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Do I Have Thalassophobia?

Take this quiz to find out if you have symptoms.

For many people, the sea is a source of peace, calm, and inspiration. For others, the word “ocean” calls to mind images of rogue waves, shark attacks, drowning, deep-sea creatures, giant squid, shipwrecks, pitch-blackness—whoa, we’re freaking ourselves out here a little!

Did you know that there’s actually a word for the irrational fear of the sea, deep water, and the open ocean? It’s thalassophobia , and if the images we just conjured made your heart start to beat a little faster, it’s possible you’re a little thalassophobic yourself! Want to find out for sure? Take our quiz to see if you’ve got possible symptoms of thalassophobia.

A girl looks off to the side with a worried expression on her face.

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Questions Overview

1. Close your eyes. Picture a bird’s eye view of the open ocean—nothing but water as far as the eye can see. How do you feel?
  1. My heart is pumping. The open ocean? Nothing but water? This is a nightmare! I need land! I need land!!!!
  2. I feel a little spooked—it’s a pretty intimidating image! But I know it’s just my imagination and I’m safe.
  3. I feel fine, nothing out of the ordinary.
  4. I feel so calm and relaxed! What’s more peaceful than the ocean?
2. How do you feel swimming in deep water when you can’t see the bottom?
  1. I wouldn’t know for sure because I would absolutely never ever do that! But imagining it, I feel my heart sinking. How terrifying!
  2. It definitely makes me a little scared. I have to remind myself it’s (probably) safe.
  3. I don’t really mind. I’m just having a nice time swimming!
  4. I love it! Not knowing what might be at the bottom even makes it more thrilling!
3. Time for your cruise vacay! How do you feel?
  1. You’re joking, right? I would never agree to a cruise! I’m staying right here on dry land.
  2. I’m a little nervous if I think about it too much, but generally excited to go on a cruise.
  3. I’m looking forward to it! I could use some relaxation.
  4. A cruise is my dream vacation! The open ocean and an all-you-can-eat buffet? Sign me up!
4. Do you avoid watching movies that feature the ocean?
  1. 100% yes. I can’t even think about watching a whale documentary.
  2. Mostly yes. I know I’m safe, but ocean imagery still makes me a little too nervous.
  3. Not really. Maybe if it’s a violent movie? But typically no.
  4. Not at all! I go out of my way to see movies about the ocean. I think it’s beautiful!
5. Imagine the bottom of the ocean, in the deepest, darkest parts of the Mariana Trench. Now, imagine what lives down there . How do you feel?
  1. Please stop. Please just…stop. I can’t handle this.
  2. I feel freaked out, but I know I’m safe.
  3. I feel fine. I certainly wouldn’t want to be in the Mariana Trench myself, but who would?
  4. I could daydream about the Mariana Trench all day! What mysterious creatures lurk down there? It really gets my imagination going…
6. Do you ever feel anxious when you’re at the beach?
  1. I can’t even tell you the last time I was at the beach, that’s how much it terrifies me.
  2. I sometimes get a little panicky at the beach, but I try to overcome it.
  3. Not really. As long as I’m taking all the necessary safety precautions, why be anxious?
  4. Not at all! On the contrary, I feel inspired, exhilarated, and one with nature. I love it!
7. Your friends have invited you to go scuba diving. Do you accept the invite?
  1. Is this a trick question? No friends of mine would ever ask me to scuba dive!
  2. It’d be tough, but I might have to turn them down. Unless scuba diving in the pool is an option?
  3. Sure! Sounds like a fun trip, as long as we all get proper training.
  4. Helloooo, I’m the friend inviting everyone scuba diving! I love it!
8. You’re swimming in a murky lake. What’s your reaction?
  1. I can’t stop thinking about my feet, all the way down in the depths…what if something comes up and bites them?
  2. I’m having fun, but if I see a fish or mysterious shadow, I’m out of there.
  3. Nothing out of the ordinary.
  4. I’m having a blast! I love playing in the water no matter where I am.
9. What’s the scariest?
  1. Megalodons (you know, the giant pre-historic sharks) or tsunamis.
  2. Getting lost at sea or hurricanes.
  3. Earthquakes or flashfloods.
  4. Tornadoes or volcanic eruptions.
10. Have you ever seen images of the ocean on social media that made you feel scared just by looking at them?
  1. Yes, they terrify me. That’s what made me realize I might have thalassophobia.
  2. I’ve seen photos that give me the creeps, but they don’t make me feel unsafe.
  3. Possibly—but not often.
  4. Nope, never.

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thinking<\/i> about the open ocean is enough to give you a heart attack. Your fear is beyond just occasional nerves\u2014even taking a bath is enough to set off your anxiety! You probably can\u2019t even watch Finding Nemo<\/i>. And Sharknado<\/i>? Forget about it! Our advice? Stay on dry land!

If your fear of water is interfering with your daily life, the good news is there\u2019s help available. Cognitive behavioral therapy, with an emphasis on gradual exposure therapy, may be able to help you slowly overcome your thalassophobia. With gradual exposure therapy, your therapist would gradually introduce you to water-related stimuli (like photos of the ocean or recordings of whale sounds) while teaching you techniques to manage your anxiety, like deep breathing or counting to 5. Over time, you may learn to feel more relaxed around the ocean.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Get-over-a-Fear-of-Deep-Water"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Deal-With-Anxiety"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Get over a Fear of Deep Water","id":79709,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Get-over-a-Fear-of-Deep-Water","image":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e1\/Get-over-a-Fear-of-Deep-Water-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Get-over-a-Fear-of-Deep-Water-Step-16-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Get over a Fear of Deep Water"},{"title":"How to Deal With Anxiety","id":67059,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Deal-With-Anxiety","image":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/74\/Deal-With-Anxiety-Step-20-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Deal-With-Anxiety-Step-20-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Deal With Anxiety"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You\u2019ve probably got thalassophobia.","meaning":"Based on your results, you\u2019ve got a healthy fear of big bodies of water\u2014well, OK, maybe it\u2019s not exactly healthy<\/i>, but you\u2019re often able to logic your way through your terror. Maybe you avoid trips to the beach when you can, and you\u2019re not a huge fan of the movie Titanic<\/i>, but you can overcome your fear by reciting calming mantras to remind yourself you\u2019re safe. Still, probably best to stick to dry land when you\u2019re able.

If your fear of water is interfering with your daily life, the good news is there\u2019s help available. Cognitive behavioral therapy, with an emphasis on gradual exposure therapy, may be able to help you slowly overcome your thalassophobia. With gradual exposure therapy, your therapist would gradually introduce you to water-related stimuli (like photos of the ocean or recordings of whale sounds) while teaching you techniques to manage your anxiety, like deep breathing or counting to 5. Over time, you may learn to feel more relaxed around the ocean.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Overcome-Fear"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Perform-Mantra-Meditation"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Overcome Fear","id":40333,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Overcome-Fear","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/03\/Overcome-Fear-Step-16-Version-4.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Overcome-Fear-Step-16-Version-4.jpg","alt":"How to Overcome Fear"},{"title":"How to Perform Mantra Meditation","id":119592,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Perform-Mantra-Meditation","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d8\/Perform-Mantra-Meditation-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Perform-Mantra-Meditation-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Perform Mantra Meditation"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You probably don\u2019t have thalassophobia.","meaning":"Based on your answers, you\u2019ve got a pretty reasonable amount of caution when it comes to large bodies of water\u2014as you should! Nature is fickle, and it\u2019s always good to take the necessary precautions when dealing with her.

So as long as you\u2019re wearing your life preserver, you feel pretty OK in the water\u2014you maybe even enjoy it. And movies like Jaws<\/i> or The Poseidon Adventure<\/i> can give you a healthy dose of fear, but it\u2019s all in good fun. In other words, you don\u2019t seem particularly afraid of the ocean or whatever. Lucky you!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stay-Underwater-Longer"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Fun-at-the-Beach"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Stay Underwater Longer","id":8833349,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stay-Underwater-Longer","image":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3f\/Stay-Underwater-Longer-Step-12.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stay-Underwater-Longer-Step-12.jpg","alt":"How to Stay Underwater Longer"},{"title":"How to Have Fun at the Beach","id":551852,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Fun-at-the-Beach","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Have-Fun-at-the-Beach-Step-18-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-Fun-at-the-Beach-Step-18-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Have Fun at the Beach"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You definitely don\u2019t have thalassaphobia.","meaning":"Fear of large bodies of water? As if! You\u2019re practically a merperson, that\u2019s how into the ocean you are (get it?). Water not only doesn\u2019t scare you\u2014you actively seek it out. You\u2019re always waiting for your next day off to spend at the beach\u2014heck, you probably even work<\/i> near the water, you\u2019re so passionate about it. And why shouldn\u2019t you be? It\u2019s the epitome of calming! Just\u2026be sure to wear your life vest when you\u2019re out on the open water! (And plenty of sunscreen!)","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stay-Underwater-Longer"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Fun-at-the-Beach"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Stay Underwater Longer","id":8833349,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stay-Underwater-Longer","image":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3f\/Stay-Underwater-Longer-Step-12.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stay-Underwater-Longer-Step-12.jpg","alt":"How to Stay Underwater Longer"},{"title":"How to Have Fun at the Beach","id":551852,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Fun-at-the-Beach","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Have-Fun-at-the-Beach-Step-18-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-Fun-at-the-Beach-Step-18-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Have Fun at the Beach"}],"minimum":0}]" class="quiz_results_data"/>\"Creepypasta<\/picture>","alt":"Which Creepypasta Am I Quiz"},{"title":"Which Five Nights at Freddy's Character Am I Quiz","id":14126891,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Fnaf-Quiz","image":"\"Fnaf<\/picture>","alt":"Which Five Nights at Freddy's Character Am I Quiz"},{"title":"When Will I Die Quiz","id":14176019,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/When-Will-I-Die","image":"\"When<\/picture>","alt":"When Will I Die Quiz"}],"number":1},{"text":"This quiz taught me a lot about myself. I want to know more about how my brain works.","result":"We hear you loud and clear! Learn more about you<\/i> with these quizzes:","next_quizzes":[{"title":"Right Brain vs Left Brain Test","id":13844549,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Right-Brain-vs-Left-Brain-Test","image":"\"Right<\/picture>","alt":"Right Brain vs Left Brain Test"},{"title":"Introvert or Extrovert Quiz","id":13737789,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Introvert-or-Extrovert-Quiz","image":"\"Introvert<\/picture>","alt":"Introvert or Extrovert Quiz"},{"title":"What Is My Mental Age Quiz","id":13933939,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Mental-Age-Test","image":"\"Mental<\/picture>","alt":"What Is My Mental Age Quiz"}],"number":2}]}" class="quiz_questionnaire_data"/>

More About Thalassophobia

Thalassophobia is an intense and irrational fear of large or deep bodies of water, such as oceans, lakes, and seas. The word comes from the Greek thalasso (“sea”) and phobia (“fear”). There are other types of fears of water, such as aquaphobia, which is a general fear of water, but thalassophobia refers specifically to the fear of deep or large bodies of water.

It’s not uncommon or unreasonable to fear the unknown, such as what lies miles beneath your boat, or to fear something that can cause you harm, such as water or certain aquatic animals. In fact, in manageable amounts, fear can keep us alive, because it spurs us to take precautions—like wearing a life vest in the water, or making sure there’s a lifeguard on duty when swimming. But folks with thalassophobia may have such overwhelming terror of open or deep water that they avoid even going to the beach—and they may even avoid movies or images of the ocean!

It’s unknown how many people suffer from thalassophobia, but to give you an idea, an estimated 2-3% of the general population suffers from aquaphobia, or the general fear of water—presumably, all of those people also suffer from thalassophobia. So if you’re among them, take heart: you’re not alone!

As for where thalassophobia comes from, it could stem from past negative experiences with water—for instance, if you nearly drowned as a child, or even if you only watched a movie where someone drowned, you may grow up to fear large bodies of water. Additionally, if you grew up with people with thalassophobia, you may learn to fear large bodies of water yourself.

If you’re struggling with thalassophobia, the good news is it may be manageable through cognitive behavioral therapy based on “gradual exposure” treatment: in other words, your therapist would gradually introduce you to water-related stimuli (like photos of the ocean or recordings of whale sounds) while teaching you relaxation techniques that can help you manage your anxiety. With time, patience, and grace towards yourself, you may learn to feel more relaxed around the ocean.

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