Originating from the Greek word “bathios” which means depth and “phobos” which means fear, Bathophobia is the immense fear or aversion of things that are deep or have depth.

As stated before, some obvious examples that come to mind include wells, seas, or lakes but other examples include mountain valleys and tunnels. While these examples don’t present the usual definition of being deep, there is no mistaking the unsettling feeling due to the lack of light present as a result of a room or place being far away from a source of light.

To be seen as having Bathophobia, a feeling of unease is not enough. Similar to any other phobia, the fear of the deep must be intense, rooted in an irritational logic, and effecting one’s daily life. While reporting these experiences, one must also have had these for an extended period of time, typically a minimum of 6 months. Lastly, it is important to note that Bathophobia is not specifically identified as a phobia in the DSM-5 but can be diagnosed as a specific phobia classified under one of the 5 areas (i.e., animal type, natural environment type, blood-injection-injury type, situational type, other type).

What are the symptoms of Bathophobia?What are the causes of Bathophobia?How to cope and treat Bathophobia?

What are the symptoms of Bathophobia?

What are the causes of Bathophobia?

How to cope and treat Bathophobia?

Psychological Symptoms

Symptoms classified as psychological are usually related to anxiety such as feelings of being overwhelmed or feeling trapped. While perhaps not as well-known, cognitions such as irrational thoughts like believing one will die if put in a situation where there is depth are also a symptom and are essentially what makes the phobia. Again, these are irrational and not logic and are usually tied to believing something will go incredibly wrong if in a situation where there is depth such as dying, from the previous example, or being in some form of danger.

Physical Symptoms

A second category of symptoms that individuals can experience include physical symptoms. These symptoms, again, are tied to anxiety and the physical reactions one must being distressed. In fact, those with Bathophobia can experience increase heart rate, nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath to name a few.

Behavioral Symptoms

In sum, there are a number of symptoms an individual with Bathophobia may experience as a result of being in a situation where an object is perceived as being deep. It should be noted, that although these are all symptoms it is possible to not experience all of them or perhaps experience certain types of symptoms. Similar to a health diagnosis, having a phobia can be a unique experience for each individual and what identifies having a phobia like Bathophobia is the length of time symptoms have occurred and the negative affect it has on one’s daily life and well-being.

Genetics

One factor known to be a reason for someone developing or having Bathophobia are their genes or family history. Particularly, the presence of genes related to anxiety can be found in individuals with phobias like Bathophobia and are known to be passed down from other individuals in one’s family. Something to note, in our discussion of genes there is no single gene correlated to anxiety. Instead, if present, there is a group of genes related to anxiety that can lead to the development of a number of anxiety disorders such as phobias.

Psychology

Psychological factors can also cause and increase the chance of developing a phobia. Specifically, traumatic experiences are an obvious reason as to why someone has a phobia like Bathophobia. You may be able to imagine the lasting impact falling into a well could leave or perhaps almost drowning in a lake/pool, but these traumatic experiences can also vary due to individual differences such that there is no single experience that causes the development of Bathophobia. Additionally, having other psychological disorders like GAD or perhaps PTSD can also increase the likelihood for acquiring a phobia such as this one.

Environment

Finally, environmental factors are a third possible cause to having Bathophobia. This factor refers to places or settings people are present in and the ways in which these areas influence the individual. Specifically, our environments include certain people such as a home having a family and those family members impacting us. As you can image, those we are closest to or those we see frequently can have a large impact on who we are and who we become. Thus, the environments we stay in can lead to the development of certain behaviors (e.g., eversion to areas with depth like a pool) and even beliefs.

Medications

With phobias falling under the umbrella of anxiety disorders, anti-anxiety medications are a typical form of treatment. These types of medications, as well as others, help to lessen anxious behaviors and symptoms allowing for the individual to move about their lives without much hindrance. Additionally, antidepressants or SSRIs can also be prescribed due to the commonality of developing depression alongside having a phobia.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

An equally as common form of treatment for phobias such as Bathophobia is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or CBT. This type of therapy is done with a licensed clinician and works on identifying and changing negative thought patterns related to the stimuli, in this case areas with depth or that are deep. Not only that, but part of the treatment also provides the individual with resources to lessen the impact or suffering thus providing a better form of coping to exposure.

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Reference this article:Practical Psychology. (2022, June).Bathophobia - The Fear of the Deep.Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/bathophobia-the-fear-of-the-deep/.Practical Psychology. (2022, June). Bathophobia - The Fear of the Deep. Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/bathophobia-the-fear-of-the-deep/.Copy

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Practical Psychology. (2022, June).Bathophobia - The Fear of the Deep.Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/bathophobia-the-fear-of-the-deep/.Practical Psychology. (2022, June). Bathophobia - The Fear of the Deep. Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/bathophobia-the-fear-of-the-deep/.Copy

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