Bathophobia

Bathophobia is an unreasonable fear of depth. A person might feel the fear of falling into something which appears long or deep. A person could be easily scared of a long hallway, a deep pool or a well. A person who has bathophobia could realise that the height does not scare them; the depth of the place is scary. If a person sees an image of something deep, they may start to feel anxiety and might shake or sweat. They feel afraid of things that do not necessarily pose any threat, such as a hallway.

Bathophobia Symptoms

Bathophobia may cause panic-like symptoms. A person may start to feel physical symptoms just by the mention of a place that is deep or an image of a deep place. The mere thought of going near such a place may frighten them. Some bathophobia symptoms are:

· Anxiety

· Nausea

· Breathing difficulty

· Tightening in the chest

· Dry mouth

· Headache

· Fear of losing control

· Inability to concentrate

· Excessive sweating

Bathophobia Causes

Bathophobia may develop for several reasons and could drastically affect the personal and social life of a person. These phobias develop in the unconscious mind over a long time, and the person might be unaware about this. Fears develop due to incidents from the past. The person may have gone through some accident or trauma where they may have experienced falling. Bathophobia is related to the fear of falling,hence, people who have bathophobia avoid going to the terrace or near a railing.

Bathophobia could be genetic as well. It is highly likely for a person to develop bathophobia if another person in the family has this condition too. A person may also develop bathophobia as a fallout of an already existing mental condition. 

Bathophobia Treatments

Bathophobia treatments are very similar to other anxiety disorders. Some medications may be helpful, along with therapy. A few popular Bathophobia treatments are:

1. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy- Cognitive behavioural therapy is a kind of counselling technique that helps modify the behaviour of the person by changing the way a person thinks. The therapist explains the methods to help the person deal with the fear. This will enable the person to understand the fear through a thought process. These types of therapies are very effective in bathophobia.

2. Exposure Therapy- In exposure therapy, the person is exposed to their fears in a controlled manner. The therapist will first start with something less intense, and gradually increase the intensity. The therapist may show the person images of bottomless pits or other places with depth. When the person starts doing well with these stimuli, they face their fear in actual spaces; the edge of a deep well or to the middle of the sea by boat. However, these intense exposures will only be given when the person has learnt to take control of their thoughts and emotions.

3. Medication- In mild cases of bathophobia, medication is not required. Therapy can help a person manage fear. However, in extreme cases, medication may be recommended. Anti-anxiety pills coils alleviate symptoms. If there is a risk that the person might go into a depression, then anti-depression pills are prescribed as well.

4. Self-help techniques- The person uses these techniques on themselves. This could be yoga to reduce anxiety, for instance. Yoga must be regularly practised to make it effective. A person who has bathophobia may hyperventilate when facing stress. This causes an imbalance in the intake of oxygen. Yoga is effective in keeping us calm by controlling and regulating breathing.

Conclusion

Bathophobia is known as the fear of depths. A person may develop it through some previous accident or trauma. It is difficult to determine when a person developed bathophobia because we develop phobias in our unconscious mind, and we know it later in our lives. However, it can also be genetic or if a person has some other mental disorder. Mild cases do not require medications; therapy could work effectively for such people. However, if a person is in an extreme case of bathophobia, proper medications may be required.