I almost couldn’t get out of bed this morning - not just the swimming, although I worked damned hard in the pool, but also the “crippling terror” thing takes it out of you and your muscles. And then I went to work and spend THREE HOURS teaching people how to use a mouse, all on my feet. So both body and brain are just done, and I still had to come to work this morning.
Also I think I managed to swallow an awful lot of air instead of breathing it and I spent the whole class delicately trying not to poot. Unsuccessfully.
I don’t have any suggestions on how to get used to putting your head underwater- I think I’m part amphibian myself.
But I do know why exercise pools are cooler than leisure pools. People swimming laps still generate heat and sweat, but the water’s where that heat goes.
I used to swim laps at my gym, but I quit when they started doing water aerobics at the same time- they’d heat up the pool to make it comfortable for the fat old ladies, but after about 3 laps, it felt to me like I was swimming in a giant temperature pool of body temperature sweat. Both uncomfortable and kind of unnerving at the same time.
Hate being underwater. One reason is that my eyes are extremely bad, so therefore underwater means no glasses which means no being able to see. second, I just never got the timing down right, chorinated water always went up my nose and down my throat. I’m pretty drown proof, I mainly use side or back stroke, but no diving or horseplay for me.
I have a version of aquaphobia - maybe same as OP.
I can trace it to a specific childhood incident, so maybe that helps things for me.
Anyway:
I put on a dive mask (eye and nose - the things SCUBA divers use and a snorkel and dipped into the Pacific.
The fear was, I suspected it would, eliminated.
Once I had a reliable supply of air and a waterproof seal around eyes and nose, I found I had nothing to fear.
Note:
Some/Many/Most/All public pools forbid snorkels. The mask may or may not pass muster.
Otherwise:
Goggles which fit you
Clip to hold nostrils shut.
Ear plugs. I use compressible foam, which can be difficult to remove. I ran heavy thread through the back portion of the plug and tied it off, leaving about 2" of loose thread to grip and use to pull out the plug.
So much for keeping water out of places you don’t want it.
As for heat: I doubt that you will find a pool which allows any kind of wet suit. But I did find a body stocking apparently intended as “underwear” for a wet suit. Snug, but not “spandex” tight.
It makes a world of difference in taking 70F water and making it feel like 80F.
Get to a dive shop, pay for the time you use, and find a mask which fits or at least goggles which do.
Get a GOOD snorkel - not a Wal-Mart Special. If you have access to a private pool - an apartment/condo pool might waive the rules on off hours. Or, at least there won’t be anyone to enforce the rules.
I never got to trying them, but I did get flippers.
In Sum - I found my fear was based on not being able to reliably breathe - the snorkel removed that fear.
I almost drowned when I was three, which unsurprisingly caused a fear of putting my head (or even face) in the water. Then when I was ten, a friend bribed me, offering to buy me a candy bar if I did it. I did.
I still haven’t found a way to be comfortable with my head underwater. Same with when people splash my face. The water stings my eyes, goes up my nose, makes my ears pop, and sometimes I accidentally open my mouth underwater. I sadly can’t exhale the water out since I can’t breathe through my nose. So I just never swim, I just stand around and play in the water instead.
