Post-scary dive

[KangarooSeatbelt]

Sounds like a particularly un-fun experience that's really wormed it's way into your head.

I agree with some of the above... you need to try to relax and get rid of your performance anxiety. And honestly, get back on the horse! I realize that the get back on the horse attitude has its inherent dangers as well, but if you take a step back, go get on a burro, and then a pony, and then get back on the horse, you shouldn't be a danger to anyone. Just take it super slow. Hit some really easy, baby dives. "Nothing a week on a coral reef wouldn't fix" EXACTLY! take the time to get comfortable with your equipment and bouyancy in a really easy dive environment, and then the tougher stuff won't be nearly as overwhelming. As a new diver, you'll sometimes find dives to be very tasking. You've got so many things to do; check your depth, check your air, inflate your b/c, deflate your b/c, look at your compass, where's your buddy, which way are you going, am i having fun?, equalize, clear mask, fix strap, adjust clip, what am i supposed to be looking at again? But as long as you stay safe, you'll get to the point where it FEELS like all you do is put on your gear, hop in the water, and go explore for a while. All the equipment stuff will fade to the background and you not only will things like checking your air and depth become fairly robotic and unnoticed, you'll be much more comfortable in it all, and notice it being there less. You'll fell less like a guy in gear diving, than a guy swimming around without coming up for air.

Take the time to even drop into the deep end of a pool, even if it's only 7 or 8 feet deep. swim around the pool. work on your bouyancy (this is a little hard in a 7/8 foot pool... 15 is better, but it can be done. if you can master bouyancy in 7 feet of water, you won't have any trouble at depth on a real dive), lay on your back and watch your bubbles. investigate cracks in the pool, etc. Just enjoy being able to breath underwater, and getting used to your equipment.

You will eventually become comfortable, and love it as much as we do! Give it time, and be safe. Good luck!

 

[kelpmermaid]

Honestly, it happens to everyone at some point. You watch the surf, calculate your entrance, but things don't always go as planned. It's easy to stumble on your way out as well. With all the gear on, you won't move as quickly or be as nimble. But fear not. Just take your time, and get back out there, and keep your reg in your mouth.

 

[pupdiver]

I have to admit that I was always a bit scared after my certification dives. I knew that my skills were just basic. I was nervous that if I went diving and ran into something unexpected (strong current, surge, whatever) I could be overwhelmed. For me, I tried to focus more on what I had learned and tried to give some real thought to what I would do in different situations.

One thing that might help is if you go diving with someone who is very experienced as your buddy. That way you might feel more comfortable that someone knowledgable is in charge until you feel more in control.

When my wife and I first got certified together, we would split up on dive boats and buddy with other people so we could learn from experienced divers. I think we both gained a lot of confidence from that.

 

[mamashark]

I don't have that exact story but...

Post hurricane swell, and me and a few friends went surfing. The waves were about 8 ft. A huge wave hit me and broke my leash...my board went flying. I was in the middle of the break getting pounded one wave after another. I thought I was going to drown if I took on one more wave. I was screaming for help it seemed forever. Finally my buddy heard me and put me on his board and we got in.

I wouldn't go in the water at all after that....until I started diving. The first night in the pool I had a major panic attack and had to be babied through the session. But after that I was OK with it. After 16 dives, I can now go back into the surf. You have to want it bad enough to get past your fears...that is my story anyway.

 

[Redcard]

I have a similar story.

I'm 41, fairly strong but a bit heavy. I grew up with the water, pool at home with my Dad's old SCUBA gear as a pup, was an avid waterskier, always at the beach as a teenager, etc. Never a problem with water.

But I haven't spent a lot of time near the water in the last few years. When my future wife and I decided to take up SCUBA diving I knew I would have no problem. But I was very uncomfortable in the wetsuit, with all that gear on, and my face and mouth being covered up. I was fighting the feeling of not being able to take a breath.

While doing our OW in the pool, I had at mental block taking off the mask and continueing to breath through the reg. My instructor was very patient, took me in the pool while others were on a little break. He told me to hum a song or picture my finacee naked, anything to take my mind off of it. So I was able to get past that little problem and finished the pool work.

Then the big problem comes. We're doing the OW dives off the beach. I had just bought a new wetsuit (XCEL quad-density). This thing is tight as hell, even though the dive shop tells me it's perfect. This wetsuit was tight and very inflexable. There was pressure on my shoulders, my neck, my chest and my stomach. So now I really feel like I can't breath and I started to get all psyched out. So I prepared for the first OW beach dive. I put on the wetsuit and all that restrictive and heavy gear, I walk down 100 steps to the beach. The instructor brings me and my fiancee out and starts to guide us through the surf. Unfortunately, I have it in my head that I can't breath and I snap. The surf is pushing me around, the water is splashing my face, and all I can think is that I'm going to sink to the bottom and not be able to breath. I get a little panicky, push my way back thru the surf, get sacked twice by the surf, and crawl on the beach on my hands and knees. I start telling my instructor to get all this shihite off of me....NOW.....

I was completely bummed and dissappointed in myself. My fiancee completed dive 1 while I was sitting on the beach. (They ended up cancelling the rest of the day because of the high surf.)

But I was determined. We're getting married and planning to dive in the Coral Sea in January. I have a few grand and my pride riding on this. I also know a little something about myself. I know that I need to have control, and I didn't feel like I had it that day. I also know that I have and will always stand back up after getting knocked on my butt. I also grew up with the water and I've never been afraid of it.

We were going to try again the following weekend at the same beach. So I decided to make sure I had a little control this time. I went back to the dive shop and exchanged my wetsuit for one that I felt more comfortable with. (XCEL Vortex 7/6/5) I remembered that I didn't actually drown the first time in the surf, and now I have a little bit better idea of what to expect when I get there again.

I went out again with a little bit of intrepedation, but I made it. It took a few dives to get used to all the gear, the mask, the snorkle, the reg, and feel comfortable with it all. But now after only 7 dives, I'm completely fine with it. I haven't yet been diving without instruction. We're doing our AOW and Enriched Air right now. This past weekend we were at Catalina and I had a blast. The entry is much easier there, and I had no worrisome thoughts about any of the gear, and no fear of being able to breath. I knew I just had to get accustomed to it. We're going back out to complete our AOW this weekend, then joining our instructors and some others on a day trip the following weekend.

Now I know I'm going to love diving.

John

 

[scuba41girl]

I feel your pain. Unfortunately you may never get over the anxiety.

In the early nineties I was a pro waterskier. I grew up on boats and had no problems with them. We were all in my ski boat one afternoon taking turns barefooting on the boom. We were toward the side of the river taking a break when a boat came at us and despite our attempts of getting him to stop, he hit us. Some of us bailed and some didnt make it off the boat. The other boat's prop went right over the top of my boat while people dove to the floor. The driver of the other boat was smashed. he had a keg in his boat. We all ended up being ok, but to this day i'm like a watchdog on a boat. i'm constantly checking to make sure there are no boats near us. I cant help it. ive tried to get over it but i'm a mess on a boat near crowds. i'm fine in the ocean. even during waterski shows i started to get nervous if the boats were too close to each other (which is always the case in a ski show). i felt like i needed to be on valium lol

anyway, this may be something that sticks with you for awhile. everytime i experience anxiety with the situation, i try to think rationally. sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesnt. take your time with it and good luck!

 

[DandyDon]

Wow, a ****ty story and a real disaster...

Redcard, you had the wrong suit, and with that disadvantage - the rest of it went to caca. I'd have been embarrassed to have that happen in front of the Inst and the fiance, but you'll get over it. Just insist on diving calms waters only as you develop confidence, experience, skills, etc. Best wishes to you.

I feel your pain. Unfortunately you may never get over the anxiety.

I don't know that we need to encourage the anxiety; sometimes it's forgettable. Scuba41girl, that was just a dreadful incedent. Makes you want to carry a loaded shotgun in the boat, doesn't it. Too bad you weren't well armed that day.

This is more of a case of Critical Incedent Stress, so your burden could be more to deal with. There is always help available - hell, PM me if you'd like to talk. Best wishes to you, too.

 

[Tigerman]

I posted a thread here a few months ago about my first dive. I was pulled in by a sudden wave on my very first dive before getting my cert. It was a bit of a traumatic experience, but I did my two dives that day at a different location. A week after that I did my last two dives and got my cert. Well, I was a bit shaken up by it, but got over it...or so I thought! I keep having dreams of almost drowning or diving and being sucked into the ocean. Sometimes when I look at photos of people diving or just even the beach the incident comes back to me. I want to join my school's diving club, but these dreams do make me feel a little scared. Just wondering if anyone had a similar experience or advice on things like this.

Thanks!

What you describe could sound like PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder). This often dont occur untill some time after the trauma happened. There is several ways of dealing with or preventing it and one of them is to get back on the horse as soon as possible and get comfortable. Talking about it and analyzing it is also part of it. Im no expert at these things tho, but we had designated people working with these things when I was in the army.

 

[DandyDon]

What you describe could sound like PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder). This often dont occur untill some time after the trauma happened. There is several ways of dealing with or preventing it and one of them is to get back on the horse as soon as possible and get comfortable. Talking about it and analyzing it is also part of it. Im no expert at these things tho, but we had designated people working with these things when I was in the army.

I guess that's the same things as the Critical Incedent Stress I mentioned above - as covered in the Emergency First Responder Course or the Rescuse Course, I forget which. Anyway, you are correct. The more the problem is shared, the less it is; if not, it can eat you up inside.

As a young cowboy, we didn't talk about things, we just got back into it. Had a horse fall on me once, but I got back on him before my dad got to me. We do have better ways.

Smolderinglime's post was from January, but she still comes onto SB some. She was on in Sept.

 

[divepsych]

What you are describing is consistent with Post-Traumatic Stress with recurrent distressing dreams, cued reliving, avoidance and anticipatory anxiety. I have worked with several divers with that problem. However, it would be best to see a local professional for an evaluation. I am currently studying the psychological impact upon the divers who were underwater when the tsunami hit in December 2004 and expect to publish the findings in due time.

Please visit my website for information on diver panic and techniques to control diver stress and anxiety/panic.