Panic!!!

[ch66nerja]

Recently on my second dive after Open Water Certification I had a mild panic - say 4-5/10 while clearing a full mask. Enough to make me ascend from16m without a safety stop!

I do feel I learned a lot from it though, enough to send me off practicing mask clearing and better self control next time. It gave me the knowledge that I could sit there with a full mask if needed until I calmed down, or even ascend safely with a full mask (hold nose if needed, that kind of thing).

Got me thinking, how often / common are panics? Does everyone have one at some point during their diving 'career'? What are peoples opinions?

 

[lionfish-eater]

Yes
Dive more

 

[happy-diver]

I do feel I learned a lot from it though

That's it, make a list dude, not just in your head, write it down, carry it around, look at it, keep one in your car

So and on that list put everything you think that may make you panic and even stuff you don't think
So next to that put so how can I calm myself down from this panic, from this something unexpected
So and then put down the ramifications of surfacing from stuff you don't really need to surface from

So when you dive dive ahead of yourself be around the corner before you get there so from that you
will not find much unexpected and when you do you won't panic, just clear your mask from laughing


THEFUTUREISINTHEPRESENT

 

[34109411]

Recep 5.

Recently on my second dive after Open Water Certification I had a mild panic - say 4-5/10 while clearing a full mask. Enough to make me ascend from16m without a safety stop!

I do feel I learned a lot from it though, enough to send me off practicing mask clearing and better self control next time. It gave me the knowledge that I could sit there with a full mask if needed until I calmed down, or even ascend safely with a full mask (hold nose if needed, that kind of thing).

Got me thinking, how often / common are panics? Does everyone have one at some point during their diving 'career'? What are peoples opinions?

I was going to write a long post but i will keep it short. So second dive...mmm perharps you should give yourself a chance !

Don't ascend ever again like this.

Practice the skill in shallow water, and repeat until you master.

Yes does happen to everyone key is to react and decrease the level of panic to resume and continue.

if you need more info of drills to how clear mask pm me.

 

[Belzelbub]

Recently on my second dive after Open Water Certification I had a mild panic - say 4-5/10 while clearing a full mask. Enough to make me ascend from16m without a safety stop!

Keep in mind, the safety stop is optional. Yes, you should try to do it on each dive that is deep enough, but there are some cases where it may be best to be on the surface. It's just something you'll have to decide. Is it better to wait and perform the safety stop, or is it better to be on the surface to deal with this. That will be a case by case decision.

Got me thinking, how often / common are panics? Does everyone have one at some point during their diving 'career'? What are peoples opinions?

Probably. And, I would imagine they are more common among new scuba divers than more experienced ones, but I wouldn't say anyone is immune. A new scuba diver has a lot of things going on that are new. That can lead to anxiety, and in some cases panic. As you gain experience you should experience this less.

In your particular case, practice with clearing your mask will help. A lot of this depends on how familiar you are in the water. I grew up in and around water, so swimming around with no mask, or a mask full of water is not really a problem for me. I never had a problem with water entering my nose, which I understand can be unpleasant. I got used to it at an early age, but for those that haven't, you can start now. Just keep practicing this. It will get better with time where this will no longer be on the radar for panic.

 

[Big Dan K]

As one who tends towards anxiety, I have found the safety stops to be a great time to work through a lot of them. It is easy to get to the surface if needed and there is really nothing else to do. Makes it an ideal time to practice mask drills, regulator drills, SMB deployment, or even retrieving seldom used items like cutting tools and backup lights.

 

[Kitzy]

I have had moments, everyone does, rec, tech, even divers with thousands of dives, even the ones we consider legends.

It's part of the course, the most important thing you can do is practice, keep your skills sharp, don't get complacent, and remember... Just breathe, as long as you are breathing, you are fine.

If you don't dive solo you have a buddy with you, if you have issues signal them, if I had been your buddy in that situation and noticed or saw you signaling you had mask issues, I'd have held you for this exact reason.

So I think it's important to talk to whomever you dove with as well, they too, could have done better (If not for anything else, their awareness of the team)

 

[TMHeimer]

I've never really come close to panic. Over the years have had numerous touchy
situations but was able to do the PADI thing -- stop, think, act. But everyone will panic if pushed into a certain situation.

 

[johndiver999]

I have had moments, everyone does, rec, tech, even divers with thousands of dives, even the ones we consider legends.

It's part of the course, the most important thing you can do is practice, keep your skills sharp, don't get complacent, and remember... Just breathe, as long as you are breathing, you are fine.

If you don't dive solo you have a buddy with you, if you have issues signal them, if I had been your buddy in that situation and noticed or saw you signaling you had mask issues, I'd have held you for this exact reason.

So I think it's important to talk to whomever you dove with as well, they too, could have done better (If not for anything else, their awareness of the team)

I have seen this said so many times on this forum, and each time I have to laugh. There are MANY problems or issues that can happen underwater which are significantly more urgent or serious than simply not being able to breathe!.

 

[FishWatcher747]

You don't need to be on scuba to practice mask drills. I use a weight belt with 13 pounds. Get in about 3 and 1/2 foot, 1 meter of water, pool, or shore. Put mask on, sit down in water, partially fill with water, clear, stand up. Then do it taking mask off underwater, put it back on, then clear, stand up. Do it many times. After a few sessions of this you will panic less if it happens on scuba unexpectedly.

Not everyone is a natural in this skill. I am not.