anxiety

[Basscat]

I had the first panic attack of my life at the bottom of a 12 foot pool at 49 years old on my second pool session. Just lost balance on the kneeling thing and couldn't get it back. Never happened again, and I absolutely can't get enough diving in now. Hang in there, sounds like your instructor is very good, take it slow and get comfortable. It's a great hobby/passion/obsession to get into.

 

[Murrhers]

I'm 58 and was able to overcome the same anxiety. I went on YouTube and found a video of a woman demonstrating taking her mask off, putting it back on; I watched it over and over. on my check out dive, I ran that video in my head as I performed that task. It worked! Best of luck!

 

[freewillie]

I relatively new to diving so I will leave the advise about how to clear the mask to the instructors. I will share what helps me with mask clearing.

I wear contacts so I have to keep my eyes closed when take mask off. I don't have much issue because my reg is still in so I'm still breathing! I take few breaths through reg, mentally go through mask replacement and clearing, then proceed. Nice deep breaths also helps keeps calm and combats anxiety.

Another piece of advise that helps is getting to know your gear with your eyes closed. I like to put all the gear in the same places on my BC so I can find them in the dark. My wife thought I was crazy practicing but now I know where everything is by feel so keeping eyes closed no longer makes me nervous.

BTW the skill does come in handy. A few times I've had to deal with my mask leaking and only way to fix was to remove my mask completely then put back on. Nice to know it's possible when actually need to do it.

 

[Frosty]

I wear contacts so I have to keep my eyes closed when take mask off.

Hey willie--have you concidered a mask with built in corrective lenses?
Far be it for me to say what ya should or shouldn't do but gosh seems that one day you might need to open your eyes with water there. Trust me on this one even with perfect eyesight once the mask is off everything becomes blurry shapes anyways.

 

[cougar]

I was finally able to my anxiety level at that point was so high my chest was tight. (I am 38 years old a firefighter paramedic) felt and feel like a big wuss. my instructor is very cool saw my anxiety and said tomorrow is another day and we called it quits till our next session in a few days. .... I think it is not being able to see and of course being underwater in an environment I am not in control of. the mask came off ok but felt a panic mode to put it back on etc.

As another firefighter/medic (only an intermediate) I can relate the worrying about loss of control. We are accustomed to being in control. That's what we do. You can learn to be in control of yourself underwater. You can't control your environment anymore than you can control a fire or a bad scene, just yourself. Everyone's suggestions about working on mask clearing on your own is great. My daughter spent the night in the bathtub after her 2nd dive and flooded the bathroom floor, but she dealt with it. By your profession, I know you know how to deal with panic. You know that on a bad scene, panic can get you or your partner hurt. As a FF/Paramedic you have learned to deal with panic on scenes. View this the same way. Deep breath, engage brain first. Also, why can't you see? You are in a pool. I grant you chlorine ain't great on the eyes, but you can open them. I hated my first dive in a pool. I wasn't certain I was really going to like it. It was cold, and my ears hurt. The instructor just raced over clearing and didn't detail exactly when and why let alone how. Then I discovered a giant swimming pool called the Caribbean! Stop yourself and ask for that calm you need on a scary scene. It is in you or you wouldn't be a FF/paramedic. Take each skill one at a time until you have mastered it. Remember your first stick? Wasn't that a bit scary? Bet you can do them now hanging from the back of a moving bus in the dark. Just use the skills your profession has given you and apply it to diving. You can do this. It takes a little time.

 

[adventurelarry]

Last summer I had my son get in the pool with me to see what it was like to breathe underwater. We just sat down in the shallow end and he breathed off the octupus. We practiced buddy breathing and he took of his mask, swam around and then came back to the octupus, without having to surface. He had a great time. It was all about learning to be comfortable.

Why don't you try just sitting in the shallow end of the pool for a bit. Relax and breathe slowly. After hanging out for a bit, try taking off your mask and then just continue to breathe. After you do that for a while then put your mask back on. Don't worry if there is water in it or not, just keep breathing. Now, you should be comfortable with water on your face (mask on or not) and continuing to breathe through your regulator. You should be ready to practice clearing your mask.

 

[diveprof]

kneeling in the shallow end with a mask off and reg in is a great way to get comfortable with being w/o a mask.
This thread reminds me of an experience with a former student in Grand Cayman. She came up to me while we were diving Orange Canyon @ about 60' with her left hand over the left lens and her right hand pointing at her mask. Looking in the right lens I saw that it was full of water, so I signalled her to clear. She did and then shook her head. I then signalled her to clear again as there was water behind the lens. Then she handed me the left lens and lens retaineruppy: and then removed and handed me her mask. I replaced the lens and retainer and handed the mask back to her which she promptly cleared and replaced and continued with the dive as if nothing had happened.
Lesson 1 - the degree of anxiety over "no mask" breathing is highly variable. Lesson 2 - I'm glad I didn't gloss over this or cut short training for this in the OW course.

 

[EFB]

I had the first panic attack of my life at the bottom of a 12 foot pool at 49 years old on my second pool session. Just lost balance on the kneeling thing and couldn't get it back. Never happened again, and I absolutely can't get enough diving in now. Hang in there, sounds like your instructor is very good, take it slow and get comfortable. It's a great hobby/passion/obsession to get into.

Not that I am glad you panicked..I'm glad you got over it. I panicked during resort certification and will taking an OW course starting in about 2 weeks. I am trying to go into this will a calm, zen mode, but it makes me nervous. I am glad to know that is normal. Thanks

 

[ozzydamo]

At neck deep water with no mask or snorkel, duck your head under water and exhale slowly through the mouth only and go up, then do the same but thru the nose not using the mouth. do it until you can change over under water from mouth to nose and visa versa without feeling any distress, open your eyes if that helps(watch out if they use strong chlorine in the pool). You should be able to clear your mask either way using your nose or mouth(you can even use the reg on free flow), you end up clearing the last bit of water with the nose only anyway. Free flow the reg a fraction before placing it back into your mouth to clear water from it will make it easier too.
You can control your epiglottis it isn't an alien life form! lol

 

[freewillie]

Hey willie--have you concidered a mask with built in corrective lenses?
Far be it for me to say what ya should or shouldn't do but gosh seems that one day you might need to open your eyes with water there. Trust me on this one even with perfect eyesight once the mask is off everything becomes blurry shapes anyways.

I have, but then have to take contacts out when put mask on then put back in after dive. For the dive while geared up won't be able to see if mask not on face. If I have to open eyes under water I will and risk losing lens, but for most part those should be rare situations. By the way, reminds me put spare lenses in dive bag.