Panic in OW - advice needed

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

One thing that often gets lost in the discussions of new students is that this is RECREATIONAL diving. It's recreation...it's supposed to be fun. The problem with many OW courses is that they cram so many hair-raising (to beginners) and stressful things into a few dives that the experience becomes awful. I remember my first ocean dives after my certification and thought, wow, this is great, just floating around looking at fish! No taking my mask off, towing another diver, hovering for x number of seconds, then taking my tank off and putting it on... just serene floating and finning with my buddy. It was a blast.

I bring this up as regards your last question: should you dive again...this issue is, do you want to? Do you find it fun, or at least see the potential for being fun? Because if it isn't fun, there is no reason for doing it. It isn't a great workout, it carries some risk, it costs money and takes time. Unless you are a pro, there is absolutely no reason to strap on a tank unless you enjoy it.

In a weird way, it may be better to do a resort course first. so you can see the fun side of it before having to do all those skills scares the crap out of you.

If you love it, you will find a way...if not, why try?

 

[srhtech]

I had the same kind of experience on my 10th dive wich was 2 weeks ago. Mine was a combination of things that caused my problem. But I have made 4 dives since and each one is getting better and better. I was very comfortable throughout my certification, I never had any problems with any skills or anything. Made several dives after getting certified then had an issue. It does take awhile to mentally over come the feeling. It stays with you and it is scary. The feeling is hard to explain but your body starts working as though there is imminent death. The whole spitting out the reg thing I still can't understand. I didn't spit the reg but my body wanted to. Part of my problem was that my reg was turned all the way to the negative when I thought it was all the way to the positive and I had no idea that was part of my problem until later. I do think though after you experience the feeling of panic underwater that it will help you over come it and to remain calm in a stressful situation. The first thing to do though if you feel the anxiety rising is to breath. Hold your reg in your mouth that will help you fight the urge to spit it. Take a few deep breaths then you'll notice that everythign is ok.

 

[Stoo]

A new diver having a "moment" early in their diving is not unusual. It has been said many times in this thread but it's worth repeating... Nothing will improve your diving like diving. The trick is to go slow, with the help of a more experienced buddy... One who preferably is an instructor or divemaster, or AI... someone used to helping out newcomers.

Having said this, there's a difference between "feeling a little panicy" and having an out and out panic attack. Certainly this has the potential to end up badly and any new diver who finds themself in this sort of situation needs to do a little soul-searching and decide if diving is really for them. Start by questioning the reason you want to dive...

Over the years, I have run into a few people that simply shouldn't be diving. One guy, who was in one of my OW II course years ago, was OK in a controlled (class) environment. But I became friendly with he and his girlfriend and dove with them many times over the years. She was an excellent diver (and still is..) He was a disaster. The final straw for me was when we were all diving an inland lake one year which was very dark. Many of us dive solo up here and he was starting to do that as well. I was able to watch him hang on the anchor line for 45 minutes in about 30' of water, clearly terrified. And yet when he surfaced, unaware that I had been watching him from below, he proceeded to tell everyone what a great dive he had. I pulled him aside that evening and strongly suggested that he should hang up his fins and eventually he did do that. It was an awkward situation, but he was diving only because his girlfriend wanted him to, and he was going to hurt himself or someone else if he didn't stop...

I don't say this to suggest that the original poster should give up diving after one bad incident. But all new divers need to periodically asses their attitudes towards the sport and make sure you want to do it, and if so, then get out, dive your ass off, and get good at it.

A line I used to use while teaching was "Experience is what you get immediately after you needed it.." (I don't know if it originated it, or borrowed it..) These "bad" experiences can be valuable learning tools and anyone who dives long enough is going to have one. The trick is to learn the "whys" of them and learn from them. This is what makes you a better diver.

But at the end of the day, it IS supposed to be fun, as was just mentioned. If it isn't, then take up golf!

 

[Cruz Cween]

Hi Carolyn, I'm in Bradenton, too & start my first classroom tonite (9/11!) and feel a bit of anxiety about the open water part! Snorkel all the time in Tahiti tho & it's time I got certified & down there with my friends! Where did you get certified? we are going to Sarasota to FL Underwater Sports....just because - no reason really!

 

[Stoo]

Snorkel all the time in Tahiti tho...

Why don't you take me to Tahiti with you and I'll give you a top-knotch, private course! Cheap!

Seriously though, it's perfectly normal to feel a little anxiety. Breathing underwater isn't really "normal" after all. But there-in lies the fun of it.

I've been at this now for 34 years, and every spring I think it's time to hang up the fins (at least for cold water anyway), then I hit the water, and by the time I'm 50 feet down, I remember exactly why I still do it... Just don't ask me to explain it, because I can't. It sounds like you'll find out soon enough on your own!

It's notes like yours that make me wish I was still teaching. I loved watching people discover "this"!

 

[catra8104]

I went through Marine Dreams.. Laura there is wonderful.. Dive-Adventures in Sarasota did the instruction.. Very thorough and patient... B/C of my schedule I got individual pool instruction.. Did shore dive @ Spanish Rocks right before Gustav entered the Gulf.. Added anxiety when told they wanted to get us in and out quickly b/c of this.. Had 2 instructors and a DM for 3 students... You can look at some of my other posts, but I felt like an idiot... Read somewhere last night to not worry about it looking good on checkout, just do it right, don't panic, and have fun... Did boat dives at Lynne Silvertooth... Beautiful, can't wait to go back..

PM me if you'd like to chat...

 

[Jamba]

Hi all,

I know it has been a couple of month since I first posted and a lot of things have happened since. I really wanted to keep you guys posted since your good advice and encouragement helped keeping me going and that is why I am where I am right now.

But first I need to address one thing to relief my conscience a little. When I first posted, I assumed that my instructor certified me after our check out dive weekend which he did NOT! There was some miscommunication between us and I finally found out, that he had never signed off on my certification until I finished dive #8 with him last month. I was very relieved to hear that, because a) it is what I expected of him due to the other standards he had for his class and the respect I have for him and b) I am usually very hard on myself and know, I would have had a hard time accepting that card, if I knew, I didn't truly deserve it! Sorry, but I really needed to get that of my chest. He is an awesome guy and he taught a great class IMO with a lot "additional" stuff, especially about gas management, etc..I would have found it unfair not to admit my mistake.

Having said that, I wanted you guys to know, I am having a BLAST under water and can't wait to get back! It took me a good while to get there, but I am so glad I didn't give up!

It was really not that easy in the beginning, because I couldn't figure out the reason/s. Big THANKS to Ber, for pointing me at the mental part and I eventually realized where my "mind-problem" was. I had a lot of other personal stuff going on which made me really uneasy and I had not slept very well for weeks before I even took the OW class. My mind was so occupied with other things that made me feel anxious, unconfident and like things were out of control, that I already entered the water with a mindset that was predestined for not functioning properly. I never considered this being an issue, I was wrong and I believe, adding my nervousness about the dives and the skills just pushed me over the edge.

I took about a 4-6 week break from diving to sort out things that were going on and to get my head straight. During that time I almost spend every other day snorkeling in our apartment complex' pool, clearing and taking of my mask under water applying all the good advice and soon I was able to swim around without my mask as long as I wanted. Got a lot of weird looks from other people at the pool wondering what was so interesting snorkeling around in there - told them I was counting the tiles.
On the weekends I went to the beach and did the same there until I actually had FUN? doing it. Took a little longer than in the pool though. Well, from time to time I still need a little chat with myself and I try to concentrate on something in front of me, like my fingers (weird but it works), when an uneasy feeling is creeping up. I kind of figured it may be a visual thing that sometimes gets me. All that really helped to increase my comfort level a lot.

In retrospect, I can really say that is has been a very valuable experience in many ways. I learned a lot about myself, especially not going to dive if my mind is not up to it! One of my coaches always used to say: "It starts in your mind and shows on your body." and he was right.

The last two dives with my instructor where an absolute eye-opener for me. I was still a little nervous in the beginning but it subsided pretty fast. It were two really enjoyable dives and I had only set two goals, staying relaxed and concentrating on breathing and buoyancy. It was the first time I really started feeling comfortable about what I was doing under water, I was focused, had good control over myself and ... yes... my head was in the game!... no panicky feelings doing things at all. Oh, yeah and I bought myself a really comfortable wetsuit and got rid of needing an uncomfortable rental.

Since then, I have been on a couple of shallow dives (max. 30') with a dear friend of mine, who is an experienced "Techi"(GUE) and it was awesome!!! He had helped me a lot working through it, so he knew what he got his self into :wink1:. He also was the guy telling me straight forward, that it would not be safe to go dive (except with an instructor) until I felt comfortable in the water again doing that skill. I really appreciate his honesty! He is very patient, explained a bunch of things to me and is very straight in his diving procedures, which I really like. I really enjoy diving with him and can't wait to learn MORE. I try not getting on his nerves too much: "When are we going again, when are we going again...?"

Sorry for the long post, again, but I wanted to say THANKS and: I LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!! :bounce2:

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

Congratulations. Good job hanging in there.

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

Great news

 

[catra8104]

Glad to hear your enjoying yourself now...