My Dive buddy is afraid of getting eaten by a Shark.

[Lorenzoid]

It's similar to fear of flying, a problem best solved by flying rather than presenting rational arguments or statistics, however convincing these may be to those not harbouring the same fears.

Hmm. Both can be real phobias--psychological conditions--or can be just plain ol' fears of the type not uncommon in prospective or new divers. If the fear of sharks is a phobia, maybe the treatment is something other than just diving--I don't know, as I'm not a psychologist and don't play one on SB.

Flying is also a little different because just surviving a flight doesn't show the person what made it "safe." In contrast, diving in the ocean and actually seeing sharks apparently going out of their way to ignore you is pretty compelling, I would think.

 

[AdivingBel]

I think you should both dive your a**es off until he proves himself correct. Then he WINS...I guess, but you get some excellent diving. Either way it's a win-win.

 

[reefrat]

The first time your buddy sees a caribbean reef shark swim past minding it's own business he/she will probably feel a whole lot better about the dive thereafter. But all sharks are not the same! Unless you have a particular interest in Bull Sharks or Tigers it is probably best (IMO) to not frequent their known haunts. Of course as you get more experience you (or your buddy) may develop a "particular interest" to go looking for encounters with bigger sharks. But even then, all sharks are not the same! I spent 20 years diving in an area where great whites were a possibility on every dive, I dove in spite of that potential and knowing they were out there did not enhance the experience.
The risk of getting hit by a shark in general recreational driving is so low that it is NOT a good reason to stop diving. But its funny how people like to poo-poo fear of things by ridiculing that fear- as though they are trying to reassure themselves!
When you go for a drive there is always the possibility that you will have an accident and be injured or even killed! No-one in their right mind would deny this, yet we still drive because the risk is low enough that if we are careful and drive defensively we believe that we will be OK, and we probably will!
As someone once said "Diving is safe, just as long as you remember it is dangerous"!
If your buddy keeps diving the chances are that he/she will naturally overcome a "general" fear of sharks.

 

[flyboy08]

Once he's cured of sharks, you can work with him on Cudas, crocs, sting rays, jelly fish, man eating turtles.......yes, they don't care for women......good luck.

 

[Aviyes]

Once he's cured of sharks, you can work with him on Cudas, crocs, sting rays, jelly fish, man eating turtles.......yes, they don't care for women......good luck.

Don't forget giant octopus and squid. I hear they attack entire submarines.

 

[Altamira]

Most people never get closer to a shark than on the other side of the aquarium's plexiglass. That fact, combined with the Hollywood spin on shark encounters, and the medias' hyping of real world attacks make fear of sharks a very common phobia. Fortunately, time is on your dive buddy's side because the more he sees that sharks are not malevolent, indiscriminate predators just waiting for his meaty butt to hit the water, he will likely start to relax and actually look forward to seeing the occasional shark, especially if he gets an interest in underwater photography. As others have said, be patient and don't keep piling on the statistics because statistical data does nothing to allay deep seated fear.

 

[Marie13]

OP, I can sympathize with your dive buddy. I am not particularly fond of sharks and rays (this is a major understatement). People have ridiculed my fear, but I don't really give a flying fig. Maybe I'll eventually dive salt water, but it's not a pressing issue.

I've solved the "no salt water" issue by being very happy with only diving on the Great Lakes, besides quarries in the region. There is nothing in the Great Lakes that can eat me! My reason for getting into diving was to dive Great Lakes wrecks anyway (a very long standing interest). I'll have three days of diving wrecks on northern Lake Huron next week.

Great Lakes: unsalted and shark free!

 

[Caveeagle]

Swimming close to your buddy reduces chance of being eaten by roughly 50%

And..

98.5% of statistics are made up, on the spot!

 

[AdivingBel]

Swimming close to your buddy reduces chance of being eaten by roughly 50%

Remind him he doesn't have to swim faster than the shark, just faster than you. Also if he stabs you in the leg with his BFK his chances of escape increase exponentially.

 

[Caveeagle]

..If you SEE a shark. It is probably not very hungry.