How do you feel when you imagine being submerged in water? Is your inner mermaid thrilled by the idea (wish I could be part of that woooooorld), or do you consider yourself much more of a land creature? If thinking about ships and submarines that are resting peacefully at the bottom of the ocean brings you immense anxiety, you just might have submechanophobia. (Try saying that 5 times fast!) 

This phobia, or the fear of submerged man-made objects, has an entire subreddit dedicated to it. From photos of flooded cities to pics of underwater buildings, we’ve gathered some of the most frightening and fascinating posts from r/Submechanophobia that just might give you something new to be scared of. So strap on your snorkeling gear, or your life-vest if you’d prefer to stay above water, and enjoy this deep dive into the phobia of all things submerged. 

Keep reading to also find an interview we were lucky enough to receive from Milena Spirova, the woman behind The Shipyard blog, and be sure to upvote the photos that give you the heebie-jeebies. Let us know in the comments if you think you might have submechanophobia yourself, and then if you’d like to swim even deeper down the rabbit hole of this curious phobia, you can find Bored Panda’s last article featuring this subreddit right here!

 More info: Reddit

#1 This Statue Disappearing Into The Waves

Image credits: ADH-Kydex

There’s a phobia for just about everything. The human brain is a fascinating thing, and for everything out there that is exciting and enjoyable, there are just as many things that our minds can become fearful of and associate with crippling anxiety. Including, of course, objects submerged in water! If you’re never heard of submechanophobia, don’t worry; the concept is quite simple. According to the subreddit dedicated to this interesting phobia, submechanophobia is “the fear of partially or fully submerged man-made objects”.

Now, you may not have this fear, so you might find this list captivating. But if you notice yourself becoming increasingly anxious as this list goes on, perhaps this content isn’t for you. And you may have never even known that this is a fear of yours, because it’s not incredibly well-known. For Bored Panda’s last article featuring this subreddit, my colleague Jonas spoke with one of the moderators of the group who provided some insight into the background of this phobia and word. Apparently, the creators of the subreddit may have coined the term altogether. 

#2 Louisiana, Untouched Since Katrina

Image credits: A410821

#3 Underwater Diving Museum In Cyprus

Image credits: Rushjordan

“Interestingly enough, we are unable to find mentions of the term ‘submechanophobia’ that predates the subreddit (2013), so although we have no proof, we like to think we were the instigator of the term,” moderator Pubocyno told Bored Panda previously. I’m sure the fear existed, but people may not have known how to articulate it until relatively recently. Since then, however, the term has spread online among people who realized they have it and others who understand where it comes from.

Another person who has tackled this topic online is Milena Spirova, the woman behind The Shipyard blog. Milena told Bored Panda that submechanophobia is surprisingly common, but many people are not immediately aware of it. “They feel uneasy around submerged objects – ships, propellers, wave machines in swimming pools, rusty piers – but they often cannot define what scares them. I know people with such acute anxiety that even a photo can trigger intense horror,” she shared. 

#4 The Vastness Of Fishermen’s Nets

Image credits: VoidOfEndlessDark

#5 A Coat Still Hanging Inside Uss Arizona

Image credits: oopspoopsdoops6566

#6 Pedestrian Passageway Flooded After Recent Rains In Shizuoka, Japan

Image credits: NotAnExpert_buuut

On her blog, Milena mentions that she has the opposite of submechanophobia, submechanophilia, so we were curious where she believes that comes from. “I do have a strong affinity for submerged objects – I find myself searching for new photos almost every day!” she shared. “I also seek out real-life opportunities. When I visit a port, for example, I try to get as close as possible to the stern of a ship to catch a glimpse of the propeller. I also love rusty piers, I often search for beached vessels, and I take boat rides in ports to get as near as possible to the larger ships.”

“Part of the fascination comes from the fact that these man-made objects do not belong in the water in the first place, unlike fish, plants, and other natural elements of the marine environment,” Milena explained. “The other part is a typical mix of fear and curiosity that half-submerged objects provoke in me. How big is the part I cannot see? What does it look like? Is it dangerous?”

#7 Lake Mead. Not Only Is The 2021 Pic Bad News, But Also Creeps Me Out

Image credits: MidwestAF

#8 Funny How A Single Chain Can Freak Us Out

Image credits: No_Specific_2928

#9 Old Pier Piece That Looks Just Like A Hand. It Is Larger Than It Looks

Image credits: Loophone1

When it comes to how to cope with submechanophilia, Milena shared that many people actually actively seek out exposure to the object of their anxiety. “This is not typical for other phobias, like snakes or spiders, where people avoid triggers at any cost,” she explained. “Many of my followers keep asking for more photos and videos (which I have in abundance), so perhaps systematic desensitization helps with overcoming the fear.”

“What I would strongly advise against is overcoming the phobia by diving near anchored ships or submerged shipwrecks,” Milena cautioned. “Any experienced diver would confirm this is extremely dangerous and could easily lead to disaster. Instead, I recommend port walks, museum ships, boat tours, swimming near rowing boats – anything that helps get used to these objects. Some people start by throwing objects in the pool and picking them up.”

#10 Sitting In A Sunken Commercial Airplane

Image credits: jdooowke

#11 Somewhere In The North Sea

Image credits: geekextraordinaire

#12 “A Pool With Holes” I Saw This And I Thought Y’all Would Have Something To Say About This

Image credits: busnerd20

And if you do think you’re a submechanophobiac, Milena wants you to know that you’re not alone. “I found out that experienced mariners and avid cruise-travelers can also suffer from submechanophobia,” she shared. “Despite being terrified by man-made objects in the water, they have no problem with being on a ship and have no fear of the sea. This is both curious and encouraging.”

If you’d like to learn more about this fascinating topic from Milena or simply check out her blog dedicated to ships, be sure to visit The Shipyard right here!

#13 A Japanese House Floating In The Pacific Ocean After The 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake And Tsunami

Image credits: thatguykeith

#14 Flooded Autopsy Theatre In The Basement Of A Charity Hospital

Image credits: Brxken-teeth

#15 Train Tracks Disappearing Into Lake Tahoe, Ca

Image credits: DoctorTurkelton

According to Lisa Fritscher at VerywellMind, this fear is not a surprising one, as it’s closely related to a few other common fears. Many people experience fear of the unknown, which often causes a fear of bodies of water. “For those who are unfamiliar with a body of water, the knowledge that unknown risks could be lurking beneath the surface may be enough to trigger an existing fear of the unknown,” Lisa writes.

#16 Victors Way Sculpture Park. County Wicklow, Ireland

Image credits: yazburslam

#17 Submerged Tanks

Image credits: birding954

#18 Creepy Lady Of The Lake Statue In Shrewsbury

Image credits: TerracottaRobin

A fear of animals can also come into play when we’re talking about submechanophobia. It’s common for individuals who are scared of an animal attack to feel uncomfortable or unsafe around bodies of water where they wonder if a creature such as a shark or a snake will attack them. Mysophobia, or a fear of germs, can also play a part in causing submechanophobia. “While it is important to practice good hygiene and avoid common sources of contamination, those with mysophobia tend to take normal precautions to an extreme,” Lisa explains. “Unfamiliar bodies of water, in which the risks are unknown, could easily trigger a fearful reaction.”

#19 The Hoover Dam Spill Way.. 50 Feet Wide, 600 Feet Deep.. I Cant Stop Thinking About Falling In…

Image credits: Redditer2302

#20 Aftermath Of Amoco Cadiz Sinking

Image credits: Raggebaggefromsweden

#21 The ‘Ghost Fleet’ Of Mallows Bay, Maryland. A Fleet Of Hundreds Of American Ships Built Of Wood Due To Wartime Steel Shortages. Most Of These Ships Were Obsolete Upon Project Completion After The End Of The War And Left To Rot

Image credits: RC123TheyCallMe

A general fear of hazards can also be a contributing factor when it comes to submechanophobia. Bodies of water can be quite mysterious, as well as dangerous, so it’s common for people to fear drowning, rip currents, rapids, logs and rocks in water, and being unable to see below the water’s surface. A photo of something submerged in water might cause an individual with a fear of hazards’ mind to jump straight to all of the potential risks and possibilities of death present in that water. And another fear you might not be aware of is a fear of ships. “Some people are afraid of any boat or watercraft, while others fear only massive multi-deck ships,” Lisa explains. “This may be related to the fear of the unknown, or it could have to do with a more generalized fear of large objects.” Apparently submarines are typically the most significant trigger in relation to submechanophobia. 

#22 “Ocean Atlas” The Largest Single Underwater Sculpture. Nassau, Bahamas

Image credits: EThirtee

#23 Went Past A Wind Turbine Farm On A Cruise. My Other Half Was Terrified!

Image credits: magicalbananaman1

#24 Water Ride From A (Now Closed) Italian Theme Park

Image credits: serys_

When it comes to coping with submechanophobia, Lisa explains that it can be quite difficult to diagnose, as it causes little difficulty in the daily lives of most people who have it. “If you do not work in or around the water, you may be able to manage your fear by sitting on the riverbank rather than going for a swim, or only booking cruise ship cabins on a higher deck,” she writes. But if you do feel like this phobia has begun to affect your life, as you find yourself canceling plans or avoiding activities you might otherwise enjoy, Lisa recommends finding a therapist who can create an individualized treatment plan for you that addresses your own specific needs.   

#25 Motorboat Nearly Swept Over A Dam Spillway In Texas

Image credits: Tankbuttz

#26 Tonnes Of Nuclear Waste – Sellafield UK

Image credits: Woom_Raider

#27 Flooded Cemeteries. I Don’t Even Want To Look At The Picture

Image credits: RC123TheyCallMe

Have you developed a new fear from this list, or are you dying to get out and explore the great unknown in the ocean? We hope you’re enjoying these captivating photos of submerged objects and machines, but if you have submechanophobia, perhaps you should stop torturing yourself and go check out another article instead! Keep upvoting the pics that you find particularly spooky, and if you’d like to dive even deeper into this topic, you can find Bored Panda’s last article featuring the submechanophobia subreddit right here!

#28 Century Old Sunken Ship Preserved In Perfect Condition Beneath Lake Superior

Image credits: Joannaslife

#29 One Of The Water Tunnels Inside Diablo Dam In Washington

Image credits: Hard_Rock_Hallelujah

#30 A Church Underwater, Located In Llsesee Via Undertow_photography

Image credits: pinkblueegreen

#31 This Pool Is The Most Unsettling Pool I’ve Seen In Real Life

Image credits: galupa

#32 Ancient Relics Rediscovered Off The Coast Of Egypt

Image credits: 23porkbuns

#33 Apparently This Submerged Little Guy Was Found After 20 Years

Image credits: BlueRaptorLea

#34 Brand New Boeing 737 Fusalges Partially Submerged, Following A Train Derailment

Image credits: ibbybibbyx

#35 Abandoned Rollercoaster

Image credits: NumberCritical7907

#36 The Costa Concordia Wreck Gives Me Chills…

Image credits: jarred_hall1

#37 Sailor Waiting To Be Rescued From His Sinking Ship

Image credits: OverUnit8

#38 Scrolling Through Listings Of Houses For Sale. Found This In The Basement

Image credits: KevinByMail

#39 An Underground Spillway, Part Of The G-Cans Project

Image credits: airportwhiskey

#40 The Only Thing Left Above Water Of The Venezuelan City Of Potosi, Is The Top Of The Churches Bell Tower

Image credits: fingay-ren

#41 Hurricane Ida

Image credits: FinalEnder55

#42 Freediving In Hawaii Whilst Tugging On A Chain Of A Buoy Underwater

Image credits: pjvc_

#43 Friendly Reminder That There Is A Jason Vorhees Statue At The Bottom Of A Minnesota Lake

Image credits: UnicornArachnid

#44 Flooded Beer Brewery Under Kőbánya, Budapest, Hungary

Image credits: nyaisagod

#45 Literally My Worst Fear. Queen Mary Propellor Room

Image credits: CouchChipGamingYT

#46 Dauphin Island, Al The Houses Are In The Water. There Are Plots In Front Of These Houses Priced For $1k Because They’re Literally In The Ocean

Image credits: Kfryfry

#47 After Walking 50m In To A Narrow, 150 Year Old Gold Mine, This Vertical Shaft Emerges

Image credits: Responsible_Shake_83

#48 Don’t Wanna Know What’s Under All The Algae. Found This In Berlin

Image credits: snackbagger

#49 An Underwater Class A Rv In A Quarry Dive Site

Image credits: cdsbigsby

#50 Reservoir Overspill

Image credits: MrFruitman

#51 Cleveland Ledge Lighthouse, Falmouth, Massachusetts

Image credits: pdido1

#52 Underwater Dragon Statue

Image credits: herequeerandgreat

#53 The Inside Of Nuclear Reactors Are Extremely Disturbing For Many Reasons

Image credits: CrimsonRachael

#54 Abandoned Australian Submarine. Sinking This Week

Image credits: fist4j

#55 The Edmund Fitzgerald, What Remains Of It Today At The Bottom Of Lake Superior

Image credits: Thecoastercactus

#56 One Of Neufchâtels Sharks

Image credits: reconmx1

#57 Not So Fun Fact: There Are Nuclear Divers

Image credits: OverfullHbox

#58 Mv Sea Eagle Sunk In Limak Port, Turkey (No One Injured Or Death)

Image credits: lightfog

#59 Movie Set For The Abyss. They Filled It Entirely With Water For Filming

Image credits: BunnyBunny777

#60 Stairwell That Leads To Creepy Underwater Cave

Image credits: SweetWhimsy19

#61 My Own Submechanophibia, That’s 4 Feet Deep Raw Sewage In My House

Image credits: llcdrewtaylor

#62 So As Lake Mead Continues To Get Lower Its Revealing Old Sunken Boats. Here Is The Infamous 1940s Wwii Landing Craft

Image credits: ChokedOutSpartan

#63 This Unstable Grate Inches Above A Dark Reservoir

Image credits: RareCheddar

#64 Two Of Titanic’s Rusticle-Ridden Engines. Below Is What It Would Look Like Out Of Water. These Structures Are About Four Stories Tall

Image credits: ginger-loving-asian

#65 Flooded Car Park In Oz

Image credits: Mackheath1

#66 Inside The Capsized Costa Concordia (Credits: News Pictures/Rex Features)

Image credits: TheShipyardBlog

#67 A Ship Lowering A Deep Sea Oil Pipeline

Image credits: Catinthehatporn

#68 Exposed Shipwreck In Scotland

Image credits: 24_7_cat_party

#69 The Flooded Chamber In Abandoned Slate Mine, Info In Comment

Image credits: Underground_1973

#70 The Wreck Of The Soviet Cruiser: The Murmansk. The Wreck Is Somewhere On The North Coast Of Norway

Image credits: FlyingSpur27

#71 There’s Something Big At The Bottom Of This Dam

Image credits: RanshiMuda

#72 Underwater Staircase, I Dont Know Anything Else About The Image

Image credits: hocuspocus87

#73 Found On Fb – “Salt Water Slowly Eating Away Pablo Escobar’s Plane. By @sal_qu”

Image credits: soulsuns

#74 Submarine Just Breaching The Surface

Image credits: OverUnit8

#75 1985, Patrick L Stevens Tested Whether You Would Immediately Sink Inside A Wastewater Aeration Tank By Going In Himself, Attached To A Tether, Then Having The Machine Turned On

Image credits: JamieTidman

#76 A Chair Sitting On The Ocean Floor Somewhere Off The Coast Of Us

Image credits: Royal_IDunno

#77 Out Of All The Things That Trigger My Submechaniphobia, Sunken Planes Give Me The Most Anxiety

Image credits: TOoN_YT

#78 This Small Lake In My Town Has A Max Depth Of About 18 Meters. In The Middle There’s A Large Sloping Cement Board, Held By 2 Metal Pillars

Image credits: CreeperArcade

#79 Shipwreck In The Caribbean

Image credits: reddit.com

#80 Diana, The Figurehead Of The Uss Hamilton In The Murky Waters Of Lake Ontario

Image credits: KnightOfDaggers

#81 Cargo Hold Of The ‘Ms Zenobia’ Wreck / Cyprus

Image credits: Fruitndveg

#82 For The Cost Of About $60,000 You Can Live In A Wwi Seaport Built Between 1915-1919 Off The Coast Of England

Image credits: No-Perception9546

#83 Passing *under* An American Spearhead Class Transport Ship

Image credits: joe25rs

#84 Mine Diving

Image credits: sureshotwist

#85 Super Creepy Abandoned Pool

Image credits: hilohh

#86 A Tidal Turbine About To Be Submerged Off The Coast Of Scotland

Image credits: dervonnebenaan

#87 Where I Live There Is A Lake Created By A Meteor Which Is 115 Meters Deep. These Are Some Photos Our Free Press Released Of It. Not A Fan

Image credits: Nottoobad777

#88 Reservoir Overflow In Armenia. These Have Always Fascinated And Scared Me Since I Was A Kid

Image credits: CryptoRoast_

#89 Found A Sunken Jeep Near Key West, Fl Via Google Maps. So A Friend Of Mine Went To Check It Out In Person. Swipe To See

Image credits: KevinByMail

#90 The Titanic, Viewed Through A Submarine Porthole

Image credits: Spaceman_Binary

#91 Gun Turret On Board The Uss Johnston 21,222 Ft Under The Sea

Image credits: ___X3C__

#92 The Way The Stern Disappears Into Nothingness Is Unsettling

Image credits: TeejMeister6

#93 The Hydro Electric And Bypass Intakes For Lake Murray In South Carolina, Popular Fishing Spot Too But I Don’t Even Like Taking The Boat Near Them

Image credits: AnywhereFew9745

#94 Coral World Underwater Observation Tower

Image credits: straflight

#95 Pipe Going Into The Midnight Zone

Image credits: Jackofsparrow

#96 Stairs, But Underwater. My Anxiety Is Through The Roof Looking At This Photo

Image credits: pjvc_

#97 Came To Brighton Today Just To See This Beautiful Monstrosity

Image credits: jxduss

#98 Wreck At Tabaiba, Tenerife

Image credits: flyingpeon

#99 A Photo Of The Collapsed Crimean Bridge Span Taken From Below

Image credits: TheBitterSeason

#100 The Main Cabin Of The Frank W. Wheeler Remains Eerily Preserved Under About 600 Feet Of Water In Lake Superior

Image credits: cbadge1

#101 Lake Superior

Image credits: Keveran

#102 Tidal Power Is Pretty Cool, But The Turbines Are Terrifying

Image credits: Epicotters

#103 Drunk Driver Outside Bridgeport, California Yesterday Morning

Image credits: Jrobe2018

#104 This Flooded Basement, Stairs That Disappear Into Black Water

Image credits: WendyRunningMouth

#105 Bow Of The Ss America Which Is Just Below The Surface. Re-Uploaded Cuz I Had Some Incorrect Info In The Title Originally

Image credits: Thunderboltgrim

#106 A Lake Drainage Pipe Under Thin Glass Ice, And Six Feet Of Water

Image credits: fugo_tander

#107 The New World Mall

Image credits: burritoboss420

#108 The Remains Of Flooded Towns Under The St Lawrence Reservoir, Seen From Google Earth

Image credits: No_Biscotti_7110

#109 Half Submerged Colombian Drug Cartel Submarine

Image credits: lspdfrnerd

#110 Mt Haven’s Massive Propeller

Image credits: bigdawgsfightback

#111 A Beached Buoy During Huricane Henri

Image credits: Straight-Bug-5046

#112 Old Tunnel From Yugoslavia Time

Image credits: General-Marketing405

#113 An Spm. That Underwater Part Gave Me The Chills

Image credits: akoss69

#114 Found This Terrifying Gas Rig In The Gulf Of Mexico

Image credits: socks_n_stocks

#115 Bruce Lying In Wait At The Universal Studios Tour Jaws

Image credits: zanman72

#116 Didn’t Know Conduits Could Be Scary…

Image credits: Mrmitch65

#117 I Always Pass This On The River. Creeps Me Out Thinking What May Be Inside

Image credits: motociclista

#118 That Time I *did* Paddle Over A Wreck And Realized This Phobia Was A Thing. Sherkston Wreck, Lake Erie (Canadian Side)

Image credits: 18mather66

#119 North Dakota Flooding Today

Image credits: BigSkyThai

#120 Wreck Of The German Cruiser Prinz Eugen Photographed By Mark B. Hatter. Anyone Wanna Dive There? How About At Night !

Image credits: juulnathalia

#121 One Of The Most Dangerous Jobs, Underwater Welding

Image credits: pinkblueegreen

#122 The Lights Under The Water

Image credits: aikduck

#123 This Flood Defence System In Venice Appeared On A Youtube Video And I Was Not Prepared For The Horror

Image credits: led_isko

#124 This Bts Photo From Jaws: The Revenge

Image credits: willrowland00

#125 “Swim Call’ From R/Submarines

Image credits: BuildingABap

#126 Diver Exploring Flooded Soviet Prison Camp

Image credits: straflight

#127 Noble Globetrotter 2 Reported To Have Suffered Damage And Taken On Water During Hurrcaine Ida

Image credits: Rideintobattle

#128 An Abandoned Underground Submarine Base In Albania

Image credits: Excrubulent

#129 The Flip Research Vessel Submerges Itself, For A Controlled Capsize, To Achieve Unparalleled Stability At Sea. It Works Much Like The Ballast Legs Of Deep Water Platforms

Image credits: iwasasin

#130 Stairway Into Nothingness, Jersey City Waterfront

Image credits: KaradurAtani

#131 Sunken Ships At The Coast Of Istanbul

Image credits: alc_13

Source: boredpanda.com