Bathophobia & Acrophobia: Are They Linked?

[Kayla]

Come to think of it. I DONT have a fear of heights. I have a fear of falling from high places. Thats more like it.

 

[2Tours N Iraq`]

This is a non-scientific study in that it is not a chosen at random study nor are there enough participants to be a true representation of the population as a whole. Additionally, if I wanted the study to be more accurate, then I would have to identify as large a group as possible to survey at random so that my margin of error would be within an acceptable range. Since none of these conditions are met with this poll it is forced to be a non-scientific study by the very nature of the sampling. I hope this clears things up.

 

[drbill]

What do you mean, most of us who have replied are pretty random! Just teasing ya.

 

[2Tours N Iraq`]

And here I thought Bathophobia was a fear of baths. I take showers. Wouldn't a fear of depths be bathyphobia?

Actually, it's a fear of bathtub rings (or "O"s, as they're also called), but showers work against those, too.

According to one resource I checked: "Bathophobia" is derived from the Greek "bathos" (depth) and "phobos" (fear).

Hmm... bathy- and batho-

From Greek bathus, deep, and from Greek bathos, depth (from bathus).

Hmm... bathy- and batho-So, would bathyhydrophobia be "fear of deep water"?

Having looked up the definitions to both, Bathophobia is a fear of depths (in general) and Bathyphobia is a fear of deep water. Either one could work in this poll but Dr. Bill is correct in that those of us on here are more likely to encounter Bathyphobia. It is also important to note that there is a difference between the two. Bathophobia can occur without water (such as a deep cave or dried up sinkhole) when you aren't necessarily high but the depths below you are frightening. In that example it would be very difficult to determine whether it is a fear of heights or depths.

 

[paradicio]

No problem with depths, but I am absolutely terrified of heights...

 

[MSilvia]

Only moderate heights bother me. I have no problem jumping out of airplanes, but I sometimes get mild vertigo if I'm standing near the edge of a tall building's roof.

I'm not afraid of heights, but I am afraid of stopping abruptly after plummeting.

 

[Pat Mustard]

Hmmm...

I don't like heights (not sure I would say I am scared per se, but I can definitely feel uncomfortable near slopes & edges).

I find the first time I put my face in the water when the water is 20ft deep plus tends to take my breath away, but it's more the "height" I am above the bottom than anything else. Once I get down below I am as happy as Larry

 

[mello-yellow]

I'm not sure asking this on a dive board makes sense, any more than asking it on a skydiving board. You need to ask someplace where depth and height are irrelevant. Divers are not the right population to look for people afraid of depth. Obviously there are some people who dive or want to learn and are afraid of depths because you see people asking about it occasionally. But I'd say most people who are afraid of depths just don't dive.

I also do not think you will find around here many people with fear of depths. Frankly, I am surprised to see even one person (the one who answered "both"). And yes, I definitely have a fear of heights. Just leaning over a mall balcony makes me uncomfortable.

I certainly have respect for depths, and always make sure I am equipped appropriately, but mere fact of being 100' or more below surface causes no unreasonable fear.

 

[mello-yellow]

Come to think of it. I DONT have a fear of heights. I have a fear of falling from high places. Thats more like it.

I am not afraid of falling. It's the abrupt stop at the end which bother me!

 

[spacemanspiff1974]

No fear of depth - even over a wall. Although I marked fear of hights, it is more of a fear of the pain of landing rather than the heights themselves or falling.