Panic won’t let me dive

[deepsea21]

Well what can I say? A dreary morning turned into a wonderful day. Chuck came over and we went to marine park and got set up with gear and we spent the morning shore diving. He helped gain my confidence back. Super nice guy and like you all, so helpful. How lucky am I today? The Sudafed helped too. I had no problem clearing right off the bat. Everything clicked today. Thanks again Chuck!

Heck, you probably made Chuck's day too as he had a good excuse to get wet.

I think initial diving anxiety is kind of like the anxiety a kid feels who just got his driver's license and then gets freaked out when he has to drive through his first major downtown city. As time goes by and one gains more experience things that freaked you out in the beginning no longer do as you've been there and done that over and over and over again. I personally dive far more conservatively today than I did when I was first certified. Age plays a role in that as well as the knowledge that the trip to the surface from 50' takes 1/2 the time as the trip from 100' which I never much thought about 15 years ago. Depth is also something that can play with your head. I mean, if you've been on a football field and see what 20 yards (60') is up close it really isn't far at all but when you're under water and think about that same 60' being above you to the surface it seems like a lot further than that.

I also think as you progress you'll end up purchasing your own gear and that will mean you probably have your main reg with your backup reg integrated into your BC inflation so your back-up is always right there and when under water you practice over and over and over again taking out your main reg and switching to your backup until it is 2nd nature and then you are totally confident that if your main reg is yanked out or fails you automatically swap to your back up without thinking about it before you have a chance to panic and think about the SURFACE. Doing that is far easier and faster than starting the big sweep with your right arm searching for a free-floating reg that you can't see, in my opinion. The few things that can really rattle a diver (other than an out of air situation) is the loss of a reg and the loss or immediate flooding of a mask. Unfortunately you experienced the reg loss twice now at the very beginning of your diving and that rattled you. I personally make it a point that whenever I find myself in close proximity to another diver's fins or another diver crowds me I instinctively take my hand to my face and hold my mask and reg in place and shield them from thrashing fins and arms and such while I fin away and get back into my own free under water space.

A mask loss or fast flood due to a dislodging of a mask can freak a person out when that water hits your face but remember you used to swim as a kid in the pool and ocean without a mask on and would open your eyes under water all the time. A wet face is nothing as long as you have a reg in your mouth and air to breathe but when you lose it 50' under water one forgets that. So practice that as well in shallow water. Take your mask off and put it on numerous times under water so you become used to the feeling of water hitting your face and opening your eyes under water and continuing to breathe through your reg (without taking water up your nose). Practice practice practice repeat repeat repeat.

Many people here have posted that diving is a tremendously risky sport. That is false. Based on the number of dives performed world wide and the number of injuries or deaths each year diving is a VERY SAFE SPORT and the SCUBA equipment if maintained properly (and often even if it isn't maintained properly) is highly reliable to the point that worrying about an equipment failure makes as much sense as worrying about a tire on your car blowing out on the highway at 75MPH. No one worries about that do they? Most dive accidents that hit experienced divers are the result of a diver doing something they shouldn't be doing and were trained not to do but they do it anyway because they've done it 200 times before without an incident and then their luck runs out. They push it too far, too long, too deep, break the rules, etc. Just my opinion though.

Glad to hear you had a great day diving. Lots more to come. Take your time & be comfortable. There's no hurry and there's no such thing as being too conservative.

 

[Raphus]

What a story. Just dont get pressured by a divegroup. There is always the chance to go for a shallower dive with nice people.

What helps me, when i feel anxiety. Is to fully exhale, Stop and exhale more, Inhale. And repeat it 3-4 times. This way you get rid of co2 which is often the cause of anxiety.

Like others have explained: train the loosing mask and reg over and over again. And it wont be an issue.

 

[morecowbells]

Going back out took a lot of balls considering your bad experiences coupled with anxiety. I was afraid that if you threw in the towel after your craptastic experience, you would regret your decision for years down the road, and always question yourself if you should have given it another try. With all the ugliness on the news, it is such a source of joy to read about Chuck reaching out to you. In addition to frequent equalizing, try partially opening your mouth and moving your lower jaw forward to help burp out the eustation tubes. Please keep us posted on how everything unfolds. We are rooting for you! Whether diving is your passion or not, you are a bad ass for battling and confronting your fears.

 

[Curious_George]

as you progress you'll end up purchasing your own gear and that will mean you probably have your main reg with your backup reg integrated into your BC inflation so your back-up is always right there

Oh heck, did we have to bring up the air-macdoodle? OP, I would encourage some research on this forum before deciding on that configuration.

 

[Zef]

...Many people here have posted that diving is a tremendously risky sport. That is false. Based on the number of dives performed world wide and the number of injuries or deaths each year diving is a VERY SAFE SPORT and the SCUBA equipment if maintained properly (and often even if it isn't maintained properly) is highly reliable to the point that worrying about an equipment failure makes as much sense as worrying about a tire on your car blowing out on the highway at 75MPH. No one worries about that do they? Most dive accidents that hit experienced divers are the result of a diver doing something they shouldn't be doing and were trained not to do but they do it anyway because they've done it 200 times before without an incident and then their luck runs out. They push it too far, too long, too deep, break the rules, etc. Just my opinion though.

Most of what you state before the above quoted section is good info but what you state in this section is just rubish. You are mistaking safetey with risk. One can mitigate and manage risk with safe practices, equipment, etc, but it does not eliminate the risk. And your statement of why accidents hit experienced divers is unfounded rubish opinion as well.

-Z

 

[ggunn]

The few things that can really rattle a diver (other than an out of air situation) is the loss of a reg and the loss or immediate flooding of a mask.

What rattled me the most on a dive, bordering on freaking out, was hyperventilation brought on by overexertion kicking against the current at 80'+ depth. It was all I could do to relax long enough to let it pass without bolting for the surface. Lesson learned.

 

[Zef]

What rattled me the most on a dive, bordering on freaking out, was hyperventilation brought on by overexertion kicking against the current at 80'+ depth. It was all I could do to relax long enough to let it pass without bolting for the surface. Lesson learned.

Difference between you and the OP is that you had the presence of mind to figure out how to calm down and not bolt to the surface. The OP's experience has been repeatedly becoming overwhelmed and heading skyward at great risk to himself.

For the OP....I would recommend lots and lots of shallow water diving with work on mask clearing, mask removal and replacement, regulator recovery, and combinations of the above, while working on establishing and maintaining neutral buoyancy. If you can consistently achieve and maintain neutral buoyancy between the surface and 10m (33ft) while you do things like recover a reg, clear a mask, look at your gauges, etc....you will find that you will have little issue with maintaining neutral buoyancy below 10m (33ft).

Gain lots of experience in that 33ft or less range until you are super comfortable and confident in your skills and ability to manage things that might go wrong. Brief and drill those things with your dive partners, whether you just buddy up with a friend or hire a divemaster to splash with you.

Also, until you are super confident that you are well past panicking and bolting to the surface, I strongly recommend that you discuss this propensity with anyone you are about to enter the water with. They should be informed of this and evaluate if they have the personal skills/expertise to dive with you.

I dived with someone from one of the clubs I was with, she had major panic attack issues and other medical issues that were not disclosed to me until after we were done diving. At one point she chewed through her regulator mouthpiece due to her anxiety level. I decided I would never dive with her again because my life is in my partner's hands, per se, so there has to be a level of mutual trust, and informed consent of any issues that could impact the dive prior to us entering the water. Her not disclosing these issues and letting my find out about how close she was to crisis every time she submerged indicated that I could not trust or rely on this person to use good judgement. I value my life more than I value diving, and will absolutely not enter the water with someone that gives me reason not to trust them. I recommend that you not put your dive partners in that situation.

Cheers and happy bubbles.

-Z

 

[Streydog]

I applaud the OP for sharing this story here. Reading something like this would have helped me when I started diving. I was a little more comfortable in the water but looking back I made some bad "trust me" dives that I was not ready for.

My first land based Coz trip, I had just over 20 dives leading up to it, I went for 2 days and got a package through a bed and breakfast for 2 days of diving with Dive Paradise. Dive one during the briefing the DM stated the max depth to be 80', this was at Columbia. During the dive we ended up going through a swim through at 99'. I remember getting a liitle freaked out inside the swim through. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breathes and that calmed me down. That was a 31 minute dive due to my gas consumption and I remember surfacing on my own, the DM did shoot up a marker. I almost got on the wrong DP boat because I didn't know which of their boats I was on. On the boat I asked the DM why went below 80' like he had planned and he stated that you looked comfortable and I wanted to show you something cool. He later poked fun of me for almost getting on the wrong boat. Yes I continued diving with them those two days without further incident. It was not until I gained more experience that I realized how things could have gone much differently. Now with more experience I would dive with them, not my first through 10th choice, but I would not recommend them to a new diver. My next trip to Coz I was on a boat with a guy that had hired a private DM for his first ocean dives. 3 or 4 years later that guy is an instructor working on the island.

I think it is great what Chuck did. I got to dive with him a few days a couple years ago, think he was working on his DM or becoming an instructor at the time. Many people on here advise getting a private guide, it would be money well spent.

 

[BarnBrat]

I have also struggled with panic during dives so i'll add just a few comments based on experience. Unfortunately this is something that you will likely struggle with for quite awhile (I'm closing in on 500 dives over the last 7 years but I still occasionally get a little shaky during a dive) but in my opinion it is possible for most people to overcome well enough to be safe divers.

First of all like others have already said stay shallow and for as long as feasible hire a private DM to be your buddy. Especially during the first 2 or 3 dive days of each trip as you get back into the swing of things on future trips. Inform your DM ahead of time that you struggle w/ panic. Signal your DM at your first feelings of unease. Carry a weighted rattle (not the plastic ones that float and are hard to find). Keep it in your hand at all times so you don't have to search for it and you can instantly get your DM's attention. Not being able to find the rattle and signal your buddy can move unease into panic. I have found that just letting my buddy know i'm getting 'that feeling' can quell the uneasiness and if not just having them make eye contact and breathe with me and hold my hand for a few moments until the feeling passes. Find what works for you.

Then on shallow dives working 1x1 with a DM introduce stresses like flooding your mask, removing and replacing your reg, etc. I found it helpful to do this on the 2nd day of diving of a trip, use the first 2 or 3 dives just to get comfortable in the water again. Once you get totally comfortable practicing these w/ a DM and they no longer cause any stress you can begin practicing these skills on your own at the end of a dive on your safety stop, (only after you finish your 3-5min in case you do need to surface) but only once you master your buoyancy. This ensures you stay comfortable with these skills.

Also, once you are comfortable enough to dive in a group choose your dive op wisely. Look for ops that take out no more than 6 divers per DM. Small boats and small groups are best. Always let the DM know ahead of each dive that you sometimes struggle with panic, let them know how they can help you, and stick close to the DM during your dive.

Dive as often as you can, try not to go more than 6 or 8 months w/o a week long dive trip. The more dives you get in each trip the better. Choose destinations wisely at first, avoid cold water and currents. Bonaire and Bahamas would be great trips (unless you don't like sharks, then skip the Bahamas).

Lastly, be prepared for setbacks. I have gone years (3 dive trips) where I only experienced slight uneasiness on one or two dives each trip which was easily overcome on my own and then BAM halfway through a LOB trip in Indonesia the right set of circumstances occurred (negative entry in strong current) which sent me into hyperventilation and strong feelings of panic. I spent that dive holding the DM's hand and fighting panic. The next 5 or 6 consecutive dives weren't much better but gradually I got more comfortable again and was totally back to normal 10 dives later.

Having said all of that do know when it's time to call it quits. This is a reaction that you have experienced twice in uncontrolled circumstances as a very new diver which is understandable. If you continue to have that particular reaction even when you are working 1x1 w/ a DM in shallow water diving might not be your cup of tea. The goal is to deal with the feeling of panic w/o bolting to the surface and either being able to calmly call the dive and surface. Ideally you will learn to recognize the early signs of unease and avoid full on panic altogether!

Hopefully at least a few things mentioned here will be helpful! Best wishes for many more dives ahead!

 

[deepsea21]

Most of what you state before the above quoted section is good info but what you state in this section is just rubish. You are mistaking safetey with risk. One can mitigate and manage risk with safe practices, equipment, etc, but it does not eliminate the risk. And your statement of why accidents hit experienced divers is unfounded rubish opinion as well.

-Z

Z: Safety and Risk are directly related. Absolute safety is the absence of all risk/danger and absolute risk/danger is the absence of all safety. As such, they are codependent, not independent. On an old fashioned balance scale you can load the safety side with a 1lb weight and no weight on the risk side which means 100% safety (like living in a rubber room). You could load the risk side with a 1lb weight with no weight on the safety side (like going sky diving without a parachute). It is a balancing act. I am not mistaking safety for risk as they are, again, codependent and not independent.

This brings me to your statement that "one can mitigate and manage risk with safe practices...". Absolutely correct because when you mitigate risk you are taking weight off the risk side of the scale which, in turn, shifts the balance to the safe side. When risk is mitigated safety increases. The point I was trying to make was with proper training and the quality equipment and DC's we have available today we have mitigated so much risk that this sport is VERY SAFE and heavily weighted to the side of safety. The statistics prove it.

With regard to the component of my post as to why dive accidents hit even the most experienced divers... That's there for all to see and I stand by it. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.