Trying to get certified...Can't seem to get there....

[Sonjarms]

Ok...I am trying to get certified...But I am struggling. It is very frustrating for me because being in the water, swimming, snorkling, free diving, etc. is second nature for me. But I strap on the gear to do Scuba and the problems start...Each time I try, I improve..I can now put on the mask and not get claustrophobic. I can now breath without issues with the regulator. I have passed the basic skills..I can even take the regulator out and put back in without issues. I can clear my mask without freaking...Still have small issues with getting it completely cleared, but getting better. I can go underwater without the mask and breath on the regulator without a second thought. I have made it to multiple platforms - 10 and 20 ft and off the 20 ft platform. I have done one short open water scuba and have gotten better with bouyancy...

But the one thing I can't seem to conquer is panic attacks. Tried this weekend to go back and finish certification with private instruction, rather than being in a class, and was doing ok. But I was hit suddenly with the worst panic attack I have ever had. I now understand more when I read about divers trying to save/help other divers and the troubled diver lashes out at the those trying to help.

I can't put my finger on what triggers the panic attacks. The best I can come up with is a feeling of loss of control. Feeling like the gear is controlling me... I also seem to have issues with task overload. Most people when faced with multiple tasks are able to compartmentalize and solve the issues. I end up getting sucked into the quicksand. When the panic attacks are bad, like this weekend, I end up in a flight or fight mode. (And let me tell you, this totally ticks me off!!) After the panic attack happens, I end up in tears and so totally mad at myself for giving in to it. My instructor, as wonderful as he has been, has told me he is worried about continuing and certifying me because he is worried about my safety. I totally understand his concern!! If I was in his shoes, I would have the same worry. Panic kills underwater. I get that. But I don't want to give up. Each time, I have improved. Each time I have learned more and conquered more. But what do I do now.. Private instruction is going to get expensive fast.

I know there are others out there that have faced this same type of issue. What did you do? Did you see anyone special? Were you able to get your cert? I can't explain how bad I want this...Have become a member of DAN and put out feelers there too....

Sonja

 

[tstormdiver]

You really need to dig down deep & figure out what's bothering you & why its getting you into a panic mode. Until you do, you do not need to be in any more than a pool, if even that. To panic & bolt is the worst thing a diver can do. Most divers, when the panic & bolt will, unconsiously hold their breath, thus exposing themselves to possible injury. If the problem is control of your equipment, then you need to spend lots more time in the pool with a patient instructor who will help you learn & gain better control. If the problem is task overload, then you still need more pool work, as you are not yet as comfortable with your skills as you think you are. don't try to push the pace, take it in at your own speed.

 

[herbdb]

I agree with the other's advise. Whatever you do don't put yourself at risk in open water until you have conquered the panic; stick to confined water.

My wife never was able to get past the feelings of panic. She is now a faithful bubble watcher. Diving is not for everyone. I hope you succeed, keep trying.

 

[TSandM]

I agree with the other posters. Diving is an amazingly safe activity, if you stay calm. Almost any problem underwater can be solved with a rational and methodical approach. What kills divers is panic . . . and if you have had repeated episodes of losing control and bolting, you have to find the reason and truly solve it before you will be safe in the water.

We recently had a student who had some very bad panic problems. Although we might very well have been able to coax him through the class, given enough time, we were very worried that even if we did it, the first time he ran into any issue underwater, he would panic again, so we declined to certify him. You might think about that. If you're happy snorkeling and free diving (and how did you manage all that without being able to clear a mask?) you might be better off sticking to what you're comfortable with, rather than pushing yourself into someplace you aren't really happy.

A delightful woman who I had the good fortune to meet died last year from bolting to the surface. She had had a prior very close call from the same thing, and managed over two years of uneventful diving between that episode and the one that led to her death. People prone to panic are at high risk underwater.

 

[eponym]

Panic kills underwater. I get that. But I don't want to give up. Each time, I have improved. Each time I have learned more and conquered more. But what do I do now.. Private instruction is going to get expensive fast.
Sonja

Sonja,

It's good you're aware of your own emotional state. Sometimes (as with a private student of mine these past two weekends) all it takes is allowing the student to swim and breathe and relax underwater with no goals, no drills, no direction, until she feels she's ready to come back to me for some (formal) training. This has worked well for students who are nervous on scuba, even in a quiet clear warm pool.

And yes, this is a private (one-couple) class, and I'm willing to extend training until students are ready for open water. It might seem expensive until you spread the added cost over a lifetime of dives.

But not everyone is cut out to be a diver. I once had a retired police officer who decided to quit the OWD course. The more time he spent breathing underwater, the more agitated he became. Despite his job and experience (chases, guns), he had to admit that breathing underwater was just not for him.

Please understand that I'm not assuming that is your case as well. But there can be a fine balance between the risks and rewards of scuba. Each candidate must make that assessment, with help from his or her instructor. I'd say that as long as you feel you're improving, keep at it, unless the cost becomes prohibitive.

Always remember that recreational diving is supposed to be fun. Yes, there's a learning curve, but the bottom line is, do you enjoy it?

Hope this helps,
Bryan

 

[TSandM]

I guess my point was that you can desensitize yourself to each specific stressor you encounter in your class, but unless you address the root cause of why your first reaction to stress is to bolt, you will remain at risk. At some point in the water, you will encounter a novel stressor -- and it is critical that your response to it not be to head for the surface at high speed. (Having had a previously reliable buddy completely panic on me, I am very much aware of this. He didn't head for the surface, but his reaction was nearly as bad.)

 

[mdb]

Claustrophobia sometimes creates the panic response. Even the most confident folks swimming or snorkeling can be prone to feeling trapped and Claustrophobic and they bolt for the surface.

I initially trained with fellow Marines. They all had USMC training, all but one was a combat veteran. San Diego was/is a perfect place to learn to dive. There is great shore diving, and lots to see.

One of our group kept bolting on almost every training dive. The instructors-a two man team-refused to certify him. One of the instructors told me: "He is just not going to be safe on his own. Some people are like this. We will let him down easy and tell him to come back in 6 months. He won't be back."

 

[Diver0001]

But the one thing I can't seem to conquer is panic attacks. Tried this weekend to go back and finish certification with private instruction, rather than being in a class, and was doing ok. But I was hit suddenly with the worst panic attack I have ever had. I now understand more when I read about divers trying to save/help other divers and the troubled diver lashes out at the those trying to help.

Sonja,

Do you have panic attacks at other times or just when you're diving?

R..

 

[masizemore]

Hi,

I am Sonja's husband and wanted to offer a different perspective.

First, thanks for a all of the comments thus far, I am sure Sonja will be on later to answer the questions a few of you have asked.

As far as the mask goes, she is on about mask #10 (luckily LDS helped by letting us try a ton without having to purchase them all) After the first time when the mask leaked like a sieve which caused issues, she was able to ditch the mask, drop down and breath on just the reg with no issues. First BCD was too loose and caused tank rock which further added to the issues so now, the mask was flooding constantly, tank was rocked and she was trying to learn new skills.

Second time out, better seal on mask, spent time at another LDS and got some tips so the bcd was better, due to a lot of reasons the class ended up getting split up with part going with the DM and part still in progress coming to 20ft platform. Sonja ended up at the 20ft alone for a short while unsure of what she was supposed to do and that seemed to causes issues. Also, she had a nightmare with her buoyancy control so that made it even worse (first time out, they ended up splitting her off from the rest of the class, while this was good in some ways, she didn't learn everything the rest of us did, including some of the things that would have helped with her buoyancy). She ended up surfacing with our son and did a normal, safe ascent. But due to the panic attack, it was game over for the weekend.

Third time out was yesterday, she handled the decent to the 20ft with no issues, we did mask clearing skills, etc but her bcd was floating up around her neck so she surfaced to deal with that issue and never was 100% able to get it squared away. We ended up doing multiple decents down to 20ft, instructor stayed closer to her as I SLOWLY made my way down the line due to issues equalizing. Vis was 5ft so she couldn't see me coming down the line but could see it moving. The instructor signaled for us to come off of the platform but used a hand signal she didn't understand (again, missed from first class) but we went over the rail and decended. She lost sight of the instructor who was below us (directly under us actually) at that point and I think the unknown caused some issues. We were about to head out on first actual ow dive but when the instructor asked if she was ok, she just shook her head. She then signaled that she needed to surface. She said later she didn't realize it but she was in a perfect hover about 2 feet off of the bottom at 30ft depth. The three of us started ascending normally so at no time did she bolt but what she forgot was to let air out of her bcd and started accelerating so we grabbed her bcd to slow her down (we weren't coming up a line so she couldn't grab it to stop/slow down) while the instructor dumped some of the air. Unfortunately that really freaked her but after she surfaced, she inflated bcd and stabilized at the surface. We swam her to the dock and exited the water. She wanted to go back after lunch but we all confered and decided about the same thing some of you have said and that is until the root cause can be determined, it might be counter-productive.

That being said, we have only been in the water about 3 days total (2 full days and 2 half days) and she did make tons of progress this time over the previous.. The root cause is still escaping us...

 

[scubadiveilat]

Knowing your limits is one thing many don't know and accept. Time will conquer your issues.

Take your time and let nature take it's course. Forget about courses or etc. Dive and enjoy yourself. Make a fun sport to enjoy and don't occupied with the courses and that. " the trigger of the attack is wanting something too much" Reverse the psychology.

Have fun and enjoy!