Panic won’t let me dive

[Rockit31]

Where are you staying at? I’ll come dive with just you at first today - we would dive at tiki bar next to Cozumel marine world. Just one on one practicing some skills, you really need to get comfortable in the water.

I’m semi retired, live here. Message me here if you want.

I’m at hotel Cozumel and using dive. paradise the only gear I have is mask and fins

 

[Rockit31]

Please don't take this the wrong way, and I am sure you will get other opinions:

In US Naval Aviation there is a term called aeronautically adaptable, which refers whether someone is psychologically fit to fly, whether they can psychologically deal with the rigors of flight.

In my opinion diving is not for everyone. Diving is a very dangerous activity. That danger and the inherent risks associated with it are mitigated through training and experience, but one must also have some psychological adaptiveness as well. If you consistently panic as soon as something goes awry and your default reaction is to race to the surface then you specifically are putting yourself at risk but are also potentially putting those you are diving with at risk too.

It sucks to be on the receiving end of being told that perhaps diving is not for you, and sucks as well to be in the position to suggest it as well. But if you are prone to panic and you can't control the urge/desire to head directly to the surface then you are a liability until you fix that within yourself.

Could you become more comfortable in the water and more psychologically adapted to being underwater? That depends on you....how good of a swimmer are you, how comfortable are you with putting your face in the water without a mask, how comfortable do you think you can become with those things. If you are unsure, then you should spend more time on the surface and spend less money on scuba and more money on just being comfortable and in control in the water at the surface and on breath held dives to the bottom of a pool.

It is great, to a point, that diving is so widely available, but for a high risk activity that requires one to be psychologically adaptable to the rigors of the activity and the environment, (and that environment is hostile to our natural ability to survive), I think the standards for entry into diving are awfully low. There is a reason for that...higher standards do not build wealth for training agencies, but that is another discussion all together.

-Z

I’ve never panicked in my life. I am 57 and in great health and shape. I love the water and swim often. I have snorkeled for years when the panic sets in all I can think about is escape to the top. It’s like something takes over my conscious control

 

[Raphus]

I’ve never panicked in my life. I am 57 and in great health and shape. I love the water and swim often. I have snorkeled for years when the panic sets in all I can think about is escape to the top. It’s like something takes over my conscious control

Thats what panic does.. It takes control.
You have to learn to overcome it, or stop diving. You can hurt yourself and even die, when rushing to the surface. Lung overexpansion is really dangerous

 

[Rockit31]

I’m at hotel Cozumel and using dive. paradise the only gear I have is mask and fins

I’m not sure how to message here. I’m on my iPhone.

 

[Raphus]

I’m not sure how to message here. I’m on my iPhone.

Click on his name and click:start a conversation

 

[Zef]

I’ve never panicked in my life. I am 57 and in great health and shape. I love the water and swim often. I have snorkeled for years when the panic sets in all I can think about is escape to the top. It’s like something takes over my conscious control

Hence why I suggest you are currently not psychologically adaptable to diving. Fix this and then reengage, or accept it as a limiting factor and choose a different activity to participate in that does not include the possibility of death or permanent injury if things go awry or if you just become overwhelmed by feeling of panic.

Some folk are more suited to stay at/near the surface.

Anyone getting in the water with you is accepting a lot of risk/liability.

Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news/reality.

-Z

 

[gopbroek]

I also think that ChuckP's offer is very nice. Another thing to consider is if you can lessen your anxiety and do go back out on a boat, strongly consider a private divemaster until you are more comfortable with depth. Unlike some other dive destinations most Cozumel dives are drift dives with current and the current changes at depth. If you are at a markedly different depth 30ft verses 70-80ft there is likely to be group separation and quickly you may find yourself on a separate dive.

 

[kelemvor]

I’m at hotel Cozumel and using dive. paradise the only gear I have is mask and fins

Wow, that's too bad. They're my preferred operator and resort. Hearing that they'll take an uncertified kid on a dive is disconcerting to say the least.

 

[Ana]

There's already good suggestions, I'd like to add 2 things:

1- there's nothing wrong deciding that diving may not be for you. It certainly doesn't sound like you are having fun and that should be the first thing happening while diving.

and
2.- Under no circumstances consume crappy drinks.
SAY NO TO CRAPPY DRINKS, get yourself a good bottle of your favorite poison and drink the right way. I would go as far as suggesting adding aromatic herbs to lift your mood.
A simple strategy that won't disappoint you is adding fresh rosemary sprigs to pretty much any cocktails , if you do mojitos find good rum and please don't let them muddle the crap out of the mint leaves, just a little to release the good stuff but not so much to bring out the bitterness of its core.

Good luck and Cheers!

 

[James79]

Just my 2psi...
Stress feeds on it's self. I went through a brief period last year of not quite panic issues, but near enough to them. They were driven by life stress unrelated to diving. Diving is how I normally reset my head.... but I was at a point where normal issues (even recurring water in my mask/leaky mask) where becoming significant events. What cured it was:
1) reduction in stress in general (not always an easy option).
2) A very understanding dive buddy willing to dive at my level (Go dive with ChuckP... no stress, just working up to comfort).
3) Some super benign dives going well, rebuilding the confidence (one was 30 minutes that never exceeded 10 feet!).
So, my suggestion is relax. Don't let stress build on it's self, and do some "glorified snorkeling" on scuba... most of the cool fish are shallow anyway!
If the dive starts making you freak out... surface in a controlled manner. I did that on a couple of my "relearning to relax" dives... chilled out just floating for a bit, got relaxed again, and then continued on.
Best of luck,
James