Aquaphobia can come from a traumatic or negative experience, from not learning to swim, or can be inherited from parents. Whatever the cause, all aquaphobes have one thing in common: They avoid being in or near a substance that covers 71% of the planet. Phobias can be explained in three different categories: what they are, how they are caused, and how they can be treated. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Aquaphobia is a common fear and is usually seen in children who have not learned to swim. Most aquaphobes are under the age of 18 and their fear is attributed to swimming. However, some are adults who suffer from an irrational phobia or who have never faced their fear. Symptoms may vary from person to person, but most share similar traits. Many minor aquaphobes have a fear of deep water or entering water; this can lead to ablutophobia, thalassophobia or galeophobia. In rare cases, a person may be afraid to approach water, regardless of its size. It differs from hydrophobia because hydrophobia is the medical name for a symptom of rabies. Aquaphobia can have a significant impact on people's daily lives and swimming activities. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, fear of water usually develops at an early age, but it is rare for people to retain this fear after learning to swim. As with most phobias, it can stem from a negative experience in water, such as being pushed into a swimming pool. Although some people have rational reasons to fear it, most do not. In the book Phobiapedia, the text states: “Aquaphobia can result from splashing or being pushed through water. » It is often also a hereditary phobia; children can learn fear from people they observe. This makes aquaphobia extremely common, especially among people who don't have experience with water. Although it is so common, aquaphobia can be cured. One of the quickest ways to treat a phobia is with exposure therapy. An affected person may start by dipping their feet in a swimming pool and progress to taking swimming lessons. Introducing fear slowly can help eliminate it. Often, it is stopped at a young age thanks to swimming lessons and experience. In more severe cases, a simpler treatment may be to introduce someone to water immediately. Aquaphobia can be cured in several ways, and if treated well enough, it can be completely diminished. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Personalized Essay In summary, aquaphobes can interpret their fear in different ways. However, they all fall under one definition. With beaches becoming overcrowded and more and more homes being built inland, this common phobia is on the rise. New methods and programs are being developed to help reduce the number of aquaphobes. Works CitedAmerican Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing. Bourne, E. J. (2000). The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook. New Harbinger Publications. Davey, GCL (1997). A model conditioning phobias. In P. M. Salkovskis (Ed.), Frontiers of cognitive therapy (pp. 91–113). Guilford Press. Fodor, IE and Lueger, RJ (1985). Phobias, 28(6), 1021-1037.