Narcosis: linked to experience?

[chiara]

Part of the discussion in "thank heavens for PADI" brought a question to my mind, sorry if this has been discussed earlier: are inexperienced divers more likely to encounter narcosis?

Does stress play a role?

The first time I encountered it I was at my 24th dive, first time in the Mediterranean, first dive in warm water since getting certified, nothing scary, just looking at my computer and thinking "oh, I'm at -39, how interesting, I can see the surface!"

 

[ScubaScott]

Chiara - I have zero background in any kind of dive medicine, and offer only my opinion here.

Narcosis is an effect of pressure on the body. Narcosis will affect every diver to some level (at depth) , even though they may not know it, I don't believe experience plays any part of it. While an experienced diver may notice immediately that he is narc'ed, an inexperienced diver may not. Thats the difference I see.

Don't know about stress compounding the affects of narcosis, but it certainly wouldn't make things any easier.

SS

 

[Big-t-2538]

I would venture to say it has more to do with the environment than it does with experience. Experience might let you know when you are narked, but I think environment (cold, dark, creepy) plays a bigger roll than experience.