Imagine that you’re swimming out into your local lake. You’re a capable swimmer, you know this body of water like the back of your hand, and you feel confident while athletically stroking through water enveloped by the early morning mist. You decide to dive underwater for a bit—you know, for fun—and that’s when you see it: the shadowy silhouette of something huge, rusted, and covered in seaweed. You panic, rise to the surface, and swim to the shore. Trembling. Terrified.

What even was that?! That, my dear Pandas, was but a taste of submechanophobia, the fear of fully or partially submerged man-made objects, from sunken ships and propellers to sculptures and buildings. The r/submechanophobia subreddit, a vast community of 375k people, is a place to explore that deep, lurking fear in photo format.

Let’s plunge in, shall we? Remember to upvote the pics that scared the bejesus outta ya as you’re swimming through this list. We’d also love to hear your thoughts about the photos, so if you’re brave enough, you can dive to the very bottom and drop us a line in the comment section.

One of the moderators of the ‘Submechanophobia’ subreddit, redditor Pubocyno, gave us a glimpse into the exciting underwater currents of the community, shared their take on tackling our fears, and revealed the very interesting origin of the phobia itself. Pubocyno told Bored Panda that they’re actually a very active wreck diver in their free time! What’s more, they create detailed shipwreck maps.

“I like to spend much time underwater. There is this sense of awe when you discover underwater wrecks for the first time, a little bit of excitement and a little bit of terror—not to forget the sense of history, especially in those wrecks you know have had casualties,” Pubocyno said that even though they don’t have submechanophobia themselves, they nonetheless have a “great respect” for all things underwater. You’ll find the moderator’s other insights deeper into the article, dear Readers.

#1 Underwater Shark Statue At Lake Neuchâtel

Image credits: 1091drawde

#2 Maryland National Harbor Statue ‘The Awakening’

Image credits: Consistent_Bid_7501

#3 Hurricane Harvey. French Street In Lumberton, Tx. 9/3/2017

Image credits: Axeljurgens

The ‘Submechanophobia’ subreddit will be celebrating its 8th birthday on July 10, so if you’re a fan of the uncomfortable photos they post, drop by, say ‘hi,’ and congratulate them. Just… don’t forget your diving gear, powerful waterproof flashlight, and harpoon. Just in case the underwater objects are haunted or decide that now’s the perfect time to come alive.

Moderator Pubocyno is very dedicated to the subreddit. They do their best to find a bit more about the shipwrecks that get posted on r/submechanophobia and if they feel satisfied that they’ve got the right information, they’ll add it to one of their shipwreck maps. Pubocyno has made six maps so far and shared with Bored Panda the North European version which you can see in all of its glory right here. Trust us, it’s worth taking a peek.

#4 Serpent D’océan In Saint-Brevin-Les-Pins, France

Image credits: arbalm

#5 Diving In A Sunken Plane

Image credits: Quinnpill19

#6 The Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Today. Ignore The Fact That You Are Already Driving Underwater. Drive Into The Underwater Water

Image credits: DarkBlue222

Pubocyno was kind enough to share their take on dealing with phobias like submechanophobia. The moderators actually have very high standards and strict rules for the content that gets posted so that it doesn’t trigger a reaction in anyone who is afraid of submerged man-made objects. “we are not about shock content,” they said.

“When dealing with any sorts of phobia, the important must be understanding why you are afraid, not necessarily what you are afraid of, although they two can be connected. As always, proper mental health workers are to be recommended instead of the advice of strangers on the internet if someone experiences serious problems,” the moderator detailed. “To support those who are haunted by these sort of images, we crack down on staged or otherwise unreal content and demand posts have some sort of cohesive title.”

#7 German U-Boat Spotted From The Air

Image credits: KingNeptune767

#8 Silver Islet Mine Shafts Near Thunder Bay On

Image credits: justjbweldit

#9 It Seems People Enjoyed My Last Post- Here Is Another One I Took Of The Coast Of O’ahu, Hawaii, Where A Tourist Submarine Came Upon As Out Of The Void While We Were Diving…

Image credits: lindirofkells

The moderator also gave Bored Panda a glance at the subreddit’s history. The current moderators weren’t present when r/submechanophobia was founded and they don’t really have any communication with the community’s creators. According to Pubocyno, the original founders thought that the idea to create a subreddit about submechanophobia was a good one and, once the community “gathered too much steam,” they left to pursue other projects.

“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. The internet has redefined the term a bit differently than we use it in-house, however,” the moderator noted that the subreddit may very well have created the term itself that then spread to other corners of the net.

A part of submechanophobia is that people are scared that they’ll be sunk into the man-made objects or that dead bodies or even dangerous creatures could suddenly appear out of them. What’s more, some people are scared that the objects themselves might be haunted by ghosts or spirits. It’s easy to laugh at this when it’s sunny and we’re on dry land though, isn’t it?

#10 Retired NYC Subway Car Dumped Off The Coast As An Artificial Reef

Image credits: R3dSh1ft_706

#11 What A Submarine Escape Training Tower Looks Like

Image credits: Dracula24

#12 Swimming Pool Aboard A Decommissioned Soviet Typhoon Class Submarine

Image credits: BigCheemus

Let’s face it, most of us have at least one phobia in our lives. Some might be secret, others will be well known to our closest friends and family members. For instance, I’ve got acrophobia or the fear of heights. I know it’s irrational. I know that it’s usually silly for me to panic. But when I end up in a very high place, I’m terrified. Especially if my friends are doing dumb things like leaning over the edges just to annoy me. Paradoxically, I absolutely love flying.

So considering that we’ve got our own phobias to deal with, submechanophobia doesn’t seem all that silly. After all, it’s one thing to look at some photos of submerged objects from the safety of our own homes, schools, or offices; it’s a completely different ball game to be underwater, in the silence, and see a shadow rising out of the depths. It’s eerie. It’s scary. And I’m betting that some Pandas (me included) will be having nightmares about this in the days to come.

#13 This Picture From A Forbes Article On Nuclear Power

Image credits: Phagemakerpro

#14 This Used To Be A Boat, Now It’s A Island

Image credits: TedHardy_

#15 Water Reservoir In Emmendingen, Bw, Germany

Image credits: Trizocbs

The fear of submerged man-made objects is closely linked to thalassophobia, the fear of deep bodies of water, from the ocean and the sea to lakes and even pools. If you’ve got thalassophobia, you could be scared of being in deep bodies of water, afraid of how vast and empty the ocean is, frightened of waves or creatures living in the water, or even scared to get too far away from the shore.

Part of this fear could be explained by our evolution (i.e. human beings don’t breathe underwater and can’t survive while on water without a lot of help), however, researchers are still unsure of the precise causes of thalassophobia.

#16 A Full Tokyo Flood Shaft. The Shaft Is Around 230 Feet Or 70 Meters Deep

Image credits: Where_Lions_Roam

#17 Interior Of Shipwreck In Lake Superior

Image credits: kikislidr

#18 Jet Star, A Rollercoaster In New Jersey That Was Literally Blown Into The Ocean During Hurricane Sandy

Image credits: reddit.com

Some of the ways to treat thalassophobia and submechanophobia include applying cognitive behavioral therapy, systemically desensitizing the patient to their fears, using exposure therapy, and even using medication if the symptoms are very strong and persistent.

A combination of all approaches seems to work best. What’s more, treating the phobia in question is best done in childhood, before it takes root… and drags you down to the underwater abyss.

#19 Dragon Sculpture In The Lake Of Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Image credits: Av3le

#20 131 Ft Deep Swimming Pool In Padua, Italy. That “Landing Pad” At The Bottom Especially Freaks Me Out

Image credits: jennasky

#21 Cancun Underwater Museum

Image credits: roboflav

#22 Awesome (Terrifying) Bronze Statue Of The Christ Of The Abyss In San Fruttuoso, Italy

Image credits: salutations247

#23 The Bregenz Festspielhaus In Vorarlberg, Austria. Photo By Me

Image credits: LostinTirol

#24 After 2300 Years Underwater, A Cache Of Ancient Relics Have Been Rediscovered Off The Coast Of Thonis-Heraclion In Egypt. They’ve Been Waiting, Watching

Image credits: CenizaRey

#25 Aft Ballast Tank On My Ship. Had To Dewater And Inspect It

Image credits: Cornholiolio73

#26 Adrenaline Rush Near Uss Midway

Image credits: gurksallad

#27 Volvo 850 Trapped Under Ice

Image credits: radioactiveanomaly

#28 Church Of Potosi, Drowned Then Reappeared

Image credits: beachplank

#29 Many People Requested More Photos On My Original Post About The Last House Of Holland Island. So Here Are A Few More That I Find Unsettling…

Image credits: Fun-Independence-282

#30 The Front Of The Titanic

Image credits: GrekkoPlef

#31 This Statue Of Poseidon In Spain

Image credits: yammsandasideofguac

#32 A “Ghost Village” Resurfacing In Italy

Image credits: carriethefairyyy

#33 Carnival Cruise Ships Being Scrapped

Image credits: ThatSexyLightskin

#34 Swimming Off The Side Of A Container Ship Seems Like A Big Nope. Found This On Instagram A Few Days Ago

Image credits: durbn

#35 Naval Mines Always Spook Me Deep Down My Guts

Image credits: Badisk

#36 A Sunken Ship Called “World Discoverer” Before And After It Sunk

Image credits: TheDepressedOne1

#37 Nuclear Reactor Pools

Image credits: DirtyStocks

#38 An Offshore Oil Rig Which Drifted To The Coast Of The Isle Of Lewis Due To Extreme Weather In 2016

Image credits: bdemin

#39 In 2016 Riot Games Commissioned An Artificial Reef Of Their Character Nautilus And Placed It In The Ocean Of Brisbane, Australia. He Now Looks Like This

Image credits: bluebreeze52

#40 This Boat Looks Like It Is Sinking 24/7 Who Does This

Image credits: boardroomseries

#41 The “Lady Of The Lake”, An Abandoned B-29 Superfortress In Alaska

Image credits: reddit.com

#42 Float Trip From Hell

Image credits: sub_lunar

#43 Always Hated The Wave Chambers In Pools Since I Was A Kid, Had To Get Over That Fear When I Started Lifeguarding Here!

Image credits: Mahoneyyy1998

#44 Sinking The Speigel Grove. Notice How Tiny The People On The Boats Are

Image credits: MarieCakeAntoinette

#45 Monstro Tunnel. Part Of The Disneyland Storybook Canal Boats

Image credits: 9southpaw8

#46 “Hey Let’s Swim Out To Those Buoys!”

Image credits: generalizimo

#47 Abandoned Set Of Canadian Game Show Splatalot

Image credits: Cornhub42

#48 Drug Smuggling Submarine Found In The Ecuadorian Jungle

Image credits: Dracula24

#49 I’m Usually Ok With Submarines But This Photo Got Me

Image credits: _BataLeon_

#50 The Old Universal Studios Jaws Ride…

Image credits: yojodavies

#51 Venice Canal Giant Hands

Image credits: YungxAkimbo

#52 My Buddy Took This Inside An Abandoned Dredge In Michigan

Image credits: copperdog626

#53 Sinking Plane

Image credits: words_bad_math_good

#54 The Last Structure Standing Of What Used To Be Holland Island In The Chesapeake Bay. The Island Eroded Away And This House Was The Only Thing Left Standing. It Was Floating In The Chesapeake Alone For Years Until It Finally Sunk In 2010

Image credits: Fun-Independence-282

#55 Japanese Submarine That Never Made It To Pearl Harbour

Image credits: Dracula24

#56 The Pool At The Naval Surface Warfare Center In Maryland

Image credits: kindstranger42069

#57 The Submerged Romanian Village Of Geamana, Flooded In 1978 To Make Way For A Large Copper Mine. The Relics Now Sit In A Colorful Toxic Stew

Image credits: pearlspaghetti

#58 In 2013, A Statue Of Jason Vorhees Of Friday The 13th Was Built And Installed Underwater In Crosby, Minnesota. It’s Inspired By The Events That Transpired In Friday The 13th Part Vi: Jason Lives, When Jason Is Defeated By Being Chained To The Bottom Of The Crystal Lake

Image credits: youngbratz22z

#59 Inspecting Underside Of A Major Port Terminal. We’re About 1500 Feet From Open Air

Image credits: balltesties

#60 Huge Diving Tank In Duisburg, Germany. Contains A Plane Wreck, A Car And Several Other Debris

Image credits: P26601

#61 Italian Wwii Cargo Ship Ss Probitas, Sunken In The Bay Of Sarandë, Albania

Image credits: alphajuliett1337

#62 Gus Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7 Mercury Capsule, Lost In 1961 In 16,000 Feet Of Water

Image credits: netballr

#63 Shooters Island, Staten Island New York Photo Taken At Dead Low Tide It Was An Old Shipyard Back In The Late 1800s And Early 1900s Many Ships Were Left Abandoned After The Yards Closure. At High Tide Most Of The Outlines Of The Ships You See Are Completely Submerged

Image credits: Ponsigs

#64 Sub At Periscope Depth

Image credits: TX_Pete

#65 An Abandoned Ekranoplan. An Old Amphibious Soviet Plane From The Cold War

Image credits: Puggo357

#66 Sunken Sailboat On A Foggy Day

Image credits: TheFlyingBandNerd

#67 German Submarine U-118 Washed Ashore On The Beach At Hastings, 1919

Image credits: SMALLWANG69

#68 Titanic’s Starboard Propeller

Image credits: lMr_Nobodyl

#69 Stonehenge Found 30ft Deep In Lake Michigan, Still A Mystery To This Day

Image credits: suicidaltitties

#70 Truck Falls Through Ice On Frozen Lake, New Ice Forms Over Top Of Hole (Vermont, USA)

Image credits: SmallTownJerseyBoy

#71 Remains Of Clothes In The Titanic

Image credits: ChickenStealer69420

#72 The Sunken, Abandoned “Dome House” In Cape Romano Florida. Many Of These Houses Built In The 80’s Have Been Swallowed By The Ocean Over Time

Image credits: TheGrandHydra

#73 Early Diving Suits – History Of Diving Museum In Islamorada, Fl. Even As A Diver, These Are Freaky…

Image credits: mattmadoni

#74 Village Submerged In Grey Sludge

Image credits: longwaytotokyo

#75 I Dunno If This Is Okay Here Since Its Not Technically In The Water But I Think Its Crazy This Is What A Supercarrier Looks Like Below The Waterline

Image credits: SquealTeam10

#76 Titanic Propellers Imagine The Size Of The Ship

Image credits: Gape_Mahsole

#77 Sunken 1920’s Barge Just Steps Off The Beach, Only Visible By Air. Ri, USA

Image credits: snacksthedog

#78 Opening A Pool Tile

Image credits: Gesicht90

#79 Intricately Designed Stone Slab Resting Just Below Water Level

Image credits: CommunistSpace

#80 Olympia Shipwreck, Amorgos, Greece

Image credits: aliskayov

#81 The Orient Queen Cruise Ship Sunk By The Explosion In Beirut

Image credits: aeonflux89

#82 Ww2 Plane Crash Found On A Welsh Beach

Image credits: -Son_of_Anubis-

#83 Nuclear Reactor Cooling Pool

Image credits: triangledude23

#84 Behind The Scenes Of Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

Image credits: Arstotzkanmoose

#85 “My Place Under The Boat” From 2019 Underwater Photographer Of The Year Competition

Image credits: Kegba

#86 I Live In The Swamp And Our Cemeteries Are Half Underwater. Have Seen Bones Floating Around

Image credits: rajuncajin

#87 The Stern Of Russian Submarine Dmitri Donskoi, The Largest Submarine In The World, In Transit

Image credits: hurricane_97

#88 Wreck Of The Brittanic. One Of My Nightmares Is Swimming Down And Seeing This Hulk Suddenly Loom Out At You Through The Murk

Image credits: Advanced_Ad_6818

#89 From One Of My Dives Last Week 100ft Down. Enjoy!

Image credits: Rowanthebirdman

#90 Carved Head Of A Sea Monster Rises From The Depths; A Figure Salvaged From The Gribshunden, A Warship That Sank In 1495

Image credits: Gnome_chonksky

#91 For Everyone That Loves The Amoco Cadiz Pictures

Image credits: AG440

#92 It Took Every Ounce Of Courage To Walk Out There. Madison, Wi (The Day After Tomorrow, 2004)

Image credits: krico

#93 Stairs Down To Flooded Machinery Deep Inside A Mine

Image credits: sub_lunar

#94 On A Diving Trip Back In 2009 With My Dad, We Found This Air In A Wreck… Was A Blast

Image credits: Jbholm4n

#95 Something About These Offshore Wind Power Plants Make Me Feel Uneasy

Image credits: Domz444

#96 More Photos Of The Recent Egyptian Wreck Discovery

Image credits: alcoholicgrapejuice

#97 Snorkeling Over A Wreck

Image credits: MaxRamsey

#98 5 Of 6 World’s Largest Typhoon Class Submarines In Dock While In Service

Image credits: AgenticaBond007

#99 Saturation Diving. Divers Dive To Depths Of 2,000 Feet, To Work And Repair Machinery

Image credits: Ding_dong448

#100 The Civil War Era Confederate State Submarine “H.l. Hunley” Built In 1864 And Sank Later That Year Which Currently Rests In The Warren Lasch Conservation Center In Charleston, Sc

Image credits: volvoraggare22

#101 Typhoon Class Submarine

Image credits: lainwla16

#102 Submarine Nazario Sauro In Genova

Image credits: geisterfahrerin

#103 The Queen Mary’s Submerged Propellor Is Terrifying. I Was So Unsettled After Taking This Picture I Nearly Ran Upstairs

Image credits: skj2140

#104 The Gunilda Shipwreck 270 Ft. Deep In Lake Superior

Image credits: Jmambah

#105 The Water Is Scary Dark And Deep

Image credits: chich311

#106 Recently Dove Under A 100 Year Old Bridge. The Old Pillars Formed A Mechanical Forest

Image credits: Purple_Churros

#107 A Visible Propeller From An Underwater Glass-Bottom Boat

Image credits: Connor-Ford

#108 The Jaws Ride Drained Is 10000x Worse Than Jungle Cruise Animals!

Image credits: Detronyx

#109 Soundstage For The Goonies. The Area Would Be Filled In With Water

Image credits: GoldLeaderLiam

#110 Crashed Plane Underwater At Pearl Harbor

Image credits: Nupups

#111 This Prop From The Film «raise The Titanic» (1980) Gives Me The Creeps

Image credits: The_Iron_Raven

#112 A Google Earth Pic Of A Wreck On A River In Iraq That Freaked Me Out A Bit

Image credits: State16

#113 Remember Costa Concordia?

Image credits: ExtraGarlicy

#114 Submarine Pen Doors In Albania

Image credits: longwaytotokyo

#115 Stairs For Divers Into The „black Lake“. Garbsen, Germany

Image credits: VladDerFehler

#116 Wreck Of German Cruiser Prinz Eugen

Image credits: Dobler97

#117 Abandoned Water Park In My Hometown, East Tx

Image credits: Kythur

#118 I Couldn’t Get A Specific Picture But At My Local Leisure Centre There’s A Wave Machine Like The One In The Pic. The Part It’s In Has Sides That Go Up About 3 Metres Above The Waterline Around You

Image credits: floating-mosque

Source: boredpanda.com