Overcoming fears

[hopeful diver]

I enrolled on the PADI Scuba Diver course after reading up on the manual -my husband has already completed this course. I attempted the first skills yesterday but was gripped with fear at the thought of tossing the regulator to the side and trying to retrieve it so could not perform the skill test. I also had problems with mask clearance. I know practice makes perfect and shall have another go next week,but meantime does anyone have any tips or hints that could help me overcome these fears before I have another crack at it? Many thanks.

 

[El Orans]

Hello HD,

why not start with this link: A beginner's guide to the ScubaBoard.Com forums.
It will give you lots of info regarding ScubaBoard.

Please fill out your Public Profile (and Dive Info) when you've got the time so we can get to know you a little bit better. If you want to, you can have a look at my Public Profile for inspiration.

Have a look here as well: New Divers & Those Considering Diving. Lots of beginning divers have benefited from it.

Laurens

BTW, welcome (Scub)aBoard! :happywave of :balloon

 

[m3830431]

It is not unusual to question breathing with your face underwater. The more you dive the easier it gets. And yes practice make perfect.

Follow El Orans links for help.

 

[WICKED_WIZARD]

I enrolled on the PADI Scuba Diver course after reading up on the manual -my husband has already completed this course. I attempted the first skills yesterday but was gripped with fear at the thought of tossing the regulator to the side and trying to retrieve it so could not perform the skill test. I also had problems with mask clearance. I know practice makes perfect and shall have another go next week,but meantime does anyone have any tips or hints that could help me overcome these fears before I have another crack at it? Many thanks.

Tips would depend on what you have available. If you have a pool and scuba equipment. I would suggest you stand in the shallow side with you husband next to you. Just place the regulator in your mouth and place just the a small part of your face in the water by bending forward a bit. Just up to your ears is fine. You can have your eyes closed. As you get more comfy you can place your head completely underwater. Note this is all done without a mask. If you have no access to equipment. Get a snorkel and practice in a bath the same skill. What you want to overcome is the fear of breathing with your mouth while you have water in your nose. But please have somebody with you even if you do it in the bath. Then when you do have to do the skills. Talk to your instructor and ask him that he spend a little more time with you. Have him hold his octo close to your mouth that you can grab it if you panic. Try not to go for it, but if you have to. Take it. This way you will be a little less scared. You can also hold your instructors BC with one hand for assurance. An instructor that cares makes a huge difference. You can also ask him/her to allow you to breathe from a regulator in the shallow side of a pool with no mask on and you face underwater. Once you get past this, things become easier. As for getting the regulator again. You can practice that on dry land.

Hope it helps, and all the best.

We all started at openwater.

 

[TSandM]

I don't have any ideas about the regulator problem, but I also had major problems with mask skills. A couple of things that helped me: First of all, the book says to tilt your head back when you clear your mask. If you are sitting up when you do this, all you accomplish is to align the floor of your nasopharynx to make it as easy as possible for water to run down into the back of your throat and choke you. The important thing is to have the bottom of the mask the lowest point, which is actually pretty automatic if you are sitting up. Where you need the head tilt is when you are actually swimming!

Second, you don't have to clear your mask with a huge blast of air. A gentle, slow exhalation will do just as well, and if the first attempt doesn't clear it completely, it doesn't matter, a second try will.

One of my best friends just got certified, and she also had horrible mask problems. We did have her practice swimming in the pool without her mask, because part of the problem was that she couldn't separate breathing through her nose and her mouth. That might help, too, and as already said, if you don't have access to a pool, a bathtub will do for that purpose

 

[murphdivers286]

Welcome to the board.

 

[Matt the Aquaman]

Hello there hopeful diver, welcome to Scuba Board! I have been impressed with the help I’ve received from here. You came to the right place to seek advice and see what other divers are up to. Take care and Safe Diving. Matt. :walksmil::happywave​

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, those are challenging at first, but you'll be okay. Do post on our New Divers forum...

don

And don't be shy about posting. Click Forums above, tour the long list of choices, and jump in anywhere you're qualified. PM me with any questions, and I'll try to find a pretty good answer.

 

[hopeful diver]

Thanks for the advice given, I shall certainly try going in without a mask first, just to get used to that sensation, although I do swim normally with my face in the water. I shall be practising again on Monday so thanks for answering my query!

 

[theskull]

A couple very basic things to remember:

1. If the reg is in your mouth, you have plenty of air to breathe and all is OK. Take all the time you need to clear the mask or accomplish any other skill. Even if you mess up and inhale through your nose, you can choke and spit through the regulator while you get settled again.

2. When the reg is out of your mouth, you have well over a full minute before you NEED to breathe again and have options as long as you refuse to panic. A-retrieve your primary reg as you have been taught, B-grab your octopus from your chest area, C-sinal out-of-air to your buddy/instructor and take his octopus.

Relax, do what you've been taught, relax, and have fun!

theskull