Years Full of Panic“Unable to Breathe” – Alessandra Meyer-Wölden Reveals Her Greatest Fear
Alessandra Meyer-Wölden suffered from a panic fear of water. (Archive image)
Image Agency Wehner/Future Image/Imago
“The more I fought against it, the bigger it grew.”
Today, when you see Alessandra Meyer-Wölden calmly swimming in the ocean with her children, you might never guess the struggle behind it. The five-time mother candidly reveals for the first time why she suffered from a paralyzing fear of deep water for years and how she managed to conquer it.
“It Just Appeared”: Fear of Water in Alessandra Meyer-Wölden
“As a child, I had no fear of water. It only came many years later, and even today I cannot pinpoint when it started. It just appeared one day,” the 43-year-old begins in her heartfelt Instagram post. This fear overshadowed her life, bringing with it an overwhelming sensation of losing control: no ground beneath her feet, no air in her lungs, and no space to breathe. Every time she went deeper into the water, her heart raced, her body fell into panic, and every fiber of her being demanded to return to land.
For a long time, Alessandra believed she simply needed to be braver. However, she later admitted that this only worsened the situation. “The more I fought against it, the bigger it grew.” It wasn’t until she stopped resisting her fear that change occurred. “I was ready to confront it and seek support because I knew I didn’t want this fear to dictate my life any longer.”
Listening to the Body
Crucially, she learned not to view fear as an adversary. Instead, she began listening to her body. During this journey, she realized her panic wasn’t just about water. “There was a much deeper feeling behind it: the sensation of having no space, no air, and feeling confined.”
“I Learned That I Am Bigger Than My Fear”
Alessandra cannot point to a single pivotal moment; her healing came in many small steps. “Every time I stayed instead of fleeing, my body learned it was safe. I learned that I am bigger than my fear.”
What is particularly moving for the 43-year-old is the change it has brought in her family dynamics. “My children probably only remember two or three instances in which they saw me in the water. Therefore, it’s so special for me to swim with them in the sea today and consciously enjoy these moments.”
Encouragement for Others
In closing, Alessandra Meyer-Wölden encourages others facing similar fears. “Healing means not running away from it anymore. Often, the fear we confront is not what we believe it is, but a story that finally wants to be acknowledged.”
Source: Instagram/sandymeyerwoelden
