How can i get rid of my fear?

Question

I have a huge fear of water when i was little a sand shark swam 1 foot away from me and my dad in the water then i got more afraid of sharks then the water my family and friends have really fun in the water and i want to i dont even step in the water now

Answer 1

sharks don't attack people. they don't eat people and don't like the taste of it. by swimming in the ocean you are in their home and territory.  sand sharks don't attack people. by starters, you can go to an aquarium and watch the sharks and their behaviors. they are good smart animals. its a common fear that many people.  fear comes from not knowing or understanding. look up sharks and what kind are local on your coastline.  sharks only attack when they think the person is a seal since that's what they eat.  the only way to conquer a fear is by facing it head on.

Answer 2

Fear comes from ignorance, lack of knowledge, and unfamiliarity with what it is you're afraid of.  Learn about Sand Sharks, and all other sharks for that matter.  Learn to wade and swim in a clear water pool where it is guaranteed that you will not see any sharks.  Take swimming lessons and learn to swim and dive and play in the water.  There is truly nothing to be afraid of.  

Some people, when they learn to swim, think they have to wear nose-blugs or clamps to keep the water from going up their noses.  But, this is not true.  Water will NOT go up your nose because there is too much air pressure in your lungs, airways, and head to allow that.  That also comes from fear.

I have been in the water with sharks before, but most of the time you never come across them.  The best thing to do when you see a shark, IF you see a shark, is just to avoid it, and get out of the water if you have to, but there is no need to be afraid.  Remember, sharks are pretty stupid.  They are not at all like you see in the movies.  They don't seek revenge, they don't protect their mates, they don't eat boats, and they do NOT come after you.

If you really LEARN about water and sharks, you will loose your fear.

Answer 3

take a dive...into the center of the ocean. or just go swim at your local swiming pool.

Answer 4

Ed Atun answer about Immersion Therapy is good.

Go talk to a psychologist about your fear and ways to overcome it. Take some time to get to know about sharks. Go an aquarium's touch tank.

http://www.dtmag.com/Stories/Dive%20Psyc...

....Take for example a fear of sharks. Just the mention of sharks in the water can induce or heighten any diver’s anxiety, but divers who participate in shark behavior courses and learn the true nature of these creatures often transform their fear into a healthy respect....

http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/sharks...

......Selachophobia can be professionally treated in the same way as other irrational fears of things, such as flying or spiders, although finding the right approach for an individual can be difficult. Hypnotherapy, behavioural therapy and medication have all been used successfully.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

Rachel- I went to the aquarium and just got used to seeing them. Then, my aquarium has a touching zoo, so once I got used to their look I went there and touched a nurse-shark (they feel kinda like a wet lemon...) Now, the ocean...I'm not really sure how to over come that fear...

http://www.riverbanks.org/animals/factsh...

.....For some people, the word "shark" strikes fear into their hearts-but only because they do not know much about these truly amazing animals. Consider this: Only 10 out of the 350 different species of sharks are considered dangerous to humans. Of the six billion people that inhabit the Earth, less then 10 people per year are attacked by sharks, but more than 12 million sharks are killed by people each year.

Eliminating our fear of sharks and understanding them better can lead to their survival. Sharks are important to the oceans' communities. You can appreciate the beauty and elegance of the shark when you visit the leopard sharks in the Aquarium Reptile Complex at Riverbanks Zoo.

http://www.sharkinfo.ch/SI3_01e/fear.htm...

http://www.netsurgery.com/focus_article....

http://nationalfearsurvey.net.au/results...

http://www.ehow.com/how_2121568_cope-fea...

http://blogs.discovery.com/expedition_sh...

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/FISH/SHARKS/InN...

http://www.newportaquarium.com/index.cfm...

http://www.neaq.org/animals_and_exhibits...

http://www.neaq.org/animals_and_exhibits...

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subject...

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/e...

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/e...

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~cjking/WE/Und...

Answer 5

It sounds like your fear is of sharks or the unknown of the ocean.   Try swimming in a pool. Get accustomed to known water (there is nothing but people in pools).  Then work your way up to oceans try lakes or rivers too.  I am not sure your fear is the water...I believe you need to identify your primary fear before you can overcome it.

Answer 6

You can just wait until your reach a point in your life where you refuse to allow the fear to rule you.  It might take 10 years but you will get there.

If not, Immersion Therapy is used by psychiatrists to desensitize you.  You touch a toe into the water and take it out.  After you do this 50 times, you put your whole foot in.  At any time you can quit.  Then you put your foot in when a goldfish is swimming.  Then a photo of a shark is placed behind the water container.  Etc.   Takes less than 2 weeks and you are swimming with your family.

Answer 7

I have a feeling it's more of an irrational phobia than a reaction to the sand shark swimming near by. I encountered a sand shark when I was little and I wasn't afraid, I wanted to catch it. Unless you were bitten or something just seeing a sand shark, which don't even get very big, is not enough to cause a lifelong fear. My guess is that it's something that's inside you and really the only thing you can do is try to educate yourself as much as possible, therapy, try different methods to calm yourself down or just accept the fact that you have more fun doing other things than going in the water. You're definitely not the only one.

I will stress that education and a better understanding will help your fear IF the fear is solely based on limited and perhaps strictly negative knowledge. However, if it is an irrational phobia, it will probably be harder to get over it than that.