Over 14% of adults in the UK suffer from aquaphobia, which is a fear of water. Here, one woman reveals how she overcame these feelings to become a qualified scuba diver.

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Aquaphobia: “How I finally got over my  fear of the sea”

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As I submerged my face in the water, all my usual fears of the sea came rushing back to me and I panicked

I managed to clear the water out of my mask. It took around five or six attempts, sure, but I did it

My mask leaked water and I had to keep clearing it. These two problems that would have completely scared me at the start of the year did not phase me at all

Abigail Beall is one of 14% of people in the UK with aquaphobia. This is how she overcame her debilitating fear of the sea.

“I’d vowed never to go in the ocean – until I faced my aquaphobia head on”