I am terrified of water.

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I am terrified of water.

I almost drowned when I was young, and it put me off, but I still swam the odd time. Then someone I knew drowned, and that was it for me and water. Recently I booked into a short swimming course to overcome my fear and I am doing really great. However, I can’t dive to save my life. I stand at the edge of the pool terrified and I can’t force myself to do it. I managed to do a kiddy dive from a kneeling position, but my instructor told me I “had” to dive properly this week. Now I am thinking of not going. All week I have been terrified at the prospect and it really freaks me out. Swimming alone is a challenge for me, but I just can’t make myself dive off it. I get too scared. I feel if I don’t go though, I am letting myself be defeated. Equally, I am annoyed that I apparently ‘have’ to dive. I am not doing an exam or getting a certificate. I am paying for it. Surely if I am happy just swimming and doing the majority of the lesson and not the 5 minutes spent diving, that should be my choice? Help, I am freaking out here.

This open post was written 2 months ago | V/U/S: 59, 5, 3 | Edit Post | Leave a reply | Report Post

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Richard Cor de Lyon 20 #
An Undisclosed Location | 2 months ago (6 minutes after post)

Do you want to be able to dive into the water and overcome this fear?

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Anonymous #
2 months ago (20 minutes after post)

I want to be able to swim, not dive. I couldn’t care less about diving elegantly into water. It will never ever help me. If I ever need to get into water in a hurry, I will just jump in and make a splash. I just want to be comfortable in the water. And along the way, I have learnt a few strokes and better technique. Which is great. But I really don’t care about diving. If I go to my lesson though, my instructor will force me. And I will be stuck at the side of the pool like an idiot, trying to psych myself up. Everyone else in the class has done it before and they are all excellent at it

mumstheword 21 #
An Undisclosed Location | 2 months ago (23 minutes after post)

I sympathise. I had an unsympathetic swimming tutor as a child and have never got to like swimmng.. (which is why I’m a goose and not a swan!)

Have you discussed how you feel with your instructor? Is he aware that you are struggling with your fears?

littlenick 159 #
An Undisclosed Location | 2 months ago (35 minutes after post)

If you don’t face your fears head on, you will never conquer them. If you avoid them all together, they will have conquer you and you will never have a normal life.

Face them. Conquer them. Eliminate them from your life.

Go here:

http://www.vitalaffirmations.com/

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Anonymous #
2 months ago (3 hours, 12 minutes after post)

I went and the class went so well. Really loved it. We didn’t get to dive though as we didn’t have time. My instructor talked to me after though about going up a class, and I opened up about my fear and said that I could not handle diving at all, and he said he’d help. So I feel more relieved. Thanks for the help guys! I’m glad I went.

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I am terrified of water. - Help.com