So I got my first case of Nitrogen Narcosis

[tridacna]

everyone gets narced, some notice it and some don't realize it at all. It affects everyone differently, just like alcohol.
When I get narced, I don't feel tipsy, I feel slightly panicked and uncomfortable at being at that depth. I look at my gauges over and over. Other people I have spoken with say they see weird things, like mermaids or people swim by them without scuba gear on. LOL

I get the same symptoms as you. Mild panic; Rapid breathing; Really uncomfortable. Not sure "why I'm doing this". I want to "get out of there fast". Then I stop, breathe slowly and it seems to go away. The temp also affects me. Cold water exacerbates the narcosis. 150 feet in Belize, Curacao or Cozumel - never felt a thing. 120 feet at 49F in NJ and I'm scared out of my fins. I gotta admit that it took me a while to realize that I was narc'd. I too lived in a state of denial. Then I started diving Trimix and presto it was gone! Let's all praise Helium.

 

[1KWIK_69]

Guess I fall under the, "Just don't notice it" catagory, and that includes a few dives below 150'. I know recreational divers aren't supposed to go that deep, so please don't "Narc" me out to Padi!

 

[Sue Sue]

Hey, I just thought of something...is it possible that the conversation I was having with myself was actually another identity??? And therefore, if it was, am I actually diving with a buddy???

 

[Tigerman]

Like robint said, everybody gets narc'd. If you dive, you are under the influence of nitrogen narcosis, period. You may not know it, but you are.

And thats exactly why I always assume that I am and dive my plan strict and dont make ANY changes to it once Im down, especially when I (against common advise) dive solo.

 

[Gdog]

Yes, Sue, you are buddy diving. Next time tell your buddy I said Hi!

 

[ItsBruce]

I've never felt narced and at depth, I constantly check myself for signs of being narced. I have never noticed any, but that may just be the narcosis tricking me.

I once had my kid do a math problem at depth and a comparable one on the beach. He did better at depth. Swell. Simply swell.

 

[Zman96]

Sue, hopefully you and your buddy don't have an argument, or worse get separated.

 

[TSandM]

I get the anxious narcosis, and have frankly hallucinated in the past -- became convinced that I was beginning an uncontrolled ascent, and dumped all the air out of my suit and wing to stop it, and crashed into the bottom. Thank goodness that there was a bottom!

That severe a symptom doesn't happen to me anymore, but I think it's more because I have a lot of other data from my body and gear that override such thoughts, than because I no longer get narced. I do notice problems with memory of the dive (things fuzzy or forgotten), and I'm quite sure I'd be slower and less decisive in the face of problems. Which is why my personal hard deck without helium is 100 fsw, and I don't go there very often.

 

[beester]

I've done some deep air dives (160-170 feet range). I've experienced both dark narcs and pleasant narcs.

I always compare it to drunk driving.

Being totaly pissed or really so narced that your buddy sees it, well no question that's the easy one, your drunk/narced. If you think you can breath water or think you can fly, obviously your mental abilities have diminished somewhat.

The dangerous part is not totally drunk/narced. The dangerous part is slightly drunk/narced. The part where you can still rely on your experience to get you through unless the ****s hits the fan.

You can down 3 beers and drive home safely, unless a child suddenly runs over the street chasing a ball, and your reaction/decision time is slightly slower. You can dive to 140 feet and everything is under control until your buddy panics, and you take just a couple of seconds too long to realise the situation.

That's the devious part about being narced. It's not the I'm warm and happy and feel totally zen at 150 feet in tropical water, since most experienced divers do recognise this as being narced. It's the looking at your pressure gauge at only 110 feet, and having to look again 10 secs later because you already forgot what you read.

 

[ronski101]

it would be nice if there was some quick fairly accurate test that you could do during a dive if you think you may getting disfunctional. Simple math or reciting a limrick or?