Fear in the water

[Genie]

I want to learn how to surf very much, however I freak out in the water. Today was my first time far out on a board, and I was knocked off one time and thought I was going to have a panic attack. I have this obsession with sharks, and I think this has tainted my view of the ocean.

Anyways, has anyone experienced this? Is this something I can eventually get over? I understand that statistically shark attacks are rare, but I guess I just have a fear of the unknown or something.

I live in HI, and it would be a shame if I leave here without learning how to surf. Thanks for any input!

Gina

[justloafing]

Best thing I can think of from reading your post is............Did you get bit? Nope. You got through the hardest part IMO. You did it. Keep doing it and it may surprise you that your fear may dwindle. You know what your chances are as far as getting bit are very slim and that is a good thing. Now it just over coming your fear. Or to put it bluntly your irrational thinking. I do not mean that in a bad way but as you stated you know your chances are more than excellent that your not going to get bit.

My suggestion to you is go out and surf and if you feel a panic attack coming on. Take a hold of your thoughts and calmly paddle to shore and take a break till your panic subsides and then go back out. Your either going to lose the fear or your not. Remember surfing is supposed to be a great experience not a fearful one. Take your time and when your out there make it a good time.

[smallwavegrovellerchick]

Lots of sealife to contend with here in HI... sea urchins, box jellyfish 10 days after full moon, Portuguese man-o-wars on the East side, numerous shark attacks on Maui and Kauai, and didn't someone get bitten by a baracuda at Diamond Head (saw an 8' tiger out there)? In addition to the dangers posed by sealife, you can sustain injuries or illness from sharp reef, surfboards (both your own and other people's), and sewage spills. The bottom line is...how badly do you want to surf? If you surf because it's the cool thing to do, then these are considerable risks that you need to take into account. On the other hand, if you actually experience surf withdrawal and your mental well being deteriorates when you don't surf...well, all that other stuff is just an afterthought.

PS: the Hawaiians view sharks as 'Aumakua, or the spirits of their ancestors

[Sar]

Best thing I can think of from reading your post is............Did you get bit? Nope. You got through the hardest part IMO. You did it. Keep doing it and it may surprise you that your fear may dwindle. You know what your chances are as far as getting bit are very slim and that is a good thing. Now it just over coming your fear. Or to put it bluntly your irrational thinking. I do not mean that in a bad way but as you stated you know your chances are more than excellent that your not going to get bit.

My suggestion to you is go out and surf and if you feel a panic attack coming on. Take a hold of your thoughts and calmly paddle to shore and take a break till your panic subsides and then go back out. Your either going to lose the fear or your not. Remember surfing is supposed to be a great experience not a fearful one. Take your time and when your out there make it a good time.

what he said.

The annoying thing about phobias is that they are irrational so thinking about it logically often doesnt work. Read up on some basic cognitive therapy and try to put it into practice to get over fears.

http://www.cognitivetherapynyc.com/problems.asp?sid=245

If you take over the top precautionary measures or allow yourself to panic then you will only serve to perpetuate your fear so take your time and just try and have fun
Im scared of birds, I am sure that they are just waiting to peck me to death - watched Alfred Hitchcocks 'Birds' when I was too young
If its watching Jaws that did it for you be reassured that you will hear a good 2 minutes of the 'daaa dum, daaa dum' music if a shark is anywhere near you

[rich r]

Therapy.

[godsgr4ce]

i used to have a ridiculous fear of the ocean because i had almost drowned when i was a wee grom. but i've come to love the ocean. as long as you go out there with respect for the ocean, you'll be fine. the chances of you getting injured from your own board or actions are higher than you getting bitten by a shark or anything else.

[southcoaster]

i get that sometimes, but luckly my testosterone takes over and i think im 'well hard' and just think if one comes to me ill knock its teath out and give it a black eye...... try that....

[details]

I don't know if this will help but I used to have a fear of water, or more accuratley being out of my depth, and so couldn't swim either. I initially learned to swim in order to scuba dive, just doing 25m was a massive acheivement for me and since then by taking it one step at a time over the last 5 yrs I've become a reasonable swimmer and a lot more confident in the water. So I recon you should take it easy and just push yourself a bit each time but know your limits and most importantly have fun and as far as sharks go why worry about something that will most probably never happen! Though that's easily said living here

[ANZAC]

I wont surf on my own.
I figure if there is at least one other guy out, my chances of getting eaten a halved.
I am s@#t scared of getting eaten.
Ill surf shallow rocks, ledges, finger coral, big surf..... but give me some seawead crops and I see things. It gets pretty bad.

[norcalsurfer77]

i read somewhere that you have a greater chance of dying by walking down the beach and accidentally falling into a hole (from someone digging sand out for castles, etc.) and the hole's sides caving in around you and you suffocate to death, than being killed by a shark.

you're probably a million times more likely to die just driving to the beach than you're likely to even see a shark.

been surfing 15 years, boogie boarding even longer. i've never seen a shark and i surf in the red triangle.

try doing some snorkeling first. that might help.

[dougirwin13]

The fact is, you are far, far safer in the water than on land (assuming you can swim). Many times over.

I could quote any number of statistics. Like how more people are killed by domestic pigs. Or being thrown by horse. Or by lightning, cars, bees, drowning in the bathtub, elctrocution, slipping and falling, being hit by falling object, etc, etc.

However these facts will, at best, convince and placate your conscious mind.

And that's not the part of your mind that's the problem.

It's that unconscious part of you that is the problem. Usually it's fear that comes from a lifetime of media scaremongering. And being in an evironment where you aren't totally in control. And where you realise your senses aren't able to alert you of danger in the same way as on ground - the "anything could be in the water" factor. And the primal fear of the ocean that seems to be a part of thge majority of the world's basic culture.

If you find that you really are having true panic attacks you need to practise calming techniques at home. Techniques that slow your breathing and your heartrate. Practice these until you can do them almost without thinking. Hopefully using them before entering the water and continuing to use them once in the water will do the trick. If not you should consider contacting a decent sports psychologist who should be able to help you defeat your fears.

Please do let us know how you get along!

-doug
Compsand.com - The Composite Surfboard Cooperative!

[The Fafanator]

Just go in every day, and just sit there, the fear wil go away.