I do think they have these horrifying eyes though. (Read: "Why Great White Sharks Are Still a Mystery to Us"), "The idea of being munched on by an animal that is in control is another factor," Ropeik says. Galeophobia can be overcome in a variety of ways. Lovely family. It helped me reach a comfortable medium when it comes to my anxiety. But where did our fear of sharks come from, and how far back does it go? The fear of sharks has made me scared of baths and water in general. My heart rate is so fast, I get terrified when I’m in the shower and I imagine some sharks coming through the bathtub or in the swimming pool. I have no idea why I’m terrified of sharks, but I can barely shower without going into some sort of panic attack due to thinking of sharks. Fortunately, I haven’t had a shark nightmare and hope to never have to experience it. I tried to look at some shark pics but I couldn’t. Well I’m a girl. I don’t like being surrounded by water so avoid pools, and the fear of my legs dangling beneath the surface sends chills up my spine. Yes I watched jaws and laughed that this article talks about it. There are more than 465 known species of sharks, and they can range in size from the 7-inch spined pygmy shark to the 50-foot-long whale shark. WATCH: A great white shark turns underwater videographer when it grabs a research camera rig in the Southwest Pacific. Having a Fear of Sharks means there’s something in your DNA that makes you think it might be a bad idea to want to go swimming with something that is literally five-times your size and has rows of razor blade-like teeth capable of shredding you into pieces before you can say “cannon ball!”. The worst part is that I know my fear is completely irrational but no matter how much I tell myself that it doesn’t matter, it still terrifies me. I hate sharks. It is a parable in a meme (to mix narrative metaphors): our infantile fear for our infants becomes the innocent animal’s death. Being eaten alive by a 15-foot-long tiger shark seems like a painful way to suffer through death, and we dread the possibility that a shark attack could be the thing that kills us. Fear of Sharks Phobia – Galeophobia or Selachophobia. (Watch: "World's Deadliest: Shark Superpowers"). The minute I saw the sharks in their tank I began to panic and since I am unable to even look at pictures or hear the word without feeling in some way anxious. In writing her book, Shark Attacks: Myths, Misunderstandings and Human Fear, Chapman found that the human brain tends to oversimplify numbers. Cancer and heart disease are also way more likely to kill you. I can’t see myself ever overcoming this :/. In 2013, the beach that is 30 minutes away had a shark swimming in 12 inches of water. Following are the symptoms of fear of sharks: Many phobics also scream or close their eyes each time there is an underwater scene in movies. This is crazy, i cant even drink dark liquids without a straw because i think a mini shark is in the bottle or cup. Where our fear of sharks came from Blockbuster films and extensive news coverage of rare attacks often portray sharks as vengeful, human-eating beasts. I looked and saw the water with the moon streaming through as it rippled on the surface of the deep end. If everyone could share this that would be great. A few days ago, my parents took us to the most shark-infested beach in Florida, New Smyrna beach. I’ve also researched therapy practices in Australia where this phobia is said to be extremely common because of the frequency of attacks. After finding about this it has only amplified my fear of encountering sharks. I hope you can overcome this fear soon. I know how you all feel. You're more likely to be crushed to death under a falling vending machine in your office, or a cow that collapses on you in a field than you are to die in the jaws of a shark. We're going to need a bigger boat: Take a look at the design history of Jaws and its iconic cover https://t.co/dRdRPILF7L pic.twitter.com/FO3ihh1XlG. My younger sister thinks I should get in a shark cage to overcome my fear. when you decide to face your fear there are places where you can dive with small sharks and you can even touch them sometimes. I love the beach but will avoid going in the ocean or even a pool. I literally always have to drink with a straw and hold the cup by the lid. I am in my 30’s and it’s still here and shows no signs of ever leaving my psyche. Generally over time I just kept seeing pictures and watched videos of sharks and the horrible things they do to humans even if it is by accident. August 17, 2017 - A team of divers freed four whale sharks trapped in fishing nets off the coast of Indonesia. I really hope it doesn’t control my life. Blacktip sharks flock to South Florida’s warm coastal waters every winter, but watch this before you cross Florida off your vacation list. However, the doc had a section about megalodon and that was the first time I ever heard of it. I’ve been afraid of sharks and the ocean for a long time. I was afraid we would be attacked by a shark since we were so close to a pier where people fished for sharks. The minute I close them I start getting images of a shark attacking me. Individuals utmost at risk are: I was swimming in open water. Sharks are also being studied for cancer treatments and limb regeneration. 43 Shark Attack Statistics to Get Over the Fear of the Water. I have had a fear of sharks since I was younger and visited an aquarium. When my mom and dad tells me to shower the first thing that comes to my mind when the water starts is sharks and their pointy teeth. Experiencing deep mental anguish, dizziness or fainting. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/01/sharks-attack-fear-science-psychology-spd.html, massive great white that terrorizes a seaside community, Being eaten alive by a 15-foot-long tiger shark, How Tales of Shark Attacks Shaped a U.S. Warship's Legacy, Why Great White Sharks Are Still a Mystery to Us, one in 3,748,067 chance you could be attacked and killed by a shark, a dog attack, lightning strike, or car crash, blacktip and spinner sharks sometimes mistake humans for prey, Great whites can reach speeds 10 times faster than typical humans, 10 Tips for Sharing the Beach With Sharks, recommends going for its eyes or gills if possible, 80-odd shark attacks that happen each year, catch sharks, chop off their fins, and then release them back into the water to die, shark populations can have an effect on sea grass composition and the presence of other animals in a habitat. I believe it would be beneficial to everyone. The worst thing about it is that when I’m in the water and somebody says only the word “shark” I get immediately out… I hate it. It’s just so annoying. I think I would pass out if did that. 2020 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Nuh uh, No way, no how. I can’t even see a picture of open water (the ocean) and photos of sharks send me into a panic. Everything about them freaks me out and I always feel like they’re lurking. Other thrillers have perpetuated the theme of sharks as villans. I cannot believe what I am reading here. I can’t even look at a picture of a shark or look at the sea without almost crying or panicking. To this day, I can’t watch a shark movie, no matter how rubbish or how ‘not even scary’ my teen tells me it is. Anna, something that may help you is a video I once came across. it brought tears to my eyes. I’ll close by saying that there is a new movie coming out about great whites and these girls going cage diving and the cage sinking to the bottom and they have to swim up to get to the boat but can they make it out alive?! Now They're Nearly Gone."). Snowdune are releasing an Xmas single and any profits that are made will go directly to a good cause. It is almost always a case of mistaken identity. In the ocean I feel the same way, except I am even more cautious and can’t swim alone at all because I am too scared of sharks for it to be enjoyable. Hence my resistance to boating trips, beach trips, etc. The commercial really scared me! I know it screwed me up. they are just like any other animal, as vastly misunderstood as any predator. I’m ok in the shower, but in deep ends in pools, a feeling of something below me starts to overwhelm me and I scramble to get out. (Read: "How Tales of Shark Attacks Shaped a U.S. Warship's Legacy"). I just recently read about 2 attacks happening at the same beach and on the same day. Galeophobia or the extreme fear of sharks probably conjures up images of the Great White shark as depicted in Jaws, the popular blockbuster movie known for its dramatic music and superb visual effects that exacerbated the fear of sharks in the minds of its viewers. Kat. A fear of sharks is a common issue for people who want to swim in oceans. If I knew it was coming on, I would be a complete wreck all week. Talking to a psychoanalyst or hypnotherapist can also help one get to the root of the fear. A chill ran down my spine and my legs retracted quickly. In Jaws there is a boy that was killed while on a floatie, so you can see where that thought comes from. When Irrational Fear Become Rational. They have razor sharp teeth and cold emotionless eyes. It’s the worst feeling when you think your life is going to end. I always hoped the fear would leave me but it never has despite me facing it down many times. When I was young my dad took me to the aquarium for the first time and put me up on the ledge right in front of the glass. Athazagoraphobia – The fear of being forgotten or not remembering things. I can swim in freshwater because I’m able to think rationally, but going out too deep by myself I do get uncomfortable about what could be below me. I suffered nightmares for years about drowning or being eaten alive by a great white shark. Most of all, we're afraid of losing control. The fear of sharks is known as galeophobia. To meet the demand for shark fin soup, some fishermen in Asia will catch sharks, chop off their fins, and then release them back into the water to die. Great whites, for example—the species Hollywood immortalized as mindless killers—have mouths lined with several rows of up to 300 dagger-like teeth that can easily shred through prey. I’m not sure if I would say i’m galeophobic, but I’m definitely afraid of sharks in an irrational way. maybe you can start watching inspirational videos with good experiences people have with sharks. This is exactly what happened to me only I saw Jaws when I was 18. As I got older, this no longer worked so they turned to turning the volume up louder during an attack scene so I could hear it all from my room. But .gif! If you can give yourself a sense of control, you feel like you're in less danger. I was happy as a clam swimming with an endangered green sea turtle, free diving to see giant clams and swimming along the surface where I spotted rays and a small reef shark. I can’t go to lakes, pools, I’m also scared in a bath (and that’s ridiculous) and swimming in a sea is a big challenge for me. I love to swim though, and I’m on a swim team. I want it to stop and I’ve tried to overcome it by myself but it’s just not working. I get so afraid of taking showers that to the point that I wouldn’t so I wouldn’t go to school the next day because I haven’t showered in those past days. You can also avoid spear fishing, because skewering fish sends out electric signals that can attract sharks. I can’t put my hand in that water. I’m only afraid of great whites. Your email address will not be published. I’m not sure when the fear became so prevalent but it can be crippling at times. In the ’80s here in the UK, Jaws was on TV almost every weekend. I grew up 50 yards from the water in Auckland, we swam as kids almost daily. i can not go in the ocean, pools, sometimes bath tubs, and worst, the shower. My greatest fear and one I probably will NEVER overcome, just seeing images of sharks gets my heart racing out of control! David. I believe if you know someone you feel absolutely safe with that going diving or just to the beach with them would be a great step to reducing or even overcoming your fear. I could explain but just google this or something, if you’re interested, because I almost triggered from it when it first showed up on my screen… but now I’m feeling much more relaxed and thinking about how it actually relieves some psychological and emotional stress to consider sharks and people in this new way. Mine stems from shark attacks that have occurred locally. (Sharks commonly go after seals, and from below, a surfboard can look like a seal.) People say there are no sharks in this area but the way I look at it is all the seas oceans are connected, if a shark wants to swim from America to Greece it can do it, there is nothing in its way. In 2019 there were only 64 shark attacks world-wide, with just two fatalities. I really would love to get clear of this phobia, if someone granted me one wish it would be to clear myself of this thing. Thankfully, I wasn’t eaten. So I am always fearful even in pools that something is gonna come from the depths and break through the bottom of the pool to get me. x Like the sadist picture with this article. I don’t think the movie is what messed me up because I still like watching Shark Week and old Cousteau… I think sharks are magnificent and noble. I automatically get anxious whenever I heard someone says “shark” That’s kinda weird because even when I am in the bathroom and I imagine a huge shark (even cartoon), I get very nervous and dont want to close my eyes each time I take a bath. I refuse to get in the ocean. Sometimes I can’t even go to the bathroom without being scared. When I see shark related things on TV, I pull my feet up off the floor and on to the couch. It’s extinct, but that thing sure does freak me out. Why Our Fears Don't Always Match the Facts. So annoying I hate it. I know that most people will say that to get a phobia like Selachophobia you need to have been in a shark attack or something traumatic like that but I don’t think that is true at all! Get more argumentative, persuasive fear of sharks essay samples and other research papers after sing up I dropped my phone when I saw the pic at the top of the page and I wouldn’t go near it until I was scrolled passed it so I had to get my little sister to scroll down for me. Likewise cognitive behavior therapy can help identify why sharks are causing such an intense fear in the phobic’s mind. I think I got this fear after watching a documentary showing great whites swimming up from the darkness to attack seals from beneath. Why are we afraid of sharks? Now They're Nearly Gone. In some cases, the fear is so bad that the individual faints at the mere image or word about sharks. Selachophobia is the intense fear of sharks. I feel like I’ve always had it, I just didn’t realize it until a certain point in time. I myself have a strong fear of sharks… Ever since I was around eight years old (ten years ago) I’ve had dreams about sharks eating me alive… I cannot swim in murky water and I tuck my feet up onto the chair just like you when I see them on the screen. I don’t like going to the beach, but this is one major reason why now. Flashes within a microsecond. 805 fear of sharks essay examples from best writing company EliteEssayWriters. The chances of you being eaten alive by a shark are highly unlikely. Their mouths are what makes me afraid the most. Fear of sharks: Excessive and persistent fear of sharks is termed galeophobia. I’m so scared of sharks I can’t even shower. I used to love the water and I still do, I’m a passionate swimmer but for the past year I’ve just been terrified and it’s given me really bad anxiety. Previously, my first step for addressing this, very limiting and irrational phobia, was always going to be learning to scuba dive and forcing the matter through conditioning and, eventually, a night dive which would either end in a panic attack and ridiculous underwater death, or being completely healed and empowered. my fear it started when i was at the aquarium and i saw the sharks swimming over me. A fear of sharks, or galeophobia, is not irrational, says marine biologist Blake Chapman, a shark expert at the University of Queensland in Australia. Overcoming a fear of sharks starts with looking at the facts and figures for attacks as they are extremely uncommon. Then I used to be afraid of blue bucket and red mug. I was glad, because she threw up, and we didn’t go. After reading these I don’t feel so alone. It was a toy so I actually wasn’t afraid of it. 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