Is there any hope for me?

Phobias are very different from just being scared and are difficult to overcoem - but not impossible.

Could you go for some counselling first to help you deal with the phobic elements of your fear of swimming. Perhaps some of the techniques used to deal with flying phobia might help you, then have one to one lessons with a teacher who really understands phobic reactions and can be very gentle with you.

Just shows how different we all are.

I remember my dad plucking me from the sea after a wave knocked me off my feet. I can still see the water above my head and remember floundering for a minute or so and being scared. I must have been 4-5 at the time.
Has it put me off ? No, I love swimming and am happy to swim under the surface. I spent many happy hours at the pool growing up.
This is not a criticism of those that are phobic. It's just my observation of how we react differently. I could so easily have become scared of water.

I advise you to try it as you really have an incentive.
However nothing will get me into water.
I hyperventilated as I walked down those steps and would have to get straight back out again.
I made sure both our children learnt very early, both before they were five and they are both good swimmers as are the GC but it just wasn't for me.
We have had several holidays with our own pool and I thought I might try again but it was no use.
Go for it and let us know.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GreenGran

I sympathise, I never learned to swim at school, despite there being a swimming pool.

I never really bothered much about it till I had children of my own, and was envious of my husband playing around in the pool with them. So I decided to have one on one lessons, I must have had one a week for several years, and I never could swim, I was terrified of being out of my depth, and couldn’t bear my face underwater. Frankly, I was a lost cause.

But it’s something I would still love to be able to do, so I’d say, go for it, you’ll be so proud if you can take your grandchildren swimming.

By the way, one of my children swam to quite a high level, and is now a coach, and her children all swim competitively, so it’s definitely not hereditary!

Good luck

I'm a life-long swimmer and at my local pool there are several ladies who simply walk around the edges of the shallow end, feet on the floor. They are accustoming themselves to the water, its depth, feel and, of course, their own apprehensions before taking lessons.

If this is available to you, try this first.

We are well-supplied with many different pools, temperatures and depths, so if you have a choice, choose a warm, shallower therapy pool and most of all Don't let anyone push or persuade you faster than you want to go this is vitally important.

I hope you get that Aussie swim, you'll enjoy it - and how brave of you to even FLY to Australia - hats off to you.

Great minds think alike, Urmston

X posts MissA
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I think it’s your (understandable) phobia that will hold you back. Perhaps try desensitisation first then the lessons?

That said, you’ve lost nothing by just putting on that swimsuit and trying one lesson to see how it makes you feel. Focus on how amazed and proud of you your family will be. Do it for them!

Good luck!

I wonder if you could try hypnosis for phobias?

It would be great to just surprise your family by jumping in the pool!

I am exactly like you.
I tried small group lessons some years ago and got on quite well until the instructor said he was going to take us to a deeper pool to teach us to tread water and I panicked, gave up and have never tried again since.
I am 71 and had an uncle who took up swimming in his 60’s/70’s , improving his fitness and probably extending his life by many years as he eventually died aged 94.
Still wimping our though. My Advice?
Go for it!

Go for it, GreenGran78.

My neighbour was slightly younger than you, 72 I think. She would take her grandchildren swimming and longed to be able to swim herself

After chatting with the teacher she had one to one lessons and is now a daily swimmer at the local gym