Anyone else really nervous in the beginning?

[happy-diver]

Breathe, just like you are doing yoga.

Is this your technique?

I've nodded off underwater on numerous occasions

 

[nhdiving]

I find that visualization helps me focus on what I'm about to do and shift from being a surface human to a scuba diver. Go at your own pace and I suggest finding dive buddies that you feel comfortable with.

 

[aedwards92]

I feel ya. I'm relatively new as well with about 20 dives and while I dont get as nervous as the first time, I do still get nervous. Once I'm in the water for a couple of minutes I'm fine since the water is calming to me.
Biggest thing is don't let the nervousness stop you. It gets better with experience. Work on your breathing, keeping it nice and controlled. That really helps with your mental and physical well being.

 

[TheSnowBeast]

You are going into an environment that will kill you if you didn't have gear - of course it's normal to feel nervous.

Experience and the comfort that comes with it helps. I went into diving a very experienced swimming and experienced in using SCBA regulators on land and there was an adjustment period as I got into scuba.

Find a good buddy or guide who will take it at your speed until you feel more comfortable.

After hundreds of collective dives, my buddies and I still some times call a dive if things are just feeling off. It's part of a culture of safety.

 

[Kimela]

When I read the title of the thread I thought ‘Anyone NOT nervous in the beginning?’! I sure know I was! Still, if there’s a chunk of time between dive trips that first giant stride causes me some anxiety and I have to gulp air at the surface before I descend. It gets better - much better - with lots of dives. But yes, I was certainly nervous for a while.

Happy diving!!

 

[Td9984]

I'll be honest I have a bit of anxiety dropping off the wall into the depth or dropping off a boat when I can see bottom. Once I can see bottom I am happy as a lark but hanging over the abyss bothers me. I have always been a good swimmer and have no problems swimming lakes or ocean but underwater it makes me anxious. It isn't the depth for me though. Most of my dives have been local quarry dives in 30-60 ft though o have been doing deeper to 120 or so. Love being down there but it's the trip down that gets to me. It has gotten better with practice. Helps that my buddy I dives with works with me and doesn't pressure. We have called a couple deep dives and tooled around shallow when I needed to. That's the most important thing, don't let others force you into an scary position(for you)

 

[NothingClever]

but hanging over the abyss bothers me.

That’s where I’m happiest - down around 55m, Trimix, AL40 and a DPV to maximize sightseeing along the wall.

You’ll get there .

 

[34109411]

Funny enough i just had an experience on land that show me i feel better underwater. This being said do i get nervous underwater sometimes off course. It s all in how you control it and get back on top of things. As other said if i don't feel to continue the dive i stop.

Be safe

 

[Kimela]

+1 on the anxiety when hanging out over deep water. There’s an ancient part of my mammalian brain that says ‘something can come up from the deep to get you’! Also, there’s just not a lot to see when you’re hanging out like that. Once, in Cozumel, two sharks did come up out of the deep. I suspect they were reef sharks but even with video we were never quite certain. Give me shallow water with lots of light for macro and I’m happy as a clam.