1st day in the pool...Yikes!

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you're probably catching on to the fact that your situation IS VERY COMMON. It takes some adapting for most mammals to get used to the idea of breathing underwater ( I'm guessing, as not many can really ANSWER that question ). It will come. Everyone has their own pace. Once you get it, you've got it. The first time someone plays golf or tennis they usually aren't very good at it either, but with practice it becomes second nature. HANG IN THERE it's SO WORTH IT!

TC
 
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Hang in there! I almost quit my first pool session. I got water up my nose and felt my confidence seeping out like a balloon that had just been popped. A patient and determined DM wouldn't let me (he knew I really wanted to be there). He congratulated me when we went to take the gear back 2 weekends ago after we were certified. I had a bumpy road, but I got all the skills down. Now, I just need more practice.

I have no fear of water. I could swim from a very early age and I LOVED diving off the high dive...low dive...side of the pool..whatever. I have been snorkeling also. I was suprized scuba didn't come naturally...but breathing underwater isn't natural. It just isn't. I was relieved to find I was not the only one that had conversations with myself in my head..."You are fine...see you have plenty of air...breath in and out...oohh...look your flying...how cool is that??...OMG I am breathing underwater...wow...look at that..there goes the flying thing again"

I see myself relying ALOT on my training (I could almost hear my instructor in my head last time I was diving).

This past week during a stressful couple days at work, I found myself "flying in the water" in my head to calm myself down. That was kinda cool..I now have a memory and sensation in my head that I can calm myself with. Go figure.
 
Today was my very very first day in the pool with my instructor. Technically, classes don't start until next week but since I had time, he took me in, we worked on clearing the mask and he got me breathing at the bottom of the shallow end with the scuba gear.
Everytime we started crawling towards the deep end, I panicked. My breathing went crazy (he said I would breath 3 times for every 1 breath he took). Since I left the pool, I keep saying that it'll get easier and that i'm sure the panic is normal, but I'm freaked out.

Silya, your post sounds like what I would've posted re: my first pool experience! I was terrified of learning to scuba, almost had a panic attack when i had to do the giant stride. I'm 59 years old and literally willed myself into learning to dive b/c my husband wanted to do it.

My dive master took extraordinary time, literally held my hand in the POOL! He said I could come back into the pool as many times as it took to get comfortable. I went back for 3 weekends of training, and by the last day I was playing catch with other trainees in the deep end.

You can overcome your emotions by telling yourself you can and will learn. I went to youtube the night before my open water dive and watched a video on mask clearing at least 20 times. That was the final skill I had to master in order to get my cert. When the time came, I closed my eyes and played that video in my head, and successfully cleared my mask (took it off, put it back on, cleared it.)

YOU CAN DO THIS! And you'll be very proud of yourself after you've mastered your fears. I know, as I did it.:)
 
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Remember that you are a customer. You have every right to expect the instructor to make at least a reasonable effort to help you with this issue.

If you need to crawl backwards toward the deeper end of the pool, do so.
If you need to go a little deeper, then come right back to a shallower, more comfortable depth, do so, and repeat. Try pushing your limits a bit more each time.
If you need to distract yourself with other activities (pool toys, etc.) do so.
If you need to schedule extra time and/or private sessions, do so.
The rewards are worth it.

And don't forget to equalize your middle ears often as you go deeper.

Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress.
 
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As others have said, that reaction is very common.
During my first pool session in the shallow end; I was sitting on the bottom breathing just fine... and then this sudden urge came over me... I wanted up and above the water... this was not natural! and I stood up! The instructor did come up and ask me what was wrong. I played it off as "it is all good"; I think she knew and as the many replies that are similar, She probably had seen it before.

My first Scuba experience was actually a discover Scuba in the Caribbean, I do not know why but I did not have this reaction then, maybe it was excitement. I knew during that discover scuba that this was for me. I think that give me the drive to continue forward.

Before I tell you what I did to get through it; let me impress on you something that I hope you are already aware of - whether it is during your training or after you are certified it is only you that knows whether you are up to making a dive and continuing a dive. At any point even before you get in the water - you have the right to end the dive no questions asked.

The problem is we have generations of learning that we simply cannot breath underwater, and without mechanical assists, we cannot. Your subconscious mind knows this and has learned this. Whether it is actual or perceived, your subconscious minds job is to protect you from danger, and it is real. The trick is that you need to engage your conscious mind to retrain the subconscious that with equipment we can breath underwater.

When you feel this way stop, just stop where you are, you can signal stop to the instructor or your buddy -Now chant and practice underwater Yoga - In your mind say “I am ok”; Then imagine a yoga instructor saying - "breath in nice and slow, a deep and full breath.... now exhale nice and slow and all the way..."; as you exhale check your pressure gauge - assuming you have lots and lots of psi at this point, Put the pressure gauge way. Now add to your chant - "I am warm - I am ok ; breath in nice and slow; breath out nice in slow". Do this 5 times then check your pressure gauge.. Still have plenty of Air right? Repeat for as long as you need to - until you feel ready to go a little bit more.(or you actually are getting low on air which means it is time to end the dive)
If you feel it again stop practice the yoga; do not continue to go and make it the problem worse. Wait till you’re ready.
Before long it will not be a second thought and you will be dropping down like a pro.
 
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Today was my very very first day in the pool with my instructor. Technically, classes don't start until next week but since I had time, he took me in, we worked on clearing the mask and he got me breathing at the bottom of the shallow end with the scuba gear.
Everytime we started crawling towards the deep end, I panicked. My breathing went crazy (he said I would breath 3 times for every 1 breath he took). Since I left the pool, I keep saying that it'll get easier and that i'm sure the panic is normal, but I'm freaked out.

I really want to dive. I've been snorkeling for a long time and thought this would be an easy transition, but I'm scared that maybe I won't be able to do it now. Is this normal?

Any advise or stories of your issues would be greatly appreciated.

Relax :) Just sing a song in your head as your work your way down the pool. A good thing to keep in mind is that confined water sessions are done in "confined" water specifically to make you more comfortable, and to provide you an easy "out" should you panic. In a real diving scenario panic is your worst enemy, so it is in your best interests to face your fears while still in the pool. Focus on the fact that your breathing underwater and how awesome that is! Dont worry about things too much, just have fun :)
 
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