Anxious and terrified Underwater

[maranda1389]

I was recently certified this summer and have done about 12 dives. My biggest fear in the world is drowing/not being able to breath and I am REALLY struggling with being 40ft underwater and relying on equipment to keep me alive. I really love the water and seeing all the things in it but I have this horrible fear the whole time I am doing the dive.

I had a pretty scary mishap when I was doing my certification and I almost called off diving, but, I got back in the water and pushed myself and got certified. I breath so deeply from being scared that I am EXAUHSTED when I get out and my ribs hurt the next day. I panic very easily and what worries me, is that in a bad situation I will FREAK =(

Someone please tell me that they started out this way and that it gets easier/better? I am only "comfortable" around 20-30ft and even then I am SO on edge and paniced that I can't really enjoy the dive =( Any tips or advice? Will this get any easier? I just want to be able to enjoy the dives instead of thinking I am going to die at any second.

 

[keesmon]

I'm sure others will chime in with better advice, but in my experience, yes, things do get easier.
However, there is no real reason to push yourself.
If you are comfortable in 20' of water, dive in 20' of water.
My guess is that eventually, the foreign aspect of breathing underwater will become less foreign, and you will be more comfortable going to greater depths.
I know for me it took taking a rescue course 10 years into diving to lose the last bits of anxiety regarding the what ifs and so.
Hope this helps

 

[ktomlinson]

I would only dive within my comfort level, if that means 20-30 ft for you, then stick with that until you feel more comfortable. It is good that you know yourself well enough to be concerned about freaking out in a bad situation. Since you are aware of this, keep yourself from being in "over your head" until you feel better about it. I know that when I started diving I was overly concerned about undeserved DCS hits, but with time that has passed.

 

[Saudi-Diver]

Diving is supposed to be an enjoyable past time not some horrible experience to be endured. Stick at a depth your comfortable and enjoying the dive at and slowly work up to doing deeper dives. If your not enjoying it and are terrified perhaps you should find another hobby.

 

[Randy43068]

It will get easier. Stay shallow, say 20 feet or so and just swim around getting the feel of everything. Also get more pool time if you can.

You will learn to trust your training and equipment given time.

Also dive with someone more experienced than you, which will help as you gain confidence.

Why did you take up SCUBA diving? The answer to this could be at the root of your issues.

 

[dkktsunami]

There are two characteristics that should be common to all divers - intelligence and comfort in the water. Diving is not for everyone.

 

[sskasser]

My first time in the pool on SCUBA, I panicked and stood up. It sucked and it pissed me off, because I'd been a "waterbaby" since I could walk. It took me a while before I found a good, solid, patient instructor who wasn't just happy to have me check off the skills, but to make sure I "got it" and enjoyed it. Once I became confident in my skills, I not only became a safer diver, I became gonzo-nutso for diving (caves, trimix, instructing, etc)! It was the best thing ever! Don't give up and don't let anyone else push you. Find someone who will help you safely review and practice your skills until you have the confidence you need to go further/deeper. Go slow, but don't stop.

Shirley

 

[Superlyte27]

A couple of things come to mind...
First... relax, this will be ok. Eventually. With experience comes peace of mind

If you are struggling at 40' with fear, then don't dive down to 40'. Stay at 20'. Soon 20' will be a peice of cake and 30' will be nothing, and eventually, 40' will be just like 10'. Not everyone is comfortable in the beginning. But, I promise, if you keep at it, and slow down (everything), things will get better.

When you are setting up your gear... Take it slow, stupidly slow, so slow you feel like an idiot setting it up. After you set it up, relax a minute, there's no rush, and if people are on a boat rushing you, tell them to go phuck themselves. When you get in the water, sit on the surface, just relaxing, catching your breath, visualizing what you are planning on doing, and when you visualize it, visualize it being peaceful. When you decide to go down, do that slowly. Do everything purposefully and methodical and slowly. If you want to breathe deeply, great do that, but breathe slowly and naturally. This supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Don't feel pressured to go fast, or deep, or before you are ready. If people don't like it, tell them to go pound sand. This is YOUR Dive.

Things will get better. Find a good buddy, and stay near them. Get your own gear. Nothing can relax a diver more than having the same gear every single dive every single day. No surprises, no configurations that are goofy, or not just right or too heavy, too light. Every little issue adds to your task loading. We want to eliminate every bit of task loading we can. Having your own gear makes this easier. The easier it is, the less freaked out you will be.

And don't get stressed out that you are feeling this way. You are going to be fine.

 

[TSandM]

I guess my first reaction is, why are you diving at all? If this is something you are doing for someone else, then my answer is that I don't think you should do it. The biggest danger you can take into the water is a probability of panic, so if you indeed are so frightened every time you go under the water, something major has to change.

The next question is, why are you so frightened? Most of the time, people can name their fear, whether it's rational or not. Are you afraid of things in the water? Are you afraid you will drown? Fear of not surviving the dive is often related to having poor skills and feeling out of control; if this is the case, you need to go back to some basic instruction and perhaps to the pool, and work until you feel far more confident.

For someone to get through the open water class AND some subsequent dives and still have this much fear makes me think that either some very important steps were skipped or glossed over in their training, or they may be someone for whom this sport just isn't going to be fun.

 

[maranda1389]

I guess my first reaction is, why are you diving at all? If this is something you are doing for someone else, then my answer is that I don't think you should do it. The biggest danger you can take into the water is a probability of panic, so if you indeed are so frightened every time you go under the water, something major has to change.

The next question is, why are you so frightened? Most of the time, people can name their fear, whether it's rational or not. Are you afraid of things in the water? Are you afraid you will drown? Fear of not surviving the dive is often related to having poor skills and feeling out of control; if this is the case, you need to go back to some basic instruction and perhaps to the pool, and work until you feel far more confident.

For someone to get through the open water class AND some subsequent dives and still have this much fear makes me think that either some very important steps were skipped or glossed over in their training, or they may be someone for whom this sport just isn't going to be fun.

I honetly do enjoy it when I am not afraid that my equipment is going to fail and I will drown. I guess that would be my main fear. I have this thought in my head that you can only dive so many times before SOMETHING goes wrong. My fiance and I decided to take up scuba together, he didn't push me to do it. I am just a naturally fearfull person. It probably doesn't help that I had a HORRIBLE expirience during my mask flood and clear during my OW class. I can't get that fear and panic from that incident out of my mind when I dive.