Does nitrogen narcosis mimic alcohol use?

[+Jon+]

Every case of halcinations resulting from alcohol intake that i know of have been at extremly high doses...suffering alcohol poisioning, oh dear
As for being narked, IMHO the closest mimic of heavy narcosis that ive experienced is recreational use of nitrous oxide. Ive found if diving air in the 50-65m range its almost impossible to multi task. Also time perception is poor. Reactions are slower too.

 

[ReefHound]

I see little similarity between alcohol intoxication and being narced. When I am slightly narced at 120' I do not get wittier and more personable.

Seriously though, perhaps the difference is the underlying sense of potential danger and if that could be somehow removed then being narced would be as enjoyable as being drunk usually is. When hanging out with friends having a few drinks I welcome the buzz and feel less inhibited. But I don't enjoy alcohol intoxication and don't feel so uninhibited when it comes down to driving home from the bar (which I try to avoid).

 

[Rick Murchison]

Do the physiological effects of nitrogen narcosis mimic those of alcohol? Or is that just a gross over simplification of the true effects?

Yes.
Rick

 

[mikerault]

Thanks for the detailed response Rick!

Mike

 

[sea nmf]

While I know that I'm impaired at depth, I personally have not noticed any similarity to alcohol. That isn't to say there isn't any, just that I have not noticed it.

I guess I notice it most on deep night dives. I seem to have to concentrate more, which is what I would have to do if I ever "dared" (back in the day - a loooonggg time ago) to drive while intoxicated. But I have never gotten "happier" or less inhibited while diving deep. But then, my max has been 139'. I regularly dive to 100', though.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Thanks for the detailed response Rick!

Mike

My pleasure
My point... is that Narcosis is highly variable in its onset, signs, symptoms and overall affect, not only from diver to diver, but in the same diver from dive to dive. Sometimes, in some people, it is indeed very similar to alcohol, but most of the time, in most folks, it's manifested in different ways - maybe inattention to detail, maybe paranoia, maybe forgetfulness, maybe decreased dexterity, maybe an inappropriate feeling of well-being ("Oh, Joe just had his hand ripped open by a Moray... that's ok...").
But whatever the affect, it's safe to say that everyone is susceptible, everyone's mental faculties are "somewhat under a cloud," even (especially) those who don't think so
Clinical evidence is that divers do not build tolerance to it, however, divers can acclimate through making accommodations for it. There are general things that everyone can do... Diving deep? Make the plan simple, make the abort criteria tight, simple and iron-clad.
And there are specific things individuals can do. In my case, the first sign of narcosis is that I will realize after looking at my gauges that I didn't really read them and absorb the information on them, so to accommodate for that shortcoming, when deep I now automatically look - stop - read - think about what it means - before stowing the gauges again.
That better ?
Rick

 

[Cheekymonkey]

I agree about not building a tolerance, you just have to plan for it and go in overly aware.

 

[TomH]

My experiences imply that (for me) Narcosis has less of a depressant effect than alchohol. In fact, in my experience, narcosis consistently presents at >100 fsw as a marked inability to distinguish colors (initially, I thought that it was simply the depth altering the light, but no such luck). In this respect, I suppose that it is somewhat hallucinagenic (sp?). Also, in contrast to alcohol intoxication, narcosis has never made me want to sing Karaoke.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

I havent experienced the color problem personally I don't think. I mean no more then the usual loss of color at depth, I've never felt that I just couldlnt tell the difference between two colors for a reason different then light at depth.

 

[jfoutz]

I think the comparison is a gross oversimplification.

A friend of mine (who would know such things), told me that he thought it was very similar to sniffing rubber cement.