Diving Psychological Literature

[MVillanueva]

Hello, my name is Michael and my daughter and I became certified this past weekend at Blue Hole. During the two days of diving, I saw some psychological reactions (panic, fear, and, interestingly, behavioral paralysis) occuring underwater as well as on the surface. Some of the folks described physiological reactions we commonly associate with the onset of a panic attack. I would like to examine the literature on the psychology of diving, I am particularly interested in seeing if anyone has done any work on *external* kinesthetic cues and the onset of panic.

Does anyone have a reference source for the latest diving psychology? Are there any psych labs doing work in diving and psychology? Are there any published clinical trials on the treatment of panic associated with diving? I would imagine diving panic being treated similarly to other anxiety/ panic / phobic disorders, but I am not sure of that assumption.


I can imagine that cave divers have gone through what some of these new folks experienced as the fear stimuli (at least to me) seems strikingly similar.

Thanks

Michael

 

[DocVikingo]

Couple of articles to get you started:

A Study of Panic in Recreational Divers
http://dcolvard.home.mindspring.com/UJ1Q03p040_044_qxd.pdf

Grace Under Pressure
http://www.scubadiving.com/article/0,7424,3-40-120-636,00.html

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[MVillanueva]

Thanks DocV

That was perfect: You got me started, I appreciate that. Were it not for a warning on bubbles the instructor gave us before our first descent, I would have panicked. As it was, I came close, but remembered what he said.

Thanks again for the citations. The PRD study seems to have a decent reference section. I shall set my RA to task!

Michael

 

[DocVikingo]

(nt)