<p>As far as I know, there is no specific definition for this phobia. No search reveals anything similar. It is important to recognise that simply defining phobias is not medically useful and does not provide further insight into human cognition. It would not be efficient to provide a label for all the phobias which exist. Generally labels are created when the population of people with the disorder reaches some threshold that specific treatments are developed. Your friend simply has a <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/types-of-anxiety/specific-phobias" rel="noreferrer">"specific phobia"</a> of the situational type (also see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_phobia" rel="noreferrer">Wikipedia entry</a>).</p>

<p>I imagine treatment would be the same as for most specific phobias. Generally this involves a form of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy" rel="noreferrer">CBT</a> known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_therapy" rel="noreferrer">exposure therapy</a> or graded exposure.</p>

<p>If you desperately require a definition, I like hydrostructuraphobia - taken from latin word for structure.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-28T01:52:15.350Z
2015-12-28T01:52:15.350Z
Doctor David Anderson
<p>I have a friend who has a terrible fear of dams, water reservoirs, jetties or bridges with big blocks on water; in general, a fear of large buildings on water.</p>

<p>He often tells me that he imagines a dam near the gates and has <em>"anxiety attacks"</em> and becomes very afraid. However, he is not afraid of swimming, or common places with water, like the ocean, pools and so on. On the contrary, he loves to swim.</p>

<p>While he is not afraid of pools, he is very afraid of the wells of the pools where the water enters or where is filtered.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ob9ZB.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ob9ZB.jpg" alt="building over a stream"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/BrtR8.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/BrtR8.jpg" alt="bridge over river"></a></p>

<p>His psychologist doesn't know the name of such a phobia and, after a while, his diagnosis was <em>hydrophobia</em>. The problem is that he is not afraid of water, only these large structures over the water, whose purpose is to control water flow.</p>

<p>How can I get information about this phobia; is there a specific name?<br>
And how can be treated?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-28T06:12:11.570Z
Is there some traumatic event related to dams in his past (perhaps as a small child)? This would at least answer the why. Therapy as mentioned by @Michael Anderson might be exposure therapy. Mine involved going to the beach a lot.
user3169
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-28T21:10:27.080Z
Apparently he's not alone... http://isitnormal.com/story/dams-scare-the-hell-out-of-me-33919/, http://www.missouriwomenbloggers.com/2013/10/23/fear-of-dams-i-know-its-weird-wordless-wednesday/
joe_young
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-29T00:59:44.033Z
Could we migrate this one to english.stackexchange.com? They have a specific tag for phobia word requests.
Sydney Maples
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-29T05:26:21.353Z
@user3169 When he was little, his uncle threw (inadvertently) a brick on his head. The point is that at that time he could not even visualize the water retained by the dam, as it was on the other side of the seawall, where there is a place for children. He was about 4 years. But that does not explain why the fear of streams, bridges, and so on.
Tomi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-10T00:45:59.833Z
Fragma is the greek work for dam, barrier. Therefore, I would assume the word would be fragmaphobia.
InterestedInFacts
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-24T05:16:47.353Z
I've found so many posts on mechanophobia and submechanophobia, but never one that *exactly* describes my phobia. Just looking at pictures of pump stations, offshore oil rigs, bridges, etc. gives me a panic attack. I've never heard of this fear from anyone else, so it's good to know that I'm not alone.
Tay
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-17T21:38:47.990Z
I actually have the same kind of phobia. I'm terrified of dams with really no reason. I always have been. Some of the earliest dreams I can remember are about dams. Nothing really specific tho. I've never heard of a term for it. It's just an irrational fear which is fairly normal. Most people have at least 1 irrational fear.
Nikki Strychnine
<phobia>
What is the name of the phobia of dams?
Tomi
# What is the name of the phobia of dams?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-12-28)

I have a friend who has a terrible fear of dams, water reservoirs, jetties or bridges with big blocks on water; in general, a fear of large buildings on water.

He often tells me that he imagines a dam near the gates and has *"anxiety attacks"* and becomes very afraid. However, he is not afraid of swimming, or common places with water, like the ocean, pools and so on. On the contrary, he loves to swim.

While he is not afraid of pools, he is very afraid of the wells of the pools where the water enters or where is filtered.

[![building over a stream](https://i.sstatic.net/ob9ZB.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/ob9ZB.jpg)
[![bridge over river](https://i.sstatic.net/BrtR8.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/BrtR8.jpg)

His psychologist doesn't know the name of such a phobia and, after a while, his diagnosis was *hydrophobia*. The problem is that he is not afraid of water, only these large structures over the water, whose purpose is to control water flow.

How can I get information about this phobia; is there a specific name?  
And how can be treated?

**Tags:** phobia

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Is there some traumatic event related to dams in his past (perhaps as a small child)? This would at least answer the why. Therapy as mentioned by @Michael Anderson might be exposure therapy. Mine involved going to the beach a lot.  
> **username_2**: Apparently he's not alone... http://isitnormal.com/story/dams-scare-the-hell-out-of-me-33919/, http://www.missouriwomenbloggers.com/2013/10/23/fear-of-dams-i-know-its-weird-wordless-wednesday/  
> **username_3**: Could we migrate this one to english.stackexchange.com? They have a specific tag for phobia word requests.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 When he was little, his uncle threw (inadvertently) a brick on his head. The point is that at that time he could not even visualize the water retained by the dam, as it was on the other side of the seawall, where there is a place for children. He was about 4 years. But that does not explain why the fear of streams, bridges, and so on.  
> **username_4**: Fragma is the greek work for dam, barrier. Therefore, I would assume the word would be fragmaphobia.  
> **username_5**: I've found so many posts on mechanophobia and submechanophobia, but never one that *exactly* describes my phobia. Just looking at pictures of pump stations, offshore oil rigs, bridges, etc. gives me a panic attack. I've never heard of this fear from anyone else, so it's good to know that I'm not alone.  
> **username_6**: I actually have the same kind of phobia. I'm terrified of dams with really no reason. I always have been. Some of the earliest dreams I can remember are about dams. Nothing really specific tho. I've never heard of a term for it. It's just an irrational fear which is fairly normal. Most people have at least 1 irrational fear.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2015-12-28. Score: 6

As far as I know, there is no specific definition for this phobia. No search reveals anything similar. It is important to recognise that simply defining phobias is not medically useful and does not provide further insight into human cognition. It would not be efficient to provide a label for all the phobias which exist. Generally labels are created when the population of people with the disorder reaches some threshold that specific treatments are developed. Your friend simply has a ["specific phobia"](https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/types-of-anxiety/specific-phobias) of the situational type (also see [Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_phobia)).

I imagine treatment would be the same as for most specific phobias. Generally this involves a form of [CBT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy) known as [exposure therapy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_therapy) or graded exposure.

If you desperately require a definition, I like hydrostructuraphobia - taken from latin word for structure.


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