Anxiety that doesn’t seem to leave

[Aeroza]

Hi, long time lurker here. Always been a bit embarrassed to mention this but I feel like I need to get on top of it before it kills the sport for me.

A bit about me as a diver.
Certs:
- Divemaster
- TDI ANDP
Dive on twins, drysuit, have dived warm water and cold with most of my dives in water ranging 6 -13 deg celsius.
I’ve never really had an issue with confidence or my abilities in the water over my 300+ dives.

However a few years back I did a dive and got narked quite bad. This caused me to panic a bit. After coming up a bit and breathing through it I completed the dive with no other issues.

The dive was a planned deco. It was in Indonesia. I think on that dive I was a bit dehydrated and hot. I had done a few rec dives before this dive also all without incident. I was in a 5mm wetsuit. I normally dive in cold water in a drysuit so I think this all overloaded me.

The issue being is ever since that day I get this rush of anxiety when I think of being underwater. I’ve done at around 40 dives since then due to lock downs and such. The anxiety I feel is like I get thirsty and have a dry mouth along with general uncomfortableness. Even if I am well hydrated. This happens on the start of a dive as that dry air from the reg hits my throat and I submerge.

Usually I am able move past it but it’s really starting to bother me as I never have been like that.

Has anyone ever had to deal with something like this. How did you work past it?


Mods please let me know if this should be in another section.

 

[Lorenzoid]

If you haven’t seen it, one of the best threads on this topic:

Thread 'Panic in the experienced diver?'
Question - Panic in the experienced diver?

 

[Nitrox_DiverNY]

It sounds a typical anxiety disorder. Something about that narcosis experience got stuck in your head and now it is creeping into your regular diving. Are you nervous that you will have to experience that narcosis again? I get it I hate narcosis. Maybe doing a few pool sessions will help to regain that confidence. I had anxiety about getting DCS but did some reading on it and saw how rare it is in non deco rec diving when being conservative and kept telling myself that even if it does happen I will just treat it and I will more then likely be just fine. Try doing some dives above 60ft so you won't get narcosis at all and get readjusted, then go deeper. I think you just have to go slow and try to ask yourself if the anxiety is from a fear of loss of control from narcosis, maybe even exposure to narcosis in a chamber like exposure therapy will help you overcome this

 

[Aeroza]

It sounds a typical anxiety disorder. Something about that narcosis experience got stuck in your head and now it is creeping into your regular diving. Are you nervous that you will have to experience that narcosis again? I get it I hate narcosis. Maybe doing a few pool sessions will help to regain that confidence. I had anxiety about getting DCS but did some reading on it and saw how rare it is in non deco rec diving when being conservative and kept telling myself that even if it does happen I will just treat it and I will more then likely be just fine. Try doing some dives above 60ft so you won't get narcosis at all and get readjusted, then go deeper. I think you just have to go slow and try to ask yourself if the anxiety is from a fear of loss of control from narcosis, maybe even exposure to narcosis in a chamber like exposure therapy will help you overcome this

Not really the narcosis I'm worried about. probably more to do with the feeling of been under and not being able to come up (if Im on a deco dive) I think its just something I need to work through. Ive done plenty shallow dives since and I get it there too. Its weird because I never had issues with anxiety.

 

[Wathdoc]

Part of the issue is the infrequency of diving. If you dive and the anxiety does not go during the dive it simply reinforces the association with diving. Several long shallow dives over a few days may help.

 

[Marie13]

Would doing Trimix training so you have access to helium to counteract the narc help? Of course, depends on access to helium and cost.

 

[Nitrox_DiverNY]

Not really the narcosis I'm worried about. probably more to do with the feeling of been under and not being able to come up (if Im on a deco dive) I think its just something I need to work through. Ive done plenty shallow dives since and I get it there too. Its weird because I never had issues with anxiety.

Im sure if you keep a positive outlook and keep diving you will get over it with no issues, anxiety is weird and it can come and go without an apparent cause sometimes. Some vitamins help anxiety a lot like B-complex, Vitamin D, and magnesium, you could ask your doctor if taking those would be ok for you

 

[Nemrod]

The issue being is ever since that day I get this rush of anxiety when I think of being underwater. I’ve done at around 40 dives since then due to lock downs and such. The anxiety I feel is like I get thirsty and have a dry mouth along with general uncomfortableness. Even if I am well hydrated. This happens on the start of a dive as that dry air from the reg hits my throat and I submerge.

You might consider switching over to an all metal second stage. Plastic second stages, even with a metal air barrel tend to breath very dry. The metal cases allow moisture to condense and collect and therefore recirculate as you breath preventing the dry mouth you describe.

James

 

[VikingDives]

I'm sure you can find a sport psychologist locally. This is the kind of thing that they work with all the time. There's a number of techniques that work, and working with a professional is what I'd recommend.

If you don't want to do that, visualization is a powerful technique. If you can visualize conducting dives and feeling relaxed and confident that should help. Further, you could visualize having problems underwater, and then handling them successfully... but really, talk with a sports psychologist.

 

[lowviz]

Stay within your range. Ray's Law: "You are only as good as your next dive."

You know what your range is. Keep it fun and leave enough 'panic elbow-room' to assist another diver within your range. Your range expands and contracts due to endless variables. Forget the certs, just dive the day. (Me paraphrasing the late great Cap'n Zero)