Unreasonable fear of depth

[2Tours N Iraq`]

**Thread Hijack** P.S. My dad was a scuba instructor for years and didn't really like going deeper than 60 feet. He is also afraid of heights, doesn't even like to get on top of a single story building. Two stories are completely out of the question. When it came time to clean out the gutters he would pay my brother and I to do so (as we lived in a 2 story house). He also talked us in to hanging the Christmas lights.
**Resume normal thread topic**

 

[b1gcountry]

I'm scared of heights, why would I be scared of diving deep? You can't fall if you're underwater

 

[Fuzzmutton]

I'm curious, how many people that are afraid of going deep are also afraid of heights? I wonder if there is any correlation between the two in that you are a great distance away from good old terra firma which causes fear to set in.

I am afraid of heights. I can watch people on TV up high in precarious situations and my feet will start to tingle and my palms will sweat. I still fly though, I have made an 80 ft. jump (stupid, stupid, stupid) off the top of a train bridge as a teenager and I can't resist looking down from high places. That's probably why I want to work past my fear of deeper diving, I HATE being afraid of things.

So, if you were taking a poll, there you go

 

[brant]

Hey Fuzz; How is your fear of depth doing now? It's been 6 or 7 months since you started this thread. I read your original post today and I must say I can relate. My heart will start pounding just thinking of a deep dive. I just completed my 79th dive on Sunday (60' 39min 51deg) and still get a little anxious at some point on almost every dive. I wonder if I can ever totally overcome my fear. I completed my NAUI Advanced in June and still deal with some sort of fear on a regular basis. I've had a few dives that were close to perfect but I just can't seem to get consistant with it. Also I find that the second dive on any given day is usually way more comfortable. Ianw2 mentioned closterphobia and I wonder if that could be part of my problem. Alot of what he said about the fear being irrational and unreasonable really seems to ring true for me. Let me know how you are doing I'm really curious. thanks.....BRANT

 

[Gombessa]

I'm curious, how many people that are afraid of going deep are also afraid of heights?

For me, there is zero correlation. I am deathly scared of heights, to the point, where I need to force myself to stand at the edge of a cliff just so I can get a picture and prove to myself that "it wasn't so bad," all the while my heart is racing and I'm breaking into a cold sweat.

But one of the things I LOVE above diving, especially in warm waters, is floating straight over a ledge above a dropoff, and feeling like I'm flying 50ft above the "ground" below. Since you mention it, it's very interesting to me why I feel no fear - maybe since I *know* that being buoyant in the water will keep me from plummeting down at 9.8m/s^2.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Just FYI...

There are 2 distinct fears that I believe a few of you are confusing.

There's fear of falling and fear of heights. 99% of people who say they are afraid of heights are actually afraid of falling.

 

[Gombessa]

There's fear of falling and fear of heights.

I've wondered about that exact distinction but never knew there was a difference. I'm perfectly happy accepting my fear as that of falling (at the same time, perhaps it's not that I have a fear of bears, but rather the crushing force of their claws and jaws )

 

[SparticleBrane]

Fear of falling is what most people have -- get close to a cliff, top of a building, or in some cases the top of a bunk bed.


Fear of heights usually keeps people off of airplanes.



If you're afraid being close to the edge of a cliff but don't have issues flying (at least, don't have issues with the altitude aspects of flying, other issues such as crying babies don't count ) then you most likely have fear of falling...

 

[Fuzzmutton]

Hey, it's been awhile!

Brant, the answer to your question is kinda a yes and no. I have been to 113' in clear tropical waters this last spring with absolutely no fear at all, yet I'm not sure how how I would react to the same dive in the cold, relatively murky waters of Monterey Bay where I usually dive. I seem to feel the depth more when I am in a dark, poor viz area. It's strange because I have no fear of diving a shallow, no-viz, freshwater dive in some cowpond where you can't see your hand in front of your face. It must be the combination of viz and depth, I'm thinking.

I now have 72 dives and I think I am improving, so there is hope for you! I used to lay in bed the night before a deep dive sweating in fear, now...not so much.

Fuzz

 

[ryanpublic]

Just recently taught a Deep Diver Specialty. I had two students. One was extremely comfortable the other made me very nervous. She completed all the tasks but had to make up a dive.

I guess I was going to ask if this fear might be contageous sometimes. I know that's kind of a weird idea but there are times when I'm diving with really good divers; divers I trust and it's no big deal. Dark, cold, deep, whatever. We're all relaxed and fine. But throw a diver who is panicky and stirring things up in and I begin to worry more.

I'm not really a new diver but I haven't been diving so long that the fish recognize me either.