Anxious. Dizzy. Nauseous. Sweating. That’s you when you are confronted by your irrational fears. While some see the ocean, large bodies of water, and deep pools as magnificent and beautiful, others find them so terrifying that they are practically paralyzed with fear.
Bored Panda is giving you just a splash of what frightens people with thalassophobia—the fear of deep, open, dark, and dangerous water—with these gorgeous and eerie photos that are dripping with danger. Do you think you might (not) have thalassophobia? Scroll down to find out.
#1 Free Diving In A Kelp Forest
Image source: mike_pants
#2 Crack In The Ice In Nunavut
Image source: colapepsikinnie
#3 There Is Something Big Down There… I Can See Its Shadow
Image source: Scuba-Life
There is nothing shameful about being scared. Fear is an innate part of human life, and it protects you from potential dangers. Even phobias, irrational fears, are quite common.
For example, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that around 9.1% of American adults have had specific phobias in the past year. Around 12.5% of the US adult population experiences specific phobias at some point throughout their lives.
Meanwhile, 19.3% of adolescents aged 13 to 18 had a specific phobia.
#4 This Was A Trapdoor Inside Epstein’s House That LED To The Sea
Image source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
#5 I Think You’ll See The Drop If You Paddle Over This One
The Yucatán is the land of cenotes, with hundreds of them scattered throughout. We’d never seen much about this one, so we figured we’d visit it. Upon arrival, it ripped a hole in our minds almost as big as the cenote itself. Sometimes the big tourist spots are popular for good reason, and even though the crowds are painful, it’s still worth it. Other times, you find the hidden gems off the beaten path, and those are always the most rewarding ones for me.
Image source: benharclerode
#6 Swimming Into A Blue Hole In The Bahamas
Image source: DepressingAura
However, phobias can affect different people, well, differently. For some, they are a mild inconvenience. For others, the effects are so debilitating that it makes daily routine more difficult, limits their options, and reduces the quality of their life.
Based on the data from NIMH, of the adults with specific phobia in the past year, around 21.9% had serious impairment. Furthermore, 30% had moderate impairment and 48.1% had mild impairment.
#7 Dean’s Blue Hole In Long Island, The Bahamas (Via Willtrubridge)
Image source: pinkblueegreen
#8 The View Behind Me While Night Diving In The Red Sea
Image source: unknown, Voicy-ZA
#9 Not The Best Start To A Fishing Trip
Image source: DreamCheeky
People develop phobias due to a combination of factors, ranging from their genetics to their upbringing and past experiences.
In a nutshell, thalassophobia is the intense, persistent fear of deep bodies of water. These sources of fear can be, for example, the ocean or a lake. It can also be something like a murky and particularly deep swimming pool.
#10 Found A Decomposing Humpback Whale Carcass Yesterday. Quite Interesting
Image source: Sterendude
#11 Light In The Darkness
Image source: richardiving
#12 You Probably Shouldn’t Swim In The Ocean At Night
Image source: SeriesOfAdjectives
You are more likely to develop fears related to bodies of water if you have had traumatic experiences. For instance, you may have struggled, drowned, or needed rescuing while swimming or diving. Or you had a nasty, dangerous trip while sailing on a boat.
How you were raised matters, too. For example, if your relatives kept telling you horror stories about the dangers of water, you’ll likely be more wary of it as well. Parents can also pass their irrational fears down to their children, even if their kids don’t initially have the negative associations.
#13 Croesor Mine, Wales
Image source: James Brewster
#14 Abandoned Silver Mine Shafts. Lake Superior Thunder Bay, Ontario
Image source: Mooky7
#15 Manly Ferry This Morning
Image source: CoopersPaleAle
You are also more likely to develop phobias if you have a more anxious, sensitive, or negative personality, as well as keep hearing stories about water accidents, for instance, on the news or social media.
On the genetic side of things, it is likely that many of your ancestors were cautious around deep water, and they may have passed on these traits to their descendants.
On the flip side, if you have a healthy relationship with bodies of water, you can recognize the danger they pose without becoming paralyzed when you’re near them or looking at their photos.
#16 Baja California Sur Gray Whale Eye. The Most Incredible Creatures I Have Ever Had The Privilege Of Meeting
Image source: walk-the-talk
#17 Sitting In The Engine Of A Sunken L-1011
Image source: 77xp
#18 A Flooded, Abandoned Mineshaft
Image source: Good-Bloke
For some people suffering from thalassophobia, it is the vastness and overwhelming scale of open water that scares them. For others, it might be the (real or imagined) dangers that lurk just beneath the surface.
This is distinct from aquaphobia, the irrational and intense fear of water. Aquaphobia might mean that the person is terrified of baths or even splashing, not just deep water and swimming pools.
#19 Look Close
Image source: sjsharks8
#20 The Reef Dropped Off Into This Abyssal Green Nothingness
Image source: zootia
#21 My Friend Posted This On Her Facebook
Image source: AristonD
On the physical side of things, someone with thalassophobia can feel the following symptoms when they are near a vast body of water, are exposed to content about it, or are even simply imagining it:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Lightheadedness
- Rapid breathing and a shortness of breath
- Racing heart
- Sweating
On top of this, you can also experience emotional symptoms such as anxiety, detachment, feeling overwhelmed, and a desire to escape.
You might also feel a sense of imminent doom.
#22 Nothing Really Special, Just Heading To Our First 6-Hour Shift
Image source: tearin_
#23 In Lake Travis, Texas, You Can Watch Jaws While Sitting In An Inner Tube
Image source: SarahO_Connell, iliketosharestuff
#24 A Pool With Holes
Image source: Geschinta
For some individuals, their having thalassophobia will barely affect their routine. For others, it can severely lower their quality of life. You may, for instance, suffer from sudden panic attacks, chronically feel anxious or depressed, feel lonely and socially isolated, and misuse substances to cope with your fear.
This is unhealthy. Thankfully, thalassophobia, like many other phobias, can be treated.
#25 What I Know For Sure Is I Will Be Terrified
Image source: darksidedivers
#26 Giant Anaconda In The Amazon River
Image source: PostModernPromethius
#27 Jacob’s Well In Texas
The depth of the well makes its bottom inaccessible to sight. Therefore, it seems endless, and the water is so transparent that the illusion of emptiness is created. The well itself is only the entrance to the labyrinth of underwater caves that have existed for many millennia, and no one knows exactly how deep this well really is or what is at the bottom.
Image source: amonaloli12
One way to help, for example, is to desensitize yourself to your triggers by gradually exposing yourself to the source of your fears. This can involve both real-life exposure and virtual exposure.
Another approach is to try cognitive behavioral therapy, aka CBT. This type of therapy, the American Psychological Association explains, focuses on changing your thinking patterns. Namely, you learn to recognize how your distorted thinking can create problems, understand your behavior and motivations, use your problem-solving skills to cope with tough situations, and develop confidence in your abilities.
#28 All These Water Spouts Are Happening At Once
Image source: JAdamsidk123, Eric Elwell
#29 Abandonment Of Your True Self Is Selfish. When In Service To Your True Self, Your Self Is Abandoned
Image source: branjake
#30 Some Pics From The Southern California Oil Rigs. These Are Platforms, Eureka And Ely, In Long Beach, California
Image source: SoupCatDiver_JJ
How do these photos of mysterious, deep, open, and dark bodies of water make you feel, Pandas?
Do you think you have thalassophobia, and if so, how does it affect your daily life? Thalassophobia aside, what other irrational fears do you have?
What scares you the most? (Yours truly, for instance, has acrophobia, the fear of heights.)
Keep scrolling and diving deeper, and share your insights and experiences in the comments section at the bottom of this list.
#31 Taking A Short Break While Doing Hull Inspections
Image source: TheDoctor_RS
#32 Found A Still Water Pool In An Abandoned Water Park, Which Was Around 5 Ft Deep
Image source: PossibilityPowerful
#33 AFT Ballast Tank On My Ship. Had To Dewater And Inspect It
Image source: Cornholiolio73
#34 Milada Lake, Czech Republic
Image source: esmo52
#35 Just A Pilatus PC-12NGX Floating In The Pacific Ocean. I Can’t Imagine How Scary It Must Be To Experience This
Image source: HONcircle
#36 Canadian Photographer Steven Haining Breaks World Record For Deepest Underwater Photoshoot At 163 Ft – Model Poses On Shipwreck Without Diving Gear
The team first achieved this record in 2021 at a depth of 6.40 metres, and decided to reclaim their record with a new, much deeper attempt. The photoshoot took place on the deck of the Hydro Atlantic shipwreck in Boca Raton. Steve Haining was the photographer, Ciara Antoski was the model, and Wayne Fryman was the technical diving and safety expert. In advance of the attempt, both Steve and Ciara had to go through an additional ear of technical training, gas blending, and decompression practice in order to safely make it to the depth recorded.
Image source: Guinness World Records, guinnessworldrecords
#37 A Complete Bird’s-Eye View Of The Titanic Wreck
Image source: Andy-roo77
#38 Lagoon Kan Luum
Image source: divingintothedarkness
#39 The World Capital Of Cave Diving (Playa Del Carmen, Quintana Roo)
Image source: richardiving
#40 Even At 30°c, Serious Divers Know A Drysuit Isn’t Just For Cold Water
Image source: deepdivedubai
#41 Lumberton, TX
Image source: FilthyFilthFilth
#42 Took A Swim 74 Miles Off The Coast Of Madagascar Today. This Was My POV
My boat was 3 meters behind, but I don’t want to imagine what it would feel like if alone without any boat to climb on.
Image source: Firm-Primary-6241
#43 Underwater Gates At Niagara Falls Power Station
Image source: reds-kinda-sus
#44 On The Edge Of The Deep, Dark Blue
Image source: claire303
#45 “Thalassophobia” 3D Render
Image source: AnarkyMusic
#46 Ultimate Zen
Image source: mlara51
#47 Fog Over The Atlantic. Does This Qualify?
Image source: unknown
#48 Hands To Bathe – With A Twist. Diver Recreationally Dives On HMNZS Te Mana While She Is Moored Off Western Australia
Image source: Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy
#49 It Was So Amazing To Be Diving On The Same Line As The World Record Holder In Full Beast Mode, And Seeing That Level Of Training Was Actually Insane
Image source: danparsons.freediver
#50 Freediving
Image source: danparsons.freediver, freedivingcentral
#51 My Friend Took This Photo From The Fishing Boat She Works On In Antarctica
Image source: fuqers
#52 Another Reason To Stay Out Of The Water
Image source: KeegashYT
#53 Who Knows What’s Down There
Image source: Detonator212
#54 German U-Boat Spotted From The Air
Image source: KingNeptune767
#55 I Have Thalassophobia After Looking It Up
Image source: louisdavis_
#56 14 Years Working Offshore
Posted a few photos from my time working offshore. I worked as a Deluge Testing Engineer for a Fire Suppression company (still do, but onshore for the last 3 years).
Image source: Stuntm4nMik3
#57 Taking Deep Breaths. Going Fishing 5 Miles Off The Coast. It’s Not Far, But It’s Dark And Deep
Image source: MonkeyNugetz
#58 Had To Jump On This Trend
Image source: emilys_wings
#59 Completed My Open Water Diver Certification Yesterday. Came Across This Weird Hole In The Ground On My Last Dive At 45 Ft Deep
Made me a little uneasy to float over.
Image source: Arby77
#60 131 Ft Deep Swimming Pool In Padua, Italy. That “Landing Pad” At The Bottom Especially Freaks Me Out
Image source: jennasky
#61 My Cousin Posted This Today On Instagram
Image source: holliemariee
#62 The King Pulled The Rod From The Holder
Image source: BlkDragonSlaya
#63 These Things In A Wave Pool. I’m A Grown Man, And I Still Can’t Swim Or Dive Anywhere Near Those Things
Image source: reygh
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