needs and fears.

Emphasizing Consistency in Practice

Consistency is key in overcoming fear of water. Regular practice and gradual exposure to water help in building confidence and reducing anxiety. Set a regular schedule for your swimming sessions and stick to it. The more time you spend in the water, the more familiar and comfortable it will become.

It’s important to maintain a steady pace without long breaks between sessions. Regular exposure to water helps reinforce the skills and confidence you’ve gained. Even if progress seems slow, remember that every session is a step towards overcoming your fear.

Setting Realistic and Personal Goals

When working on overcoming fear of water, it’s crucial to set realistic and personal goals. These goals should be tailored to your own pace and comfort level. Avoid comparing your progress with others, as each individual’s journey with water is unique.

Start with simple goals like fully submerging your head or floating on your back. As you achieve these milestones, gradually set more challenging objectives. Celebrating these small achievements will boost your morale and motivate you to continue your journey in swimming.

Understanding the Role of Mindfulness

Mindfulness can play a significant role in overcoming fear of water. Being present in the moment and aware of your thoughts and feelings can help manage anxiety and fear. Practice mindfulness exercises before and during your swimming sessions to stay calm and focused.

Mindfulness techniques such as focusing on your breath, observing your thoughts without judgment, and grounding exercises can be incredibly beneficial. They help in managing negative thoughts and fears, allowing you to have a more positive and controlled experience in the water.

Engaging in Positive Visualization

Positive visualization is a powerful tool in overcoming fear of water. Before and during your swimming sessions, visualize yourself successfully performing swimming actions. Imagine the sensations of floating, the rhythm of your strokes, and the feeling of water supporting your body.

This mental practice can help build confidence and reduce anxiety. By visualizing positive outcomes, you’re training your mind to expect success rather than fear failure. Positive visualization, combined with actual practice, can significantly enhance your ability to overcome your fear of water.

In conclusion, overcoming fear of water is a deeply personal and transformative journey. It requires patience, dedication, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone. Remember, the goal is not just to learn to swim, but to build a relationship with the water that is based on trust and confidence. Each small step you take is a significant stride in conquering your fear and unlocking the many joys and benefits of swimming.

It’s important to celebrate every achievement, no matter how small it may seem. Whether it’s putting your face in the water for the first time, floating independently, or completing a lap, each milestone is a testament to your courage and progress. These victories are not just about swimming; they’re about overcoming personal barriers and discovering inner strength.

Additionally, embracing the journey with a positive mindset is crucial. Transforming fear into familiarity and eventually, into enjoyment, is a powerful experience. The skills and resilience you develop in this process extend far beyond the pool, impacting other areas of your life.

Seek support when needed, whether from a professional instructor, a support group, or loved ones. The encouragement and guidance from others can be invaluable in your journey. Moreover, remember that this is not a race. Everyone’s journey in overcoming fear of water is unique, and it’s important to move at a pace that feels right for you.

Finally, imagine the world of opportunities that awaits you once you’ve overcome your fear of water. Swimming is not just an exercise; it’s a life skill that opens doors to new hobbies, better health, and even new friendships. The confidence gained through this journey can inspire you to tackle other fears and challenges in life with the same determination and courage.

Overcoming fear of water is much more than learning to swim; it’s about embarking on a journey of self-discovery and growth. With the right approach, support, and mindset, you can turn what once seemed impossible into a rewarding and enriching experience. Remember, the water is not just a challenge to be overcome, but a new realm to be explored, enjoyed, and cherished.

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How to overcome your fear of swimming

"People wish to learn to swim and at the same keep one foot on the ground." — Marcel Proust

I teach swimming to nervous adults. Some of my pupils are so nervous that one could say they have a form of aquaphobia. One woman I taught was so fearful of water on her face that when she had her shower installed she had it fitted so that the water came from the side and not overhead. She is now, after a few batches of weekly lessons, swimming on her front and on her back, and is learning front crawl. She swims with her face in the water and is learning to flip over from her front to her back. We have not been to a pool with deep water yet, but we will soon and then I will encourage and help her to jump into the deep end, because it is so much fun. She told me that when she went swimming with her daughter and grandchildren recently, her daughter was so moved to see her swimming that she cried. She has just turned 70. She is still learning, but she is a natural swimmer and she is developing an elegant and graceful style.

I have taught people of all ages and from all walks of life. My oldest pupil was an 87-year-old lady who was also blind. She said she had always wanted to learn to swim but had never got round to it. At the end of one lesson I got her to swim through a hoop floating in the water. It was a lovely moment.

Many people I teach have had some kind of traumatic experience in the water: one man nearly drowned as a child in a badly supervised swimming lesson; another told me he had been dangled over a bridge as a child and the fear has stayed with him. People are often embarrassed, even ashamed, of the fact that they can't swim, and many non-swimmers are reluctant to admit it.

I have been asked before if there are stages that learners go through when they are learning to swim. Well, yes there are, but they don't all necessarily go through them in the same order. As well as traditional swim training, I have been trained in the Shaw Method of swimming teaching , which is based on the Alexander Technique and is developed specifically for adults, but it is the many different people who I have now taught to swim who have, in turn, taught me the most.

New swimmers often tell me that they can't put their faces in the water, but no one ever has a problem with this when it comes to the lesson. So far, I have not had anyone who hasn't been able to do it within about five minutes. There are simple techniques I use to overcome this fear and they always seem to work.

Once you can put your face in the water, you can float. More or less everyone floats. Occasionally you do come across someone who is less buoyant than most, but this just means they need a little bit more forward propulsion to actually swim or they may float a little lower down – more under the surface – than most. However, fear and tension mean that people hold themselves stiffly and, by hunching their heads or shoulders, they unintentionally push their feet towards the bottom of the pool.

When we are afraid, the natural reaction is to pull the legs up underneath the body – to curl up into a foetal position. This is not conducive to swimming. So the first thing I do is to get the person to lie flat on the water with their face in it and to let me pull them along gently, holding their hands.

The biggest fear for many people is taking their feet off the bottom when they have nothing to hold on to. One woman described it as a "fear of gaps" – like when you step from the platform to the train. Another said it was like the moment when you fall asleep and the feeling of falling jerks you awake. Letting go is the hardest part to teach because so much of it is in the mind. Many people are fine as long as they can hold my hands but, as soon as they try to let go, panic sets in and – even though I don't feel it myself – I can see that it is a real, deep-seated fear.

Teaching swimming has taught me so much about fear itself. Fear keeps us safe, but it also prevents us from moving forward. If you are frightened and try to hold on to the water, you can't swim. It is only by letting go and trusting that the water will hold you up that you can learn to swim. This is far more important than technique, but it takes time.

Occasionally I have an adult pupil who hasn't learned to swim simply because of circumstance. One woman I taught grew up in a war zone – there was no time for swimming. She was not afraid of the water, she had just never learned. She was swimming lengths of the pool easily after just a few lessons because she had no fear and the process was straightforward.

Sometimes lessons learned in the water seem to translate into real life. One man who was a total non-swimmer before he came to me told me that, once he conquered his fear of water and learned to swim, he found that he was no longer afraid of dogs.

Being with people and helping them to overcome fear that they may have had for their whole lives is a rewarding and humbling experience. For me, the water is a comforting and safe environment, but for many of the people I work with the water is a source of fear and panic. I am filled with admiration at their courage and determination. I feel privileged to watch as they set themselves free.

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Overcoming the Fear of Swimming in Deep Water: 10 Proven Strategies

Fear of swimming in deep water or open water can be a paralyzing experience. For many, it’s a fear that goes beyond the usual jitters associated with swimming . It’s a deep-seated anxiety that can keep you out of the water for years. But fear not! In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the origins of this fear, its psychological aspects, and most importantly, 10 practical strategies to help you conquer your fear and become a confident swimmer in any aquatic environment.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Fear of swimming

What is aquaphobia.

Before diving into the strategies for conquering the fear of deep water, it’s essential to understand what this fear is all about. Aquaphobia, or the fear of water, often includes a fear of deep water, open water, or the unknown depths lurking beneath. It’s a common fear that affects people of all ages and backgrounds.

The Origins of Aquaphobia

The fear of swimming in deep or open water can be traced back to several factors:

• Traumatic Experiences: Many people develop aquaphobia after a traumatic experience in the water, such as a near-drowning incident or witnessing a water-related accident.
• Lack of Exposure: Limited exposure to water during childhood can also contribute to the fear. If you never had the opportunity to learn to swim or were discouraged from swimming, this fear may have grown unchecked.
• Media Influence: The portrayal of water-related accidents in movies and news can exacerbate the fear. Media often sensationalizes drownings and water-related incidents, making the fear seem more prevalent and dangerous than it actually is.
• Genetics and Personality: Some individuals may be genetically predisposed to anxiety, making them more prone to developing aquaphobia. Additionally, certain personality traits, such as high levels of neuroticism, can contribute to this fear.

Now that we’ve explored the origins of aquaphobia let’s delve into 10 effective strategies to overcome it.

Strategies for Conquering Your Fear of swimming

1. education and awareness, knowledge is power.

One of the first steps in conquering your fear of swimming in deep or open water is to educate yourself about water safety and swimming techniques. Understanding the physics of buoyancy , the importance of breathing control, and basic swimming strokes can demystify the water and reduce anxiety.

Link: Swim Safety Institute

2. Gradual Exposure

Dip your toes in.

Taking small steps is key to overcoming your fear. Start by gradually exposing yourself to water in controlled environments. Begin with shallow pools, where you can stand comfortably, and slowly progress to deeper areas. Familiarity breeds confidence.

Link: Swim Smooth

3. Professional Guidance

Seek expert instruction.

Enrolling in swimming lessons taught by experienced instructors can be immensely beneficial. They can provide personalized guidance, support, and feedback, helping you build your skills and confidence.

Link: American Red Cross – Learn to Swim

4. Visualization Techniques

Imagine success.

Visualization can be a powerful tool to overcome fear. Spend time visualizing yourself swimming confidently in deep or open water. This mental rehearsal can reduce anxiety and prepare your mind for the real experience.

Link: Sports Psychology Today

5. Relaxation and Breathing Exercises

Stay calm under pressure.

Learning relaxation and breathing techniques can help you stay calm in the water. Practice deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation to manage anxiety and maintain composure.

Link: Mindful

6. Supportive Social Network

Swim with friends.

Swimming with friends or joining a swimming group can provide emotional support and encouragement. Sharing your fears and progress with others who understand can make the journey less daunting.

Link: Meetup – Swimming Groups

7. Exposure Therapy

Face your fears.

Exposure therapy, conducted with a trained therapist, involves gradually confronting your fear in a controlled and safe manner. This can be an effective way to desensitize yourself to the fear of deep water.

Link: Psychology Today

8. Self-Affirmation

Believe in yourself.

Positive self-talk and self-affirmation can boost your confidence. Remind yourself of your progress and the steps you’ve taken to conquer your fear. Building self-belief is crucial.

Link: Positive Psychology

9. Set Achievable Goals

Small steps to success.

Break down your swimming goals into manageable, achievable steps. Celebrate your accomplishments along the way. Each small victory will build your confidence for the next challenge.

Link: SMART Goals

10. Professional Help

When all else fails.

If your fear of swimming in deep water is severely impacting your life, consider seeking the help of a mental health professional. They can provide specialized treatment options, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy ( CBT ), to address your anxiety.

Link: Psychology Today – Find a Therapist

The Road to Fearless Swimming

Conquering the fear of swimming in deep water or open water is a journey that requires patience, persistence, and the willingness to step out of your comfort zone. By understanding the origins of your fear, educating yourself, seeking support, and employing these 10 strategies, you can transform your fear into confidence and enjoy the pleasures of aquatic activities without hesitation.

So, take that first step. Dip your toes in, learn to float, and remember that the water is not your enemy—it’s a place of joy, relaxation, and adventure waiting to be explored.

Whether you choose to start with educational resources, enlist professional help, or simply gather friends for a swim, the key is to never give up. Overcoming aquaphobia is a process, but with determination and the right strategies, you can find yourself gliding through deep water with ease.

Don’t let fear hold you back from experiencing the beauty and serenity of open waters. Embrace the challenge, and soon enough, you’ll be the one teaching others how to conquer their fears and dive into a world of aquatic wonder.

Now, go ahead, make that splash, and embark on your journey to fearless swimming!

Swish Swimming

• How to Overcome Fear..

How to Overcome Fear of Water: A Guide for Adult Beginners in Swimming

• Writen by alicia chua

Address common fears adults may have about learning to swim and provide tips for overcoming them.

Taking the plunge and learning to swim as an adult can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking, but it’s never too late to embark on this new journey. Adopting the appropriate method can swiftly turn novices into self-assured swimmers. During classes, one can expect to learn fundamental water safety, various strokes, kicks, and floating techniques. Like children, adults can also experience a range of fears and worries when it comes to learning how to swim. For those who didn’t have the opportunity to learn this skill during their childhood, taking swimming classes  as an adult can be rather daunting. A variety of fears come into play while learning to swim later in adulthood, and these mental obstacles often prevent people from embracing the numerous advantages that swimming has to offer. 

Common swimming anxiety and fear factors among adults include:

• Aquaphobia: Some grown-ups have a natural fear of water, possibly due to bad experiences or lack of familiarity.
• Drowning Anxieties: Many adults who haven’t learned to swim are worried about the risk of drowning, linked to poor water safety skills or difficulty staying afloat.
• Control Concerns: Fear of losing control in water, causing feelings of vulnerability, can stem from unpredictability in an aquatic setting.
• Embarrassment & Judgment: Fear of appearance or making mistakes in swimwear, as well as the dread of being judged by others may hinder adult swimming lessons.
• Breathlessness Fears: The worry of not being able to breathe easily while swimming is common with concerns about inhaling water and maintaining steady breaths.
• Open Water Apprehension: Open water swimming can be daunting due to the unknown currents, and the invisible bottom, leading to anxiety.
• Panic Attack Worries: Adults with an anxiety history may be concerned about having panic attacks while swimming and feeling emotionally out of control.
• Failure Fears: Failing to advance at a rapid pace or achieve personal goals can pose a significant obstacle for some adults attempting to learn to swim .
• Depth Discomfort: The inability to see the bottom in deep water may cause anxiety relating to not being able to touch the floor.
• Eye & Nose Aversions: Discomfort caused by water entering the eyes or nose might create anxiety for some adults.
• Cold Water Concerns: The fear of swimming in cold water, stemming from physical discomfort, can lead to hesitance about swimming engagement.

Overcoming fear of water:

For many grown-ups, the daunting fear of water often acts as a major obstacle in pursuing swimming lessons. This anxiety, referred to as “Aquaphobia”, could arise either from past distressing incidents or simply due to inadequate exposure to water during their younger years. For those based out of Singapore and eager to conquer their fear of water, it’s never too late to begin the swimming journey by enrolling in swimming lessons in Singapore . and enjoy the countless advantages that swimming offers.

11 tips for adult beginners to overcome aquaphobia and enhance swimming class  experience:

• Start in the shallow water and ease into deeper water. Take baby steps and gradually explore varying depths to boost your confidence.
• Enhance your breathing awareness with exercises outside the pool. Mastering breath control can calm you down when you’re submerged during lessons.
• Utilize floatation aids like noodles, kickboards, or life vests for extra support while honing your swim skills and increasing your water confidence.
• Join swimming classes in a reputed swim school in Singapore , that has skilled instructors who can help you conquer your fears, and gain confidence in a structured, encouraging setting. Even if you have spoken to the swimming school’s management team, and have its brochure, don’t take your final decision without reading the swim school reviews .
• After choosing a swimming facility, inform the staff about your apprehension – they’ll offer customized help to make you feel more comfortable.
• Bring a loved one to your swimming lessons for emotional support and motivation. 
• Learn vital water safety skills early on to boost confidence and security in the water.
• Use uplifting affirmations to enhance your mindset, focusing on progress and strengths while visualizing success. 
• Set small goals for each swim session and celebrate all achievements to create positive associations with swimming.
• Take breaks when needed, progress at your own pace, and use relaxation techniques like deep breathing and mindfulness to manage stress in the water. 
• Lastly, do not forget to visualize yourself happily swimming to reframe your perception and ease any apprehension.

Numerous adults encounter difficulties in swimming, such as aquaphobia, drowning anxiety, control problems, humiliation, breathlessness fear, open water apprehension, panic attack concerns, failure dread, unease with depth, aversions to water in eyes or nose, and cold-water worry. To overcome aquaphobia and improve your swimming experience, it is essential to select one of the top and reputable swimming classes in Singapore . Always begin in shallow waters, concentrate on your breathing, employ floatation aids, communicate your worries to instructors, bring a supportive friend, gain water safety expertise early on, apply positive affirmations, establish and applaud minor achievements, take necessary breaks utilizing relaxation techniques, and most importantly envision yourself delightfully swimming.

• 72 Loewen Road, #01-08 Dempsey Hill, Singapore , 248848
• +65 9832 2522
• [email protected]
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How to Overcome Your Fear of Learning to Swim

Last Updated: May 27, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Brad Hurvitz . Brad Hurvitz is a Certified Swimming Instructor for My Baby Swims, an adolescent swimming school based in La Jolla, California. Brad is trained as an Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) instructor with ISR's Self-Rescue® program. He specializes in training children aged six months to six years of age survival skills like floating on their back to breathe and swimming back to the wall, while also educating parents on how to better keep their kids safe. He has a Master of Business Administration from Oregon State University. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 87% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 135,984 times.

If you're afraid of learning how to swim, you're not alone. A lot of people are afraid of swimming or even just getting in the water to learn how. The good news is that it's totally possible to overcome a fear of learning how to swim and get to a point where you're confident in the water. If you're not sure how to get started, don't worry—this article will walk you through a variety of different strategies you can use to become more comfortable in the water at your own pace.

Sit on the edge of the pool and dangle your legs in the water.

• Try kicking back and forth to feel the motion of swimming.

Start a swimming lesson outside of the pool.

Practice relaxation techniques and visualization.

Splash some water in your face and think positive thoughts.

• For example, you could think about having fun with your friends at a pool party. You could also think about something that’s not at all related to water, such as petting your dog, playing your favorite video game, or even munching on your favorite snack.

Get into shallow water if you feel comfortable.

• According to Certified Survival Swimming Instructor Brad Hurvitz, if you want to learn to swim but you're hesitant about being in the water, start with small steps, and celebrate your successes. For instance, one day, you might just dip your face into the water, and the next time, you might open your eyes underwater. That way, you can gradually reduce your fears while still building a healthy respect for the environment.

Submerge your head beneath the water when you feel ready.

• Sometimes the idea of fully submerging your head underwater can seem scary. But you can try to overcome your fear by taking it slow.
• If you feel really anxious or worried, you don’t have to put your whole head underwater. Try working your way up to it.

Blow bubbles while you’re underwater.

• Blowing bubbles is commonly used to help kids get used to putting their face in the water.

Hold onto the side and practice kicking.

• If you’re working with an instructor or an experienced swimmer, have them check your kicking technique to make sure you’re doing it right.

Have a friend tow you around.

Glide through the water when you’re ready.

• Once you feel comfortable gliding over water by yourself, you may be ready to take on some swimming lessons without fear!

Go slow and understand that it may take time.

Even the loftiest goals can be achieved with enough determination. "I wouldn't say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it."

Expert Q&A

• You can also try holding your breath and submerging yourself in a bathtub at home to get used to the feeling of being underwater. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• If you’re brand new to swimming, work with an instructor or an experienced swimmer who can help you if you have trouble in the water. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.enjoy-swimming.com/overcoming-fear-of-water-1.html
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/some-nerve/201412/how-overcome-fear-water
• ↑ https://www.swimming.org/learntoswim/tips-to-help-overcome-a-fear-of-swimming/
• ↑ https://www.whitefishwave.com/2021/01/7-tips-for-overcoming-a-fear-of-swimming/

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How Do I Get Over My Fear of Swimming?

There’s no denying that water can be scary stuff to us, land-dwelling creatures.

Immersing ourselves in an unfamiliar environment, where most of our natural instincts are reactions are of no use, is bound to set off the alarm bells in our brains.

In the UK, around one in three adults can’t swim, and as a coach, the most frequent reason I see for avoiding swimming is an underlying fear of the water.

And that’s a shame because if you can overcome that fear, swimming could actually help save your life.

Quite literally, in the short term, knowing how to swim will massively reduce your risk of drowning – if not eliminate it completely.

But in the long-term, regular swimming offers a multitude of health benefits that’ll keep you firing on all cylinders at every stage of your life too.

So, no matter if you want to be able to cool off in the pool on your holidays or have ambitions to swim a triathlon, the first step is to overcome your swimming anxiety.

In this post, I’ll share the most effective methods to help you kick your fear of water once and for all. But first, let’s begin by talking about why you’re afraid to swim in the first place.

Why Am I Afraid To Swim?

If you’re afraid to swim the first thing to know is this: your fear is a completely rational reaction.

In fact, you could argue that not having a fear of water is actually much more unnatural!

Think about it, for about six million years, our ancestors have been walking around on firm ground.

Our sensory system simply hasn’t evolved to naturally function in aquatic environments. We feel out of control and reactions that would normally re-center us on land, don’t work in water.

So, if an instructor or friend ever says “Don’t be silly – there’s nothing to be afraid about” – tell them they’re completely wrong.

The reality is that for new swimmers, there are some things to worry about. But the problem is when these things spiral develop into an irrational fear of water – a condition known as aquaphobia .

Typically, this is the case because you had a previously distressing experience with water.

Near-drowning experiences can be incredibly traumatic. They etch deep scars into our nervous system that compel us to avoid anything related to the experience again.

So, no matter if it’s been two months or twenty years after the experience, the sensations of the water act as a trigger to reignite the slew of negative emotions you felt at the time.

However, it’s not always a defining negative experience that brings about a fear of water. Other root causes could be:

• Fear of the unknown, like what might be lurking underneath the surface
• Fear of losing control
• A history of inadequate or unqualified swimming instructors
• Transmission of the fear from your parents

Whatever the reason for your fear, it’s important to clarify it for yourself. Knowing why you’re feeling anxious is the first step to being able to tackle it.

Here’s a quick CBT-inspired exercise to help you work through your feelings

Get out a piece of paper and write ‘Why am I scared of the water?” at the top. Spend 10-15 minutes jotting down any reasons that come to mind. Then, going through each point you wrote, ask yourself “Is this fear rational, and if so, what evidence exists to support it?” Finally ask “Is there evidence that contradicts this fear?”

Hopefully this quick exercise will give you some distance between you and your fear of water. To see it just as it is – a completely normal reaction to a somewhat abnormal activity.

This in mind, rational thinking might be powerful enough to get you down to your local pool, but it’s not much use when you’re in the pool and those nasty feelings start to rear their heads.

To overcome such uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, you’ll gradually need to ease yourself into the water through what psychologists call ‘exposure therapy’.

Let’s unpack how to do that step-by-step now.

How to Overcome My Fear of Swimming

When we talk about ‘overcoming’ your fear of water, I want you to realise that fear exists on a spectrum.

For example, as an avid swimmer for the last twenty plus years, I can still feel mild anxiety if I’m swimming in a new open water location, where I’m unfamiliar with the currents, tides, bathymetry and so forth.

Therefore, overcoming your fear of water will be a gradual process. How long it takes will depend on how much fear you have and how often you’re willing to get in the water.

At first submerging into a pool may feel awful. But over repeated exposures, you’ll start to feel more and more confident and relaxed.

Eventually your fear will subside so much, that you don’t even consider it anymore. That’s when you’ll start to really enjoy your swimming.

So, to get you to that point, let’s look at some of the best exercises I’ve used with my swimmers.

General Guidelines for Overcoming a Fear of Water

Having a fear of the water is hard enough without making things more difficult for yourself. The following are guidelines to help make things more comfortable.

• Start in a pool: It’s possible to overcome your fear of water in a lake or ocean, but a pool offers consistent, controlled conditions which will help settle your nerves.
• Go to the pool when it’s not busy: other swimmers can take up space and make you more nervous than you need to be. Opt for “off-peak” hours whenever you can.
• Stay in the shallow end: Practicing in water that’s not higher than your chest will ensure you always feel safe.
• Invest in a pair of swimming goggles : Chlorine in your eyes adds to your stress, plus seeing underwater is relaxing for many folks too.
• Don’t go alone: Bring a supportive friend or instructor with you to always be on hand if you need help. If you can’t bring anyone, having a lifeguard on deck can help settle your nerves too.

Step-by-Step Exercises to Get Over Your Fear of Swimming

Let’s talk about how to actually get in the water and start breaking down your swimming fears piece by piece.

It’s important to note that you don’t need to rush through these exercises.

The most important thing is that you stay comfortable. Even if it takes you weeks or months to complete them all. Pushing too hard too fast will only create panic and put you back where you started.

Wist that said, let’s get to it:

Getting Used to the Water

The first step to overcoming your fear of water is to get used to how it feels on your skin. For that there’s a few baby steps you can do – at each stage, check into your body and mind to see how you’re feeling:

• Sit on the edge of the shallow end and dangle your feet and ankles into the water. Move them from side-to-side feeling the resistance and flow of the water against your skin.
• Reach down and touch the water with your hands. Now move them from side to side too. Cup a handful of water and pour it on your face (remember those goggles!)
• Go to the ladder (or steps if your pool has them) at the shallow end and slowly climb down into the shallow end of the pool. Relax here a while feeling the water on your skin.
• If you’re still feeling comfortable, let go of the ladder and walk a few steps. If you’d prefer to just hold onto the ladder or the wall, that’s still excellent progress.

Submerging your Head & Blowing Bubbles

Once you feel comfortable moving around the shallow end, it’s time to kick things up a notch and practise getting your head under the water.

• Holding onto the wall, crouch down so that the water rises to your collar bones. Notice how you feel here. It’s normal for anxiety levels to rise. Then stand up. Repeat five to ten more times.
• Next, hold onto the wall with your goggles on, slowly lower until your chin submerged. Relax in the position
• Okay, it’s time to blow bubbles – learning to blow bubbles out of your mouth and nose teaches you that water can’t get in your mouth and nose as long as you’re blowing out!
• Lower in the same position as step one, crouch further so that the water level rises to cover your mouth – practise blowing bubbles evenly and slowly out of your mouth and nose.
• Next, stand up, take a big breath and this time submerge your face until both your nose and mouth are covered. Try holding this position for a couple of seconds, blowing bubbles all the time.
• If you’re still comfortable, try to completely submerge your head under the surface of the water – remember to take a big breath first and keep blowing those bubbles!
• Finally, if you want to take things to the next level, you can alternate bobbing your head above and below the surface of the water – but always remember to take it easy. You’re making brilliant progress.

Master the Mushroom Float

When you’ve got a handle on getting into the water, moving about and submerging your head, the next step to overcoming your fear is to practice floating.

Thankfully, most people float quite well! Discovering this for yourself can relieve a great deal of stress around water.

The first float to master is the mushroom float – here’s what it looks like:

• Begin by standing in the shallow end and getting comfortable submerging your head
• Take a deep breath, lower down to the surface of the water and then bring your legs up to your chest and grasp them with your arms. Lean forward and relax.
• Now you’re floating freely! Your back will rise to the water’s surface – when you need to breathe, release your legs and lift your face.

Once you’re comfortable with the mushroom float, try experimenting with blowing bubbles while holding the float position. As you exhale air from your lungs, you’ll start to sink.

Getting comfortable with sinking under the water while still holding the float position will add serious power to your water confidence once you master it.

Dead Man Float

The dead man float is a poorly named drill for people with aquaphobia, but it’s nonetheless effective at teaching you how to float in the horizontal position.

Mastering the horizontal position is an essential swimming skill that’ll allow you progress to learning how to swim front crawl .

Here’s a good video overview of how to perform the dead man float:

• Standing in the shallow end, extend both arms forward in a ‘Y’ shape until they’re on the surface of the water. Lower your hips so that the water reaches your chin.
• Take a big breath and drop your face into the water.
• Gently push off the bottom of the pool and slide your body forward, keeping your head in line with your spine.
• If your legs won’t rise, try pressing your collar bones down towards the bottom of the pool to redistribute your weight. Hold this position for a couple of seconds until you need to take a breath.

The horizontal float can take some time to master – so don’t worry if your first few attempts don’t work out.

Some people (more often men) may find it tricky to get their legs to float due to their greater bone mass.

So, if you can’t get completely horizontal, don’t worry. Even if you can’t get your feet off the floor it’s not a problem. Once you learn how to flutter kick, achieving a flat body position will be a lot easier.

Gliding & The Next Steps

When you’re confident floating horizontally, it’s time to add some movement. Gliding on your front is essential for mastering freestyle and ultimately becoming a confident swimmer.

• Stand in the shallow end with your back to the wall. Just like before, crouch down so that your chin is on top of the water.
• Then using the same motion as the mushroom float, draw your legs up towards your chest, but this time extend your arms out in front of you (put one hand on top of the other if possible and squeeze your ears with your elbows).
• Gently push your legs backwards until they reach the wall, extend your legs into the wall to drive yourself forward.
• Once you’re gliding forwards, make your body as long as you can- stretching your fingers as far away from your feet as possible – try to hold this position until you come to a stop.
• If gliding seems too tricky, try working with a swimming instructor or trusted friend who can help tow you around the shallow end to give you a feel for what it should feel like.

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! By now you should have reasonable confidence in the water and are ready to start taking intensive swimming lessons to help skyrocket your abilities and water confidence.

That said, all of our practice so far has been in the shallow end. What if your fear of water isn’t so much about waist-high pools and is more about deep water.

Let’s talk more about that now.

How to Get Over My Fear of Deep Water

If you’re able to swim, it shouldn’t make a difference whether you’re swimming in water that’s one meter deep or one hundred meters deep.

But, in reality, it does. Not being able to see the bottom can give even the most experienced swimmers the willies. Fear of the ocean, lakes and deep pools are all extremely common.

For new swimmers, progressing from the shallow end of the pool to the deeper end can elicit the same feelings.

One of the fundamental skills to boost your confidence in deep water is learning how to tread water. Here’s a helpful tutorial to master this skill:

Once you’ve got a handle on treading your phobia of deep water should lessen. However the mental side of things is also huge.

Here’s how to deal with it:

• Begin by recognising your fear as legitimate. It’s perfectly ok to feel uncomfortable in deep water – just acknowledge that it’s something you’re going to change.
• Know you’re not alone – lots and lots of swimmers are afraid of deep water or not being able to see the bottom – the fear of deep water varies from swimmer to swimmer.
• Go with a friend – swimming in deep water alone can exacerbate feelings of worry. Bring a friend, preferably one who’s a lifeguard or strong swimmer for extra peace of mind.
• Use positive self-talk – remind yourself how capable you are in shallower water – ask yourself, since you started swimming, when have you ever sank to the bottom in a pool without trying? Hint: Probably Never
• Feel the fear – instead of fighting your fear (which will only stress you out and make it worse) try welcoming it into your body – use self talk like “Oh hello fear again, thanks for showing up and trying to keep me safe”.
• Keep breathing regular – no matter whether you’re swimming or treading, keep your breathing pattern steady and relaxed.

The key to getting comfortable in deep water is to slowly and progressively expose yourself to it over time. Whatever you do, do not jump into deep water in an attempt to shock the fear from your system.

Little by little as you venture into deep water, you’ll feel your fears start to melt away and as your confidence grows, so too will your love of swimming.

Overcoming Swimming Anxiety Doesn’t Need to Be Complicated

Getting over your fear of the water isn’t easy. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be complicated.

One of the best ways to gain confidence quicker, and improve your overall swimming ability is to take aquaphobia swimming lessons.

With the guidance and experience of qualified swimming instructors you can address your swimming anxiety in a structured, progressive and safe environment.

If you’re interested in swimming lessons for people afraid of water, get in touch with us here at Swim Now to see how we can help you overcome your fears and enjoy your swimming.

For more inspiration, check out Swim Now student Simon’s story here:

In 2016 I saw an opportunity for a new swimming company that did things a little bit differently and here we are almost 4 years later, having built a family of teachers and clients that we are all really proud of.

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Facing Her Worst Fear: An ELLE Writer Learns to Swim at 28

We are here to learn how to swim. By we , I am referring to the two dozen or so men and women between the ages of 20 and 60 who are huddled at the edge of the Y pool on East 14th Street in New York City. Though we haven't yet dipped a toe in, we're all wet because a large sign in the locker room ordered us to shower before entering the pool area. Many of us are wearing impractical bathing suits that have never seen water. Because we are also required to wear swim caps, we look very strange—the neat contours of our bodies and protruding goggles give us the appearance of wary extraterrestrials visiting an unknown planet. Our nearly naked state reveals that we have a surprising amount of body hair, nice breasts, dimpled thighs, tattoos, moles that maybe should be checked out, mystery scars, and at least 15 different shades of skin tone, due to our various nationalities. We are cold, and many of us are scared. We have paid $275 for 12 weeks of lessons, and some of us, I know, are already regretting the purchase the way one regrets ordering a high-tech vegetable chopper from a late-night infomercial. To ease our anxiety, we ask questions. What's your name? Do you really not know how to swim, or do you kind of know? So, like, you can't even float, right?

Two athletic-looking men and one woman stand before us. They welcome us to "adult beginner swim," and I laugh at the class's title—suggesting as it does that we are beginners not only at swimming, but also at adulthood. The female instructor glares at me and sternly informs us that if we miss a class, there will be absolutely "no makeups!"

Today we will be separated into smaller groups based on ability. As a quick test, Tony, an instructor wearing a full-body wet suit, stands in the middle of the pool and asks us to swim to him one at a time in any way we know how. Very quickly it becomes clear that some of us have lied; some of us can in fact kind of swim and float. I am one of the liars. I can usually doggy-paddle for about seven seconds before my nerves take over and I sink. I walk down the steps into the pool, swim halfway to Tony, and stop. "What happened?" he asks. "I'm afraid to go deeper," I say. The water, which is a pale blue and reeks of chlorine, is up to my waist. Tony assigns me to the lowest level.

I'm afraid to go deeper . Once, sometimes twice a year I mumble this as I enter oceans and friends' pools. My mother never learned to swim, and so I never did either. The last time someone tried to teach me, I was 11 and my uncle had decided that enough was enough. On an overcast Sunday at Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn, I was playing with my cousins near the shore when he picked me up and tossed me into the ocean. By the time I inhaled to scream, I was underwater.

The idea, I think, was that nature would take over—that I'd kick, battle the water, and eventually rise to the surface. Instead I lay down on the bottom of the ocean and allowed the water to enter my lungs. That I seemed to possess no survival instinct, as it's called—no innate part of me that knew what to do in the face of danger—became apparent again the next year when I encountered a snake in the woods. As the other kids ran screaming, I just stood there frozen, tears streaming down my face. I have no idea what personality traits bring a child to so passively greet ominous circumstances, but these episodes do reveal a fatalistic predisposition that has followed me into my "adult beginner" life. As I sank to the bottom of the ocean, it simply did not occur to me that there was anything I could do about it.

I couldn't have been in the water 
longer than seconds, but in my memory the moment stretches like a film reel, each frame full of distinct sights and sensations. I remember the pillowy sand beneath my thighs, the light filtering through the deep green water above me, the human shadow eclipsing the light, and my uncle's arms reaching in and yanking me out. I remember coughing and coughing, and then the reel cuts off and there are no more images, only the feelings of inadequacy and shame for having disappointed, and the certainty that I never wanted to see that particular movie again.

"Just blow out slowly," Tony is telling me. There are seven of us in Tony's group, and we are learning to blow bubbles. While my classmates keep their heads submerged for five, even 10 seconds, I lower only my face—the tip of my nylon-capped head sticking out—push all of my air out in one forceful exhale, and bop up immediately. A couple of times I try holding my nose on the way down, but Tony says it's not allowed. He tells me to just try holding my breath, but again I dip, blow, bop up like a buoy. Tony looks confused.

We move on to an exercise that requires us to push off the side of the pool and glide with our faces down in the water. The glide itself is not bad, but I keep raising my head as soon as I start, and Tony's patience is fading. "Just hold your breath!" he instructs. I want to please Tony, so the next time I try to remain under and somehow manage to inhale water. "Why can't you just hold it?" Tony asks as I come up coughing. He moves on to his more promising pupils, but it is too late, I can't stop—I am crying in the pool. Then I realize something that will bring me great comfort over the next three months: No one can tell when you're crying in the water.

The first time I saw the ocean, I was 10 years old, and it was wintertime, and my mother and I had walked four blocks from our high-rise in Coney Island, Brooklyn, to the shore in our heavy coats and stood staring at the Atlantic as if it were a gorgeous mirage. The previous night we'd emigrated from Russia. Our first year in Brooklyn, I attended a day camp at Brighton Beach, where, observing a sprightly girl named Katya in the water, I began teaching myself the doggy paddle, but my visit to Manhattan Beach later that summer put an end to my aquatic interests.

It would be unfair, however, to suggest that my ambivalence about water began on that day. Even as a young child I'd had a consuming fascination with seas and oceans, which, growing up in Moscow, seemed about as faraway and exotic to me as the moon. My favorite book was about a young girl who gets swept away by a storm and lands on an island made entirely of candy. My favorite TV show was The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau , dubbed in Russian. By the time I'd read Gulliver's Travels , I was convinced that large bodies of water were portals to fantastical, possibly frightening worlds—a theory that proved true after we crossed the Atlantic by plane and landed in Coney Island.

But children's books are made of the very real terrors suffered by adults, and after I'd actually met the ocean, I began to see it for what it is: a sprawling, menacing body with its own heartbeats, temperamental whims, and immeasurable strength. By high school, I'd refused to read Moby-Dick and still haven't. Even now, I memorize drowning data in New York the way others note crime statistics. Though I have lived here for more than a decade, I've never taken a ferry, because I know that the waters surrounding Manhattan have currents powerful enough to carry even competent swimmers out to sea, and that in 1904, for instance, the General Slocum , a steamship traveling along the East River, caught fire and sank, killing an estimated 1,021 people—the deadliest day in New York City's history until September 11, 2001.

When I get home, I call my mother. She has no memory of that day at Manhattan Beach, but after I describe it to her—we've somehow never talked about it—she tells me that something similar happened to her. When she was five, she slipped from my grandmother's grasp as they were crossing a shallow lake and fell in. Her reel is eerily similar to mine: the soft sand, the filtering light, the human shadow coming to rescue her. She hasn't entered a body of water since.

Fear of water can be a hereditary condition, suffered by a surprising number of people. A quick Google search reveals that Eva Mendes and Snoop Dogg can't swim, and neither can former Baywatch babe Carmen Electra. According to the USA Swimming Foundation, if a parent doesn't know how to swim, there is only a 13 percent chance that his or her child will learn. Up to half of Americans can't swim, and an average of 10 people drown in the country every day.

The week my classes begin, I happen to be reading Renata Adler's 1976 novel Speedboat , in which she writes, "Every child, naturally, who was not a sissy, swam. In lakes, and seas, and heavily chlorinated pools, they earned their certificates…. People who missed their proper year often remained afraid of swimming, driving, hunting or whatever, all their lives."

That passage isn't about swimming exactly. It's about something far more important—it's about how we come to think of ourselves. To know the self as a "sissy" is to avoid skis, bicycles, mountains, and tennis courts because of the strong suspicion that you will not, necessarily, know to raise a racket to block the ball from hitting your face. If we don't learn to swim, we lose a certain faith in our ability to meet physical challenges, but the impact may be greater yet, if sneakingly pernicious. Realizing that not only does your body fail to stay afloat but that it doesn't even bother to kick when faced with its own demise begins to feel like a repulsive evolutionary defect that must be concealed at all costs—an Achilles heel so fundamental that it threatens all our other accomplishments. (Is there anything more humiliating than lacking a basic instinct for self-preservation?) That I want to learn to swim now, at the age of 28, has less to do with my being afraid of drowning than it does with my growing increasingly tired with myself for being afraid of "whatever."

When I return to the Y, Tony delivers strange news. I, along with three others from the lowest beginner group, have been reassigned to an even lower beginner group. Weeks later, after I get to know my new classmates, I can only assume that the good people at the Y created a special level for us—let's call it "traumatized adult beginner swim"—and called in special forces.

My classmates are all from India. Upal and Ujjal are fraternal twins in their late twenties who live together in Stuyvesant Town. The brothers took a swim class when they were kids but didn't like their teacher. "So we never went back," Upal told me. Ujjal has a rather large tattoo of two dolphins on his back, and I'm not sure he's aware of the irony. Our fourth is Anustee, a doe-eyed young woman who wears a bathing suit with a skirt attached. Whenever Anustee enters the water, her eyebrows travel upward on her forehead in an expression that communicates pure terror. Several times I wanted to ask her why she never learned to swim, but she always seemed too distressed to engage in small talk.

Since none of us had learned to blow bubbles, we start there. "Show me what you do," says Will, our new teacher. I show him and brace for criticism. Instead, Will comes up close to me and begins speaking in a calm, measured tone. "It's okay," he says. "This is totally normal. You're just a little nervous in the water. I want you to try something for me: Just hum." Hum? "Yes, hum. Start humming before you go under and that will pace your breathing."

My hum is more like a yogi's "om" as I lower my head into the pool. I focus on humming slowly but steadily so that no water enters my nose— Oooooommm —and as I realize that I've now been under for several seconds, I become irrationally angry at Tony for not having mentioned this neat trick last week. As I come up, Will is smiling. "That's it," he says. "See? Easy." By the end of the class, I not only learn to glide but I'm the only one who masters floating, which Will asks me to demonstrate for the rest of the class.

A few important words about Will: He is beautiful. Tall, tan, and muscular, he is like a Puerto Rican Michael Phelps. When Will isn't in the pool, he walks around shirtless in ragged sweatpants and beige Crocs. My favorite things about him include a small swirl of hair that forms a rat tail at the back of his neck, and the tongue ring that he tried to be discreet about until it fell out in week five and he had to go fishing for it in the pool. Whenever I panic in the water—which is often—he will grab my shoulders or my waist and say, "It's okay. You're okay. I got you. I'm right here," and I will at times forget that I have a boyfriend and look at Will with affection and gratitude so pure that I will simultaneously wish that he were my father and my husband. And if that sounds twisted, well, then you have not had the terrifying pleasure of being rescued by Will from the depths of the Y pool.

After the first lesson, Will teaches us to use kickboards and flippers, which is a little bit like learning to walk horizontally on water using a precarious floating device for balance and giant webbed feet for a manual propeller. (Flippers, I learn later, were the invention of Benjamin Franklin, an avid swimmer who helped popularize aquatics for the masses.)

It takes a few weeks to get the hang of these contraptions, but eventually we're zooming from one end of the pool to the other like toddlers on training wheels, and though I know I'm not swimming, exactly, I think I am starting to understand the concept.

When I move across the water, the parts of my life that exist on land seem unimportant. It's impossible for me to think about what e-mail I didn't send, or which friend I may have offended. My only priority is not to drown, and so I focus on my kicks, my breath, my muscles, which grow heavy whenever I get nervous. I start to fall in love with the sounds, which—except for the times when I hear Will's muffled voice say, "Relax your neck, Irina!"—are a pleasing symphony of low whirls and gargles as the water is pushed around and parted by my own body.

As the weeks go on, I begin to think of water as a different mode of existence and of swimming as a practice of essentially adapting my body to alien conditions. I start to see the world divided into people who can survive in dual realities, and more primitive creatures like myself who've been sequestered on the small patches of land that occupy our mostly blue planet. It occurs to me that, with the exception of space, this is the only place where humans get to defy gravity and escape the weight of their tired bodies.

Between classes, everyone who hears that I'm learning to swim is eager to tell me their own water stories, and I start to feel like the protagonist in John Cheever's "The Swimmer," swimming across the backyard pools of people's childhoods: the old wounds, the competitions, the beach towns where they grew up, that time the baby fell in, the brothers who took them surfing, the freedoms water afforded them and the insecurities they still feel from early failures in it.

In class, too, we all have our blocks. Upal and Ujjal, who are the only ones who can swim well without flippers, still cannot float. When they try, they sort of hover somewhere between the bottom of the pool and its surface as if frozen in the center of an ice cube. Anustee consistently comes undone in the deep end and thrashes around until Will rushes to her rescue, which always makes me a little jealous. For me, jumping into the water is the hardest. Every week as the others line up and hop in like a row of ducklings, I stand whimpering at the pool's edge and categorically refuse to do it no matter how long Will pleads with me. Even when we do this at the shallow end, I cannot seem to get myself to step forward, and I tell Will with full conviction that I will drown if I do. A few times I start to cry. When I finally do jump in—and this takes all of the 12 weeks—it's not until Will stands in the pool beneath me, offers me his hand, and promises that he will not let go.

On our final day, Will brings in a camera and films us so that we can see our progress. I climb out of the pool and stand next to him as he shows me the video in which I attempt to swim without the safety of flippers or a kickboard. I watch my scrawny body making movements I've never seen it make before, and the shocking part is that I'm moving through the pool—slowly and sloppily, but I'm doing it. "See, you have a great kick," Will says. Before I leave, he writes down his e-mail address and tells me to get in touch if I want more swimming lessons, if I have questions, or "whatever."

I graduate from the Y in June, and in mid-July I fly to Biarritz, where world champion surfer Lisa Andersen has generously agreed to give me a swimming lesson in open water. Andersen is an athlete for Roxy, the apparel brand with a heart-shape logo that is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2014. The beach in Biarritz is known for its waves, but when I arrive to observe the annual Roxy Pro competition, all the female surfers seem depressed. "The ocean's as still as a lake," Andersen tells me. The competition has been canceled, but for me, calm waters means I have no excuse.

Unlike the ritzier parts of southern France along the Mediterranean, Biarritz, on the Atlantic, has the raw, unself-conscious feel of a small seaside town. Andersen and I meet at the beach in the afternoon. I'm hesitant to go in the ocean, so she suggests we just sit and talk for a bit where the water is shallow and allow the lapping waves to wash over us. "I want you to just feel the ocean and its rhythms," she says.

With her flaxen blond hair and fit figure, Andersen, who is 44, has a soulful quality about her and bears a striking resemblance to the actress Robin Wright. When she was a kid, her family moved around a lot, finally settling in Ormond Beach, Florida. Her father was an alcoholic who was abusive to Andersen and her brothers. Her mother, like mine, never learned to swim and was always afraid of the ocean. After Andersen learned to surf, the ocean, where she wanted to spend all of her time, formed a rift between her and her family. At 16, after her father became angry and cracked her surfboard, she ran away from home and moved to Huntington Beach, California. She left a note on her pillow informing her parents that she was leaving to become the number-one female surfer in the world; nine years later she did so.

As we're talking, I'm so focused on Andersen that I'm startled when a small wave lashes me in the face. "That's another thing: Never turn your back on the ocean," she says. "Do you want to walk in a little?"

"Okay," I say, and we go in up to our knees. I believe Andersen when she says that the ocean is unusually calm, but for me, the small waves might as well be tsunamis. I am standing waist-deep now, and each time I see a wave approaching, I shudder and sometimes also shriek. The first time this happens, I sort of leap into Andersen's arms like a baby chimp and wrap my arms around her neck. The sense that this is an unacceptable thing for an adult to do is superseded entirely by my fear that a wave will swallow me and that I'll drown. Andersen is kind enough not to laugh. She instructs me to hop up against the wave's force and, as we tread deeper, plant my feet as each swell passes. She also allows me to hold her hand whenever I need to. "That rocking back and forth can be so peaceful—I really want you to have that," she says. "I go to the ocean wherever I am, whenever I want to get away from all the worries and stresses. Sometimes I'm drowning on land, and I need to get in the water to breathe.

"This is where my confidence lies," Andersen adds. "In the rest of my life, I have all these insecurities, but here I feel confident."

When I ask why, Andersen pauses for a moment. "I don't know. I guess the ocean has never broken my heart."

It seems unlikely I'll ever have that much trust in the ocean, I say. How could I when we are standing in the same body of water that once pinned me to its floor? "But you have to remember," Andersen says, "the ocean didn't do that to you."

I haven't noticed, but I am now standing chin-deep—the farthest out I've ever gone. Though we are more than an hour into my lesson, Andersen hasn't asked me to do any actual swimming. Instead, she's conducted a sort of immersion therapy, distracting me from my anxiety and allowing me to control the pace as we waded deeper. Somewhere along the way, it's almost as if I've forgotten that we're not on land and adjusted to my new environment, standing on tippy-toes and instinctually rising and rocking with the current. When I look back and see how far we are from shore, it feels strange not to feel afraid. I wouldn't describe standing here as peaceful, exactly, but it is not unpleasant.

"Do you want to see me actually swim?" I ask.

Andersen nods, so I hop up and try to remember what Will taught me: kicking from the hip, pulling the water, head not too high. "That's all it is," Andersen says. "The rest is just technique. But having a feel for it and doing what feels natural—that's swimming."

I envy Anderson, for whom the ocean has served as a vast well of courage. Those of us who stopped trusting ourselves early on tend to approach new things with paralyzing trepidation. But to encounter that "sissy" as an adult—to watch her cry in the shallow end of the pool—may be a necessary step, it seems to me now, to building a kind of mental fortitude, a willingness to try what's daunting. Because each time you're able to remain afloat, even for a little bit, you add a droplet to that well, a reserve to tap the next time you lose nerve.

After I leave Andersen, my boyfriend meets me in Biarritz and we drive down the coast, stopping at the beautiful beaches along the way. At each one, I clutch his arm as I wade into the ocean. When I get comfortable enough, I swim to him where the water is almost my height, asking him to stand farther and farther away from me so that I can test myself. Other times I like to just lie down underwater—a rewriting of an old scene—and look around. I still have to hum to pace my breathing, but instead of the long om, my underwater anthem has become Loudon Wainwright III's "The Swimming Song," which a friend sent me during my studies at the Y. It goes like this:

This summer I went swimming,

This summer I might have drowned

But I held my breath and I kicked my feet

And I moved my arms around,

I moved my arms around

This summer I swam in the ocean,

And I swam in a swimming pool,

Salt my wounds, chlorine my eyes

I'm a self-destructive fool, a self-destructive fool.

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Aquaphobia, or the fear of water, is a common phobia that can severely limit an individual’s ability to enjoy aquatic activities and even impact their daily life. Whether it stems from a traumatic experience, lack of exposure to water, or an innate fear, overcoming aquaphobia is crucial to ensuring safety and comfort in and around water. In this article, we will discuss tips and strategies to help you conquer your fear of water and embrace the countless benefits of aquatic activities with confidence.

Acknowledge and Understand Your Fear

The first step in overcoming aquaphobia is acknowledging your fear and understanding its root causes. Reflect on your past experiences with water and identify any specific triggers or situations that may exacerbate your anxiety. By gaining insight into the origins of your fear, you can begin to develop a targeted plan for addressing and overcoming your aquaphobia.

Gradual Exposure

One of the most effective strategies for conquering aquaphobia is through gradual exposure to water. Start by simply being near water, such as visiting a local pool or beach, without the expectation of entering the water. As you become more comfortable in these settings, gradually increase your level of interaction with water, such as dipping your toes in, wading into shallow areas, or splashing water on your face. This slow and controlled approach can help desensitize you to your fears and build confidence in your ability to cope with water-related anxiety.

Breathing and Relaxation Techniques

Breathing and relaxation techniques can be powerful tools in managing the anxiety and stress associated with aquaphobia. Practice deep, slow breaths and focus on releasing tension from your muscles while near or in the water. You may also find visualization exercises helpful, such as imagining yourself confidently and calmly enjoying aquatic activities.

Seek Professional Help

If your fear of water is particularly intense or debilitating, it may be beneficial to seek professional help from a therapist or counselor who specializes in treating phobias. A mental health professional can provide guidance, support, and tailored treatment plans to help you overcome your aquaphobia, often incorporating techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure therapy.

Enroll in Swimming Lessons or Aquatic Therapy

Swimming lessons or aquatic therapy can provide a structured and supportive environment for facing and overcoming your fear of water. Qualified instructors or therapists can guide you through the process, teach you essential water safety skills, and offer encouragement and reassurance. As you gain proficiency in swimming and water safety, your confidence will grow, and your fear of water may gradually diminish.

Involve a Trusted Support System

Overcoming aquaphobia can be challenging, but having a trusted support system can make the process more manageable. Share your fears and goals with close friends or family members who can provide encouragement, understanding, and assistance during your journey to conquer aquaphobia.

Overcoming aquaphobia may seem like a daunting task, but with perseverance, patience, and the right strategies, it is possible to conquer your fear of water. By acknowledging your fear, gradually exposing yourself to water, practicing breathing and relaxation techniques, seeking professional help, enrolling in swimming lessons, and involving a trusted support system, you can take the necessary steps to embrace aquatic activities with confidence and enjoyment. Remember that progress may be slow, but with determination and persistence, you can overcome aquaphobia and open up a world of exciting and enriching aquatic experiences.

Knowing what to do in an emergency can save someone’s life. Click here to learn about  SwimJim’s guidelines for what to do in an emergency today.

The post Overcoming Aquaphobia: Tips and Strategies for Conquering Your Fear of Water appeared first on Swim Jim .

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Welcome to the aquamobile swim school blog, fear of water: how to overcome it.

Swimming is a full body workout! Some of the benefits are reducing stress, strengthening your lungs and increasing your flexibility. Swimming can be intimidating especially if you have a fear of water. Being nervous to do something for the first time is completely normal. However, it shouldn’t stop you from doing something you might enjoy. Believing in yourself is key to getting comfortable in the water. Below is your guide to overcoming your fear of water!

Start small by setting goals that match your skill level. Taking on skills one step at a time can make them feel less intimidating. Here are some ways to help yourself set goals:

• Don’t rush 
• Stay consistent
• Enroll in private swim lessons

Much like learning to swim, overcoming a fear takes time. For example, starting with a difficult stroke might put you in a difficult situation and make your fear worse. Getting into the water will show you it’s not so scary. Start with dipping your toes in and then work your way up to swimming longer in deeper water. No one knows the water better than someone who teaches people how to swim for a living. Working with your very own instructor can ease your mind because if something goes wrong, they will know exactly what to do.

Get Proper Equipment

Goggles that fit and a comfy swimsuit are a must! Here are some tips to choose the right pair of goggles :

• Avoid choosing goggles that are too tight
• Try on as many pairs as possible
• Choose ones with thicker padding and thicker straps

When goggles are too tight, they can create uncomfortable creases under your eyes. Additionally, they pull on the bridge of your nose letting more water in and the pressure around your eyes will make them start to hurt. You will only know which pair is right for you by trying them on. Trying out multiple pairs will let you examine the pros and cons of each option. Thicker padding makes for a softer fit and thicker straps won’t get tangled in your hair.

Start Small

Overcoming a fear of water takes time. By taking smaller steps, you can begin to overcome it. There are few ways to get accustomed to interacting with water:

• Putting your head in a bowl of water
• Start in shallow water

Getting over your fear of water isn’t solved by throwing yourself into the deep end! Shallow water is safer for beginners. It’s easier to move around in because there is less resistance. It gives new swimmers time to adjust being in the water before gradually making their way over to the deep end.

Shallow End Activities

When it’s time to hop into the pool, start learning with an instructor in the shallow end. It’s a training space to get you comfortable with your abilities. Listed below are some of the movements that a swim instructor will start teaching you with:

• Breathing exercises
• Kicking techniques

Breathing exercises in the pool will help you learn the basics of how to breathe underwater. The proper technique is to breathe in when your head is in the water and out when you come up for air. Floating will help you stay above the water. A back float can be done by tilting your head back and laying on your back. Gliding can be done while floating by moving your arms in a circular motion to push yourself forward. Kicking comes in handy when learning a variety of strokes. It helps propel your body forward when performing skills such as the breaststroke and backstroke.

Build Up to Treading

Before learning to stroke, you should be able to tread water for 3 minutes without gasping for air. Treading water means being able to keep your head above the water using the rest of your body. This is done by moving your arms in front of you in a back-and- forth motion under the water without touching the bottom or sides of the pool. New swimmers should be introduced to treading water in a warm pool to avoid losing concentration.

Check out our video about how to tread water! It shows how to scull water with your hands and how to perform a bicycle kick. For those looking for a challenge, the whip kick and eggbeater kick are shown as well!

Put Together the Basics to Form a Stroke

Easy and comfortable strokes are the ones to start with when you begin learning. The breaststroke is the easiest stroke to learn because it takes less energy and the technique isn’t complicated. 

After you learn to tread, you can move onto the freestyle stroke. Learning this stroke should be done in steps. Each part should be learned separately. Remember to keep your arms alternating in the water, your fingers together and your face underwater blowing bubbles and breathing to the side. Our video below explains how to freestyle!

Safety Comes First!

Learn all about water safety to protect yourself from injury and drowning. As you gain more confidence, you can move from the shallow end to the deep end using the stroke you are most comfortable with. With proper breathing techniques and someone like a swimming instructor or friend by your side, you can work your way up to swimming on your own.

Set More Goals!

Congratulations! You have started to gain more confidence and hopefully our steps have helped you overcome your fear of water and enjoy swimming. Like with any skill, swimming is something you get better at over time. Set more advanced goals as you get better. Swimming is a fun and healthy activity you can continue to enjoy at any age!

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• Overcoming Fear of Water and Swimming

By Author Christophe Keller

Posted on Last updated: May 16, 2024

Fear of water (thalassophobia) is the fear of being in or near large bodies of water.

This is a common fear in the population, especially among people who cannot swim.

This article discusses this fear and proposes a few basic exercises in the water to help you overcome this fear.

Fear of Water – Causes

Fear of water can have lots of different causes:

• It often exists as an instinctive fear related to the fear of drowning.
• It can be caused by the fear of the unknown, of what might be lurking below the water surface in deep, cloudy or muddy waters.
• It may be related to a bad experience that occurred in childhood.
• It may have been transmitted to a child by parents that were themselves afraid of water.
• It may have been ingrained by swim instructors that used inadequate or stressful methods to teach swimming.

Putting Things Into Perspective

You don’t need to feel bad if you are subject to fear of water because everyone has a different level of water confidence and this level of water confidence can change depending on circumstances.

For example, I acquired basic swimming skills as a child, and those skills have evolved with practice over the last few years since I took up swimming again.

Nowadays I’m not afraid of swimming in a pool or in small to medium ponds.

However, if I do swim in a lake or the ocean, I still have a certain level of anxiety before starting, and especially so if it’s in an unfamiliar location.

The point I want to make is that even experienced swimmers can sometimes experience fear of water or at least have a certain level of anxiety.

Basic Exercises – Instructions

Let’s now try to address your fear of water by doing a few basic exercises in the water.

To give you the maximum level of comfort while doing these exercises, I suggest the following:

1) All the exercises can and should be done in shallow water. There is no need for the water to go higher than your chest, so you can always feel safe.

2) Doing the exercises in a swimming pool with clear water is best because you can see what is (or more precisely isn’t) in the water and so you will be more relaxed than if you did the exercises in opaque water.

3) For the same reason, it’s advisable to wear swimming goggles while doing the exercises.

This way water won’t get into your eyes, and you will be able to keep them open all the time, which will help you to relax.

4) A supportive person being at your side while doing the exercises can be of great help, and especially so if he/she is an experienced swimmer that is comfortable in the water.

5) If you can’t get the help of a supportive person, I recommend that you do the exercises in a swimming pool supervised by a lifeguard which knows what you are trying to accomplish and can keep an eye on you.

6) Ideally, you should do the exercises when the swimming pool isn’t crowded, to avoid getting stressed out by people that splash or trash water around you.

There is no need to rush through the exercises. The primary goal is always to stay comfortable.

Even if you only manage to do one exercise per session at the pool, it doesn’t matter as long as you are comfortable. Slow down if you start feeling stressed out.

Even if it takes several weeks or months for you to complete all the exercises and overcome your fear of water, so be it. Think baby steps.

Acclimating To Water

To get started, we will do a few exercises for you to get comfortable being in contact with water and then to enter the water:

1) At the shallow end of the pool, sit across the pool edge and let your legs dangle in the water, sweeping back and forth. Take your time to enjoy the sensation of the water flowing around your legs.

2) Scoop up water with your hands and apply it to your face, as if to wash it. This is to get used to having your face being in contact with water.

3) Scoop up water with your hands again, hold your breath and then splash the water into your face. As you are wearing swim goggles, your eyes are protected, and you can try to keep them open.

As you are holding your breath and sitting upright, you should notice that the water can’t get into your nose and mouth. Enjoy the refreshing sensation of the water on your face.

4) Slowly get into the water via the steps or ladder in the shallow area of the pool. Make sure that the water doesn’t get above your chest.

Walk around for some time, staying in the shallow area of the pool. Enjoy the sensation of the water flowing around your body.

Submerging Your Head

The next few exercises will let you progressively lower your head into the water until you are comfortable having your head under water. For this exercise, we will stay in shallow water.

1) Hold your breath. Slowly crouch down until your lips are just above the water surface. How does it feel? See if you can get comfortable with having the water so close to your lips. Then stand up.

2) Hold your breath. Slowly crouch down (with mouth closed) and see if you can get your mouth underwater, having the water surface being between your mouth and your nose. Notice that water can’t get into your mouth.

3) After a while, notice that your nose is still above the water surface. If the water is calm and there are no waves, try to breathe through your nose while still having your mouth under water.

Notice that you can breathe through your nose even though your mouth is under water. Then stand up. Repeat this often to get comfortable breathing with your nose being so close to the water surface.

4) Hold your breath. Slowly crouch down until your mouth touches the water surface, then goes under water.

Crouch some more until your nostrils touch the water surface. If possible, hold this position for a few seconds, then stand up to breathe.

What you need to know at this point is that it is entirely OK to have water touching your nostrils or even having some water getting into your nostrils, as long as you are holding your breath and your head is upright.

Because of the way the nose connects with the head, water can’t rise high enough in your nose to get into sinuses in that position. It’s only when the water gets into the sinuses that it becomes unpleasant.

In fact, once you’ll have become an experienced swimmer, you will have water flowing into and out of your nostrils each stroke cycle, without ever having water getting into your sinuses and with you barely noticing.

Now let’s get back to our exercises:

1) Again hold your breath, then crouch down until your nose is under water, the water surface being between your nose and your eyes. Your ears should not be underwater, so slightly tilt your head forward.

Again, notice how some water gets into your nostrils, but at the same time notice that it doesn’t rise very high in your nose and that because of this it doesn’t hurt.

Try to hold this position a few seconds, then stand up to breathe.

2) Hold your breath. Slowly crouch down as before. Now tilt your head slightly backward.

Slowly move down until your nose, and your ears are below the water surface, but your eyes are still above the water surface.

Because you are holding your breath no water can get into your mouth and only a little bit of water gets into your nose. Notice how water gets into your ears, and sounds become muffled.

Again try to hold this position a few seconds before standing up.

3) Now what you need to know at this point is that some water will get into your ears.

But this is also ok because the water will be prevented from going further by the eardrum and will flow out of the ear as soon as you leave the water. So you can’t get hurt.

4) Hold your breath. Now slowly crouch down and let the water cover your mouth, nose, ears and move further down up to the point where your eyes move below the water surface.

As you are wearing swim goggles (hopefully good ones), water can’t get into your eyes. Try to hold this position a few seconds, then stand up again and breathe.

Once you are comfortable with your eyes below the water surface and can keep your eyes open, take the time to observe this strange world below the water surface that opens up to you.

5) Once you are comfortable doing the previous exercise, you can add up the ante a little bit and make a bobbing motion, where you rhythmically submerge and emerge your head.

This will get you used to have your head being regularly submerged, which will be useful later on when learning how to swim the popular swimming strokes .

Blowing Bubbles

Once you are comfortable having your head under water, the next step to overcome your fear of water is to learn that it is possible to exhale in the water without getting water into your nose and mouth.

The best exercise for this is to learn how to blow bubbles.

1) Breathe in while standing in the shallow area of the pool and hold your breath. Then crouch down so that your mouth is below the water surface, but your nose is still above the water surface. Slowly exhale through your mouth, blowing bubbles in the water.

You will realize that as long as you do exhale, water can’t get into your mouth. The same is true if you do hold your breath. Stand up again to breathe in.

2) Repeat the previous exercise but now crouch down so far that only your eyes are above the water surface while your nose and mouth are below the water surface. Keep your mouth shut and now slowly blow bubbles through your nose.

Again you will notice that water can’t get into your nose as long as you hold your breath or exhale. Stand up to breathe.

3) Repeat the previous exercise but now blow bubbles in the water through both your nose and mouth.

4) Finally, repeat the previous exercise but with your head completely under water.

The Human Body Floats Well

So far, we have practiced a few basic exercises to overcome the fear of water and to get used to being in the water.

Now we will see that it is, in fact, easy to float in the water without much effort.

If you get anxious around bodies of water, you may believe that in the water you would sink to the ground like a stone.

If this is the case, it may come as a surprise to you that water, in fact, supports the human body very well. In most cases, people can float effortlessly without using their limbs as long as their lungs are filled with air.

This is because your body, being made of 60% of water, is slightly less dense than water provided that your lungs are filled with air.

Additionally, you may (or may not) remember Archimedes’ Principle from school:

Any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.

This means that water will tend to push you up to the surface because your body is less dense than water!

Mushroom Float

Mushroom float is a simple exercise you can do that demonstrates the human body’s natural tendency to float:

Here’s how to do Mushroom Float:

1) Stand in the shallow area of the pool.

2) Take a deep breath and then hold your breath.

3) Curl up into a ball by drawing your legs against your chest, and brace your legs with your arms.

4) Your feet lose contact with the ground, and you can float freely for a few seconds.

5) When you need to breathe, unroll, put your feet on the ground, and stand up to get your head above the water.

While you do this exercise, you will see that your head submerges but that you nevertheless float close to the water surface.

As an additional experiment, you can try to exhale while being curled up. You will see that your body starts to sink as your lungs get empty.

This demonstrates that your lungs help your body to float for as long as they are filled with air.

At the start of the video above, I hold my breath, and you can see that the water pushes me up to the surface.

Then, while I slowly exhale, my body starts to sink as it becomes less buoyant.

Once you have done this exercise a few times and feel how easy it is to be supported by the water, it should become easier for you to relax in the water and this should help reduce your fear of water.

A small minority of people still sink when their lungs are filled with air. These often are very skinny people or people with a very low body fat percentage, for example, bodybuilders. They might need to scull a little bit with their hands or tread water with their feet to float.

The Horizontal Position

In the next step to overcome the fear of water, you will practice getting comfortable in a horizontal position.

The horizontal position is an important prerequisite to learn swimming because most swim strokes spend most of their time in this horizontal position. So do the following:

1) Go to the shallow area of the pool.

2) Crouch down until the water is at the level of your chest.

3) Extend your arms forward.

4) Take a deep breath and then hold your breath.

5) Slowly glide forward in the water, as if sliding forward on a bed made of water.

6) Try to keep your head in a neutral position, in line with your spine.

Because your body assumes a horizontal position, your face will be put underwater.

But because you are holding your breath, the water can’t go up in your nostrils, and you are perfectly safe (this principle was explained above).

7) Slide forward until your body is completely extended.

8) Now try to get comfortable in that position and to hold it for a few moments, until you need to breathe.

9) Your position can be completely horizontal, floating freely and close to the water surface.

Or maybe your position is tilted, with your upper body being supported by the water but your feet still touching the ground. Or somewhere in between.

This depends on your body composition. Either position is fine as long as you can relax and feel supported by the water for a few moments.

10) To stand up, tuck your knees up while moving your arms down. Your body will roll into an upright position. Then extend your legs, touch the ground and stand up.

As explained above, some people (called sinkers) will completely sink to the ground because of their low body fat percentage. If this is your case, your goal is to try to relax for a few seconds while lying flat on your stomach on the bottom of the pool (in the shallow area of the pool).

Gliding In a Horizontal Position

As the last exercise to overcome the fear of water, you will learn to glide in a horizontal position on your stomach and still feel supported by the water. So do the following:

1) In the shallow area of the pool, turn your back towards the pool wall.

2) Inhale, hold your breath, then draw your legs up towards your chest as you did in Mushroom Float.

3) Don’t brace your legs with your arms, however. Extend your arms forward instead, and extend your legs backward at the same time to quickly push against the vertical wall of the pool.

4) Extend your body and try to get as horizontal as possible. Keep your head in line with your trunk and try to glide as far as possible.

5) Eventually, the forward momentum will stop. Your legs may also drop at the end of the glide.

6) To stand up and the end of the glide, do as before: tuck your knees up, roll up, extend your legs and stand up.

7) Repeat this exercise a few times, until you feel well balanced and horizontal during the glide.

Notice that no water gets into your nose as long as you hold your breath even though you are floating in a horizontal position.

To up the ante a little bit, you can try to slowly exhale during the glide or to flutter kick to extend the glide.

As an alternative you can try out the following with a friend:

1) Get into the horizontal position with your arms extended forward but don’t push off the wall.

2) Let your friend grab one of your hands and gently tow you forward.

3) Notice that it doesn’t take much forward movement for you to float in a horizontal position, as long as you keep your body straight and stay relaxed at the same time.

4) Your friend can even release your hand once you have gained some forward momentum. You should still float and move forward a few moments until the momentum stops.

We have covered quite a bit of ground in this article. We discussed possible causes for fear of water, then practiced putting the head under water and exhaling in the water.

After that, we learned that most people float rather well, and demonstrated this with the mushroom float.

Finally, we practiced getting in a horizontal position and then gliding a bit in that position.

While you did these exercises, I hope you discovered that being in the water doesn’t have to be intimidating, but can be quite enjoyable once you can relax and feel comfortable.

Hopefully, with time and practice, you will be able to overcome your fear of water. Don’t rush it, take your time working on those exercises, even if it takes a few weeks or longer. It is worth it!

And once you are comfortable in the water, the next logical step is to start learning a few basic swimming techniques , and then to learn how to swim .

Going Further

If you still struggle with your fear even after doing all the exercises described in this article, Conquer Your Fear of Water: An Innovative Self-Discovery Course in Swimming by Melon Dash might be a good resource for you.

The book aims to get you over your fear of water in 104 detailed steps. Each step is a mini-chapter in the book and can cover various things, such as relaxation strategies, writing about your beliefs or fears, floating exercises in the water, and so on.

The book goes deeply into the psychological and physical aspects of going into the water, getting used to it and being able to relax. Highly recommended.

There’s also a companion DVD available, called The Miracle Swimmer: Learn to Be in Control in Water, Shallow and Deep and Prevent Panic .

Related Pages

You may also be interested in the following articles that cover basic swimming techniques:

• Learn Basic Swimming Techniques
• Getting Over My Fear of Swimming
• Front Crawl / Freestyle Swimming Technique: The Flutter Kick
• How To Do Starfish Float – Basic Swimming Technique
• Breaststroke Kick – Swimming Technique and Tips
• Learn Sculling Water, a Basic Swimming Technique
• How to Tread Water – Techniques and Drills
• How to Dog Paddle – Swimming Technique and Exercises
• Elementary Backstroke: Swimming Technique and Tips
• Enjoy Swimming Home

Wednesday 23rd of October 2019

Hi Christopher,

Thank you so much, this helped me a lot. I am a new swimmer but am too scared of getting water in my ears even with the earplugs, it didn't help. What can I do to get over my fear?

I really need help.

Monday 28th of October 2019

The book and DVD I have referenced at the end of the article are good resources to work on your fear of water.

Also, individual lessons with a good local instructor who has previously worked with people who are afraid of water can also help.

Edit: I saw in another one of your comments that you are 13 years old and just had your first swimming lesson a few days ago.

If this is correct, I think you need to trust your swim instructor and have a little patience, as over time your confidence will increase and your fears should subside.

Sunday 20th of October 2019

Thanks this really helped. I am a new swimmer (13 years old) and today was my first day.

My friend was there but I was too scared of getting water in my ears. I can't stand it, I even had earplugs but they didn't work.

What should I do to get over my fear?

Someone help please..

Tuesday 23rd of July 2019

Hi Christophe, thank you for writing this blog. Very helpful!

I tried to learn swimming in April this year... Had 2-3 incidents when someone had to help me as I couldn't stand up properly in the shallow water in the pool after holding my breath...

I can exhale in the water and have done a small laps using a floatie with exhaling in water and inhaling outside... But just not able to stand firmly if I try to float.

Any guidance on this?

Wednesday 24th of July 2019

Could you elaborate on why you can't stand firmly after trying to float? Are you dizzy? Disoriented? Don't know how to move from the floating position into standing up?

Monday 10th of June 2019

I am having trouble even to submerge my head in water.

I am trying to learn swimming in a swimming pool where water is just on my chest level.

I can't get over the fear of submerging my head. I tried taking a deep breath and putting my head in water but the thought of looking into the water itself gives me chills.

Could you please suggest a solution?

Thanks & Regards

One-on-one lessons with a qualified instructor specialized in overcoming fear of water is best.

Also, the book and DVD I recommend in the "Going Further" section of the article are worth considering.

Wednesday 18th of July 2018

This helps a lot, thanks.

Duke TIP Navigator

The official magazine for TIPsters in 4th–6th grade

Turning Fear into Confidence—A Personal Essay

October 14, 2020

Facing obstacles throughout your life is inevitable, and the obstacles you overcome can define who you are as a person. Not only will this build character and self-confidence, it will show others how strong you remained and inspire them to overcome their own challenges.

But overcoming obstacles is no simple task. Most obstacles are incredibly hard and testing. Yet, by overcoming them, you will come to understand why they are important. The significance of overcoming obstacles in life is to make you more grounded, courageous, and wise. For me, one of these life-altering obstacles emerged during my undergraduate years.

I had a serious fear of public speaking. There were times where I would struggle with presentations and in-class discussions. When these sessions would take place, my fear built up in a pressure cooker of discouragement and convulsive anguish. I felt humiliated before my teachers, partners, and most of all, my close friends. I soon realized, however, that the same people who seemed to be the source of my fear became my lifeline, their inspirational words filling my mind and heart with positive thoughts.

Seeing my struggles, my peers tried to build me up, to increase my confidence in myself and convince me that anything, including overcoming my fear of public speaking, could be accomplished with enough enthusiasm and belief in oneself.

The obstacles we face in life can distort how we see ourselves and cripple our ability to face our fears. By facing these conflicts head on, though, we can completely flip their effect on us, transforming them into experiences that strengthen our resilience and push the boundaries of what we think is possible to achieve.

Taking everything into account everything I’ve learned from this experience and many others like it that I’ve encountered in my life, it’s clear that obstacles are impossible to avoid, and when you do encounter them, you must view them as learning opportunities. You might just surprise yourself at how easily you overcome them.

This post was written by Duke TIP’s outgoing Marketing & Communications intern, Christina Gordon. Christina graduated from North Carolina Central University in the spring of 2020.

About Duke TIP

The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization that has served over three million academically talented students in grades 4–12 since it was founded in 1980. Collaborating with educators and parents, TIP helps gifted students assess the extent of their academic abilities with above-grade-level testing, recognizes them for their achievements, and provides them with a variety of enrichment benefits as well as accelerated face-to-face and online educational programs.

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Drowning deaths were higher in recent years

Over 4,500 people drowned each year in the United States from 2020–2022. This is about 500 more drowning deaths each year compared to 2019. Groups already at higher risk saw the greatest increases in deaths, including young children and older adults of all races and ethnicities, and Black people of all ages.

Drowning deaths differed by age

• Drowning increased by 28% among children ages 1–4 in 2022 compared to 2019.
• Drowning increased by 19% in adults ages 65–74 in 2022 compared to 2019.

Drowning deaths differed by race and ethnicity

• Although drowning did not increase among AIAN people during 2020–2022, rates in this group remained higher than those of any other race or ethnicity.
• In 2021, drowning increased 28% among Black people compared to 2019.

40 million adults do not know how to swim

Basic swimming and water safety skills training is a proven, effective way to prevent drowning. Some groups of people are less likely to report taking swimming lessons.

• More than 1 in 3 Black adults (37%) reported not knowing how to swim compared to 15% of all adults.
• About 2 in 3 Black adults (63%) reported never taking a swimming lesson.
• About 3 in 4 Hispanic adults (72%) reported never taking a swimming lesson.

Differences in access to swimming lessons are one barrier that could contribute to these outcomes. Swimming lessons can be expensive or may not be available in some communities. When swimming lessons are available, some people may be hesitant to participate due to complex social and cultural factors. Everyone should have access to basic swimming and water safety skills training.

The U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan  helps states and local communities identify actions that can prevent drowning. The plan has specific recommendations for improving basic swimming and water safety skills training. It focuses on increasing access to swimming lesson programs that meet community needs.

Identify issues that increase drowning risk.

Make swimming lessons available and affordable.

Identifying issues that increase drowning risk

Identifying why drowning has increased and why some groups of people or communities are at higher risk requires better data. We need to understand how to make basic swimming and water safety skills training more accessible. Reported barriers include:

• Swimming lessons too expensive or not accessible.
• Fear of water.
• Pool setting or training not welcoming.
• Feeling uncomfortable wearing traditional swimwear.

Many more barriers exist, and some are complex and not well understood. We can develop and carry out inclusive programs that best meet each community’s needs when we understand a community’s unique social and cultural elements. Better data give us that insight.

Historical and social factors and the pandemic may be contributing to inequities

Many Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native people report lack of access to pools as a barrier to swimming lessons. Racial segregation led to few options and many of the available pools were often poorly maintained or too shallow for swimming. Many public pools closed after racial desegregation and communities built fewer new pools over the decades. The legacy of this and other discrimination may influence current generations’ attitudes about and participation in swimming lessons.

During the pandemic, many public pools closed, which limited the availability of swimming lessons. Once pools reopened, many facilities faced shortages of trained swimming instructors and lifeguards. This has further reduced access to swimming lessons.

Over half of U.S. adults have never taken a swimming lesson

Only 28% of Hispanic people and 37% of Black people have taken swimming lessons.

Swimming lessons in the U.S. All adults: 45% had lessons, 55% no lessons Hispanic : 28% had lessons, 72% no lessons Black: 37% had lessons, 63% no lessons Other race/ethnicity: 47% had lessons, 53% no lessons White: 52% had lessons, 48% no lessons

Take steps to reduce drowning risk

Increasing access to basic swimming and water safety skills training can reduce the risk of drowning. Here are 5 tips to get started.

Community actions to reduce drowning risk Build and revitalize public pools. Ensure access for people with disabilities. Offer affordable swimming and water safety lessons. Hire diverse aquatics staff. Adapt programs to community needs.

Public health professionals and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments can

• Make basic swimming and water safety skills training available and affordable for everyone in your community.
• Determine whether new policies or laws are needed to improve access to safe swimming.
• Identify areas that don’t have safe places to swim or take swimming lessons. Build or revitalize pools in these areas.
• Make it a priority to have diverse, equitable, culturally appropriate, and inclusive swimming and water safety skills training.
• Use the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan [4.3 MB, 48 pages] to create state and local action plans. CDC was one of many contributors to the plan, which was created by drowning prevention organizations and hundreds of volunteer experts across the country.

Aquatics training providers can

• Assess community needs to understand barriers that keep people from taking swimming lessons.
• Use or adapt existing aquatic programs that demonstrate respect and cultural understanding of people in your community so everyone feels welcome.
• Identify partners in your community that can help you connect with people at the highest risk of drowning.
• Ensure water safety information is part of swimming lessons, such as wearing life jackets and supervising children in or near the water.

CDC supports young families by working with partners in several ways. These include collecting data to better understand drowning risk and barriers to swimming lessons and working with partners to improve access to effective basic swimming and water safety skills training, especially for people at increased risk of drowning.

• The American Red Cross
• U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan

Everyone can

• Learn how to swim. Take basic swimming and water safety skills training. This is hands-on training that takes place in the water.
• Make sure children get basic swimming and water safety skills training.
• Find swimming lessons  in your area .
• Pay close attention to children—even those who have had swimming lessons—whenever they are in or near water, including pools, bathtubs, and even buckets of water.
• Avoid drinking alcohol before and during swimming and boating, and wear life jackets.

See Preventing Drowning  for more drowning prevention tips.

Related Pages and Resources

• Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR): Vital Signs:  Drowning Death Rates, Self-Reported Swimming Skill, Swimming Lesson Participation, and Recreational Water Exposure — United States, 2019–2023
• Vital Signs : Media Statement – Drowning Deaths Rise in the United States [English]
• Vital Signs : Comunicado de Prensa – Aumentan las muertes por ahogamiento en los Estados Unidos [Spanish]
• Preventing Drowning

Find swimming lessons in your area:

• Swimming | Swim Classes & Training | Red Cross
• Find Your Y | YMCA of the USA
• Home – USSSA (usswimschools.org)
• Learn to Swim | USA Swimming

Get email updates about Vital Signs

VITAL SIGNS RESOURCES

• Digital Media Tools

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.

Help Your Toddler Overcome Their Fear of Water: 5 Practical Tips for Parents

If your toddler is uncomfortable around water, they might have aquaphobia, a common fear of water in young kids aged 1-2. 

This phenomenon causes them to become hyper-aware of their surroundings while near or in a body of water. They start feeling anxious and stressed out in this new and unfamiliar environment.

For some kids, it may be a lifelong phobia. But even kids who get over their fear of water as they grow older are prevented from learning one essential life skill: swimming. 

If you want to learn how to address your child's aquaphobia in a safe and fun way, we're here to help. In this blog, we'll explore how you can help your toddler overcome their fear of water. We'll also discuss how regular swimming lessons assist them in building confidence and life-saving skills.  

Five Strategies to Help Your Toddler Beat Their Fear of Water

Here are some fun strategies you can try to help your child conquer their fears:

Talk to Them

The first thing you must do to help your kid is talk to them and ask them what exactly they fear about water. Some children have a general fear of the water, while some are afraid of specific experiences like getting water up their noses. 

By knowing your toddler's fears, you can make them feel supported and understood. Moreover, identifying what your child is afraid of will help you develop a comprehensive strategy on how to overcome them.

Immerse Them Gradually

Gradual immersion is important when helping a child overcome their fear of water. It allows them to get used to being in the water in a safe environment and at a comfortable pace. 

If your kid is afraid of large bodies of water, you can start the immersion process by taking them to a local pool and letting them dip their toes in the shallow parts for short periods. 

Once they get comfortable with the feeling of the water, encourage them to explore the area and praise them for every step they take. After a while, ask them to move deeper and reassure them that they're safe. 

Remember, positive reinforcement is essential in this stage. You must help your child make great and fun memories with the water. This way, they'll feel more comfortable the next time you go to the pool. 

According to the Academy of American Pediatrics (AAP), parents must constantly stay within arm's length of inexperienced swimmers playing in the water. But aside from being a safety measure, your parents can help your kid feel more comfortable in the water. 

Some toddlers feel more safe and secure when their parents are with them. So, with this in mind, we recommend that you join your child on their first few times in the water. 

You can carry them or hold their hand while they play. After a while, gently move away but never leave their sight. Sometimes, seeing you alone is enough for them to feel at ease. 

Give Them Fun Swim Gear

Colorful swim gear like goggles, life jackets, and floaties will help your toddler feel more comfortable and confident about entering the water. 

What makes swim gear great is that it makes your child's swimming experience more fun and safe. The goggles will prevent the water from getting into their eyes, which is a common anxiety for most kids, and the life jackets give them an extra layer of buoyancy. 

By giving them the right equipment, you're setting the stage for a fun and safe time in the water. 

Enroll Them in Swimming Lessons

Swimming lessons are one of the most effective tools for overcoming aquaphobia. Not only do these classes help kids enjoy the water, but they also teach them essential water safety skills that can save lives. 

The AAP says that formal lessons can reduce the risk of drowning. These classes use exploration and play-based activities to teach toddlers how to stay afloat in the water, which can be valuable during emergencies. 

Moreover, swimming lessons have excellent physical and mental benefits for children. Studies have shown that swimming promotes muscle development and cardiovascular health. Regular lessons will help strengthen your child's heart and lungs. 

Aside from this, it can also aid in building their cognitive skills. Researchers from Griffith University in Australia found that children who learned how to swim at an early age have more advanced motor skills than those who don't.

Ultimately, swimming lessons will foster the confidence that your toddler needs to have fun in pools and beaches. 

Help Your Kid Become A Better Swimmer

In conclusion, patience and understanding are key when it comes to helping your toddler overcome their fear of water. 

By taking the time to acknowledge and understand their fears, you'll be able to create a safe environment where they feel supported and encouraged. 

Remember to trust the process. Let your toddler discover the beauty and wonders of the water at their own pace.