The Psychology Behind Drowning & Self-Preservation

Psychology Behind Drowning and Self-Preservation

Whenever you hear of a drowning, you probably begin to shake. These are terrifying stories, and you probably can't even imagine what the person was going through in those last moments of his or her life. Taking some swimming lessons is smart for everyone, because it can teach you some important information about drowning and self-preservation.

Animal Instincts

You might have heard of the "fight or flight" response to certain situations and how this relates to our animal instincts. As you are learning about the water, you might realize that some of those animal instincts kick in for people who find themselves underwater. They know that they have to do anything they can to preserve themselves, and they can go into all-out fight mode. The field of psychology has actually studied this phenomenon quite a bit about this, and it can be witnessed in many different situations, well apart from those in the water!

Controlling Those Instincts

As you study the art of swimming, you'll learn that your response needs to be refined in order to be successful. The psychology behind self-preservation lies in the notion that you'll do anything to save yourself. However, when people don't know exactly what to do, they might start to thrash about in the water or swim in a direction that's not conducive to their safety. Taking some swimming lessons will teach you what you have to do. As these lessons become ingrained in your mind, you'll start to see that this is the best way to self-preservation.

Adjusting Your Philosophy

You should consider how the things you do in every day life and the way you practice simple tasks could affect your psyche. For example, let's say that you're a person who tends to become quickly overwhelmed by problems in your path. Instead of panicking each time a situation comes to fruition, try to adjust your philosophy. Learn to think quickly, but clearly and rationally at the same time. As you implement your new philosophy into day-to-day tasks, you may find that you're able to quickly and effectively implement a different approach when real danger arises.

Automatic Response

Essentially, your body goes into an entirely different mode when it thinks it's in danger. Combining swimming lessons with a keen understanding of how your mind works can allow you to shift the way that automatic response comes into fruition. However, the lesson here is that the response is automatic. Your body and mind understand what it needs to do in order to survive. Unfortunately, when you're faced with huge, crashing waves or deep waters, it's not always possible to defend yourself.

Another Perspective

What would you do if you and someone who you loved were drowning at the same time? Would you try to save yourself or this individual? These are questions that you might be unable to answer. Perhaps you've heard of stories where people drowned when others were around. Better understanding that "fight or flight" mechanism that goes off in your mind might help you to better understand why.

Drowning Man

The human body and mind are both quite complex

The human body and mind are both quite complex, and so when one considers the entire picture, a fascinating puzzle emerges. Hopefully, this discussion gave you a bit more insight into how they work together and greater insight into why we behave certain ways. If you have a deep interest in psychology, much more information on how to break into the field can be found at http://www.thebestcolleges.org, a great resource for aspiring therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists.

About the Author

Joseph Rodriguez writes about all things related to the human mind and development. His recent work focuses on the best social work programs in the midwest.