Exploring Panic...

[Splitlip]

Ironically, when confronting danger, the human mind often goes into fight or flight panic mode. Logic and reason flee, and insanity takes over- ie., inhaling water,flailing, kicking, and sometimes taking on superhuman strength that can be detrimental to ourselves or those around us.

For whatever reason, the highly evolved human brain doesn't automatically apply its God-given intellect to think its way out of sudden danger.

As divers, we must train our brains to cast emotion aside, remain calm and think. This kind of thinking can save lives.

Tommy Griffiths

Perhaps appropriately this comes to mind for me during these types of discussions:

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear

(Partied alot in college too )

 

[b1gcountry]

as a warm up for a dive... try to do a mask remove/replacement at the beginning of each day you dive. the fresh water will wake you up and get you alarmed, yet more confident!

And likely wash away your defog and give you something to fret about at the end of the dive...

Losing your mask is stressful. Drills are good, just don't actually initiate the incident you are trying to avoid in your drills. i.e., Don't just grab your buddy's mask because you think they need the practice

I don't like no mask drills. It's cold. It washes away my mask defog, and it makes my eyes itch. No amount of practice will change that. I'm really not looking forward to Tech 1, where I'll be completing my deco without a mask in the cold lake. I'll do it, I just wont' like it.

Tom's pointless ramblings...

 

[miss_scuba]

that is the whole point! Call me MEAN, but I make all my students breath without a mask on their face for a while to get things started. Since I make them do this in the beginning, I don't have that many panic attacks to deal with.

 

[crispix]

I've only been diving a couple years, but I've had a mask or reg kicked off a few times. My reaction tends to be "aw crap, not again!"

But ... in all cases it was a kick to the face that I saw coming and had a split second to be mentally prepared. I wonder what my reaction would be if it was sudden and without any warning, like the OP described?

 

[Calle Roo]

I get my reg yanked out all the time when I pass the sleepy hollow tress. I havent figured the objects appear closer or is it further away yet.

I do have trouble remembering that when the reg goes back in that I need to exhale and not inhale.

 

[AquaTiger]

hey guys thats good advice but until it happens in the open water were you must keep your wits about you at all times i was trained as a commercial diver. and i can tell you that what he stated is true the human mind does kick into survival mode its happened to me more than one time.