Very scared after second pool lesson of Padi open water course.

[TMHeimer]

I should add that mantras are very good at mitigating anxiety / fear as they can produce a calming effect so that the situation is not controlled by the fear response.

Here is one that I have used

Dune Litany

Sklew Mantats. Stay-- away --stuff that could HURT you. RAYS-- Tails.. Man....

 

[okrunner]

I'll give you some encouragement but also a reality check. My daughter was apprehensive and didn't finish her OW at age 12. However, what made her quit was doing check-out dives in a lake with about 2 feet of visibility (the only choice in Oklahoma at the time). Nonetheless, she wanted to dive and had easily gotten through the class and pool work without any apprehension. She would later, even without OW cert, get to dive Hawaii North Shore multiple times with two dive masters at her side. Last month, now at the age of 21, she completed her OW at Key Largo and is working on her Nitrox and Advanced certs. She has an upcoming interview with a summer internship in the Keys that requires her to dive several times a week. She loves it now. So, it may take you some time but you may eventually get it done, IF YOU WANT TO.

That said. I think your apprehension and response is not normal and I would be seriously concerned that you could not handle any adverse issue at depth. My wife doesn't dive and in fact she doesn't swim. She has never been able to hold her head under water. Of course, this is curious considering we have a pool and both her daughters are certified OW as well. Clearly, she has an unfounded fear (phobia) that she will never get over. It is was it is. I have a hunting buddy who is the most manly man you'd ever know. I found out on a hunt in Canada that he is scared to walk in the woods where there is not a road or he can't see the topography. I had known him for 20 years and never knew he had this phobia. I would never suggest my wife attempt to get dive certified and based on your explanation, if you were my partner, I wouldn't suggest you do either. Stick with snorkeling as you can see 90% of the great stuff anyway. Don't put yourself at risk with an activity that you are so uncomfortable with. It's just not necessary.

 

[JRK44]

Hey there everyone,
I just recently started with a Padi open water course.
And experience some 'internal' issues/fear.

My partner has been diving for many years. So we thought it would be fun if I learn as well.
I waited for three years before I decided to start, and spend my time snorkeling a lot and freediving just a tiny bit during vacations.
I did one padi introduction dive (outdoors) three years ago.
It was scary, super cold and it was hard to clear my ears. Other than that, it went ok. But I decided that I did not feel ready yet.

When I did start the Padi course:
The e-course became available for me '1 day' before the first pool lesson, which gave my first feelings of unease because I had to take in the information so absurdly quick. I felt I could not integrate it, and this gave me anxiety.
The first pool lesson went really well though, I am a very practical person and doing the things I needed to do was not hard in a practical sense.
But internally.. psychologically I was slightly freaked out by everything. It was kind of quick-paced.
And I felt I needed much more time to be at ease underwater.
Still.. it was ok and I felt good about doing it well. I told my instructor that I found it quite scary, and that I had to get used to breathing underwater.
The second pool lesson, was the next day. And again I really struggled to finish the second chapter in time for the lesson. I only had a couple of hours, I barely finished it.
It was all going so quickly! It freaked me out a bit.
For the second lesson we went to a deeper pool, and I had to go down 5 meters. Clearing my ears was super hard and it took long before I was down. I felt very uncomfortable.
We sat at the bottom and the instructor showed me how to fasten another person's air tank when it is loose. I did well.
Then after that they closed my air tank to let me feel how it feels when you have no air. I did well again.
Then I had to remove my mask entirely, for 30 seconds. Again I did well.
I succeeded in doing everything (and more), in a practical sense. I did it all.
But internally... omg.. I was scared.

When I left the pool I was shivering and shaking, not sure if it was cold or stress. I think both.
And my brain was all foggy and hazed, I could not remember how to do all the steps when removing the vest from the tank etc. I could not think straight and felt dissociated from the situation. Like seeing it from a distance.
I told my instructor that I was happy that I had done well, but told her also that internally I was quite scared. She replied that I did well. Which was nice, but did not help me with the internal part.
I still felt dazed, and decided to sleep on it, and just give myself time to integrate the experiences.

When I went home I was ok. But the next day at home I sort of had a panic attack at home. I cried my eyes out and felt like I never wanted to dive again.
I had to study the next three chapters, but could not take it in. My brain simply refused or blocked.

I really was not prepared for how intensely quick-paced this PADI course would go.
Closing the air tank on the bottom of the pool at 5 meters dept,.. during the 'second' pool lesson. Really?
Why?
Why does it go so absurdly fast? Is that normal?
My partner did not do PADI, he studied somewhere else. So he does not know if this is normal for PADI.
He thinks that the problem is that I technically do things so well, that the instructor does not 'see' or notice my internal turmoil. He says I look very stable, quiet and ok on the outside.
I feel like I do 'say' that I feel scared etc. But it does not seem to register.

I feel scared to do more lessons.
And I wonder what the next lessons will have in store for me. Are they scarier than the first two? I am not sure if I can keep my panic 'internal' then. I think closing the air tank was more than enough for me. Its just two lessons.

If you feel it's rushed, then it's rushed.
Your feelings are valid and you should not be gaslighted by anybody on here or in real life.

Training should be provided in a manner that is befitting the student. That means teaching in a way the student best understands and progress through the course at a rate that best suits the student.

 

[UofMI_Divegeek]

Absolutely .... the student comfort rules. Basic instruction should be dictated by student comfort, not instructor's time card.

One way of looking at instruction is it's more than teaching some skills, it's behavioral conditioning. All human instincts are for an air breathing environment . As soon as the forehead is immersed, all land based instincts move to survival mode in an environment that cannot be breathed. This makes a land walking-air breathing critter very uncomfortable ... at extremes, our primitive brain (part of brain tasked with survival) can interpret immersion as a life threat.

These millions of years in the making survival instincts take time to overcome.
and
with time and patience, the primitive brain mode, "I am going to die here" anxieties are replaced with a "this is really fun" mentality.

 

[JRK44]

Absolutely .... the student comfort rules. Basic instruction should be dictated by student comfort, not instructor's time card.

One way of looking at instruction is it's more than teaching some skills, it's behavioral conditioning. All human instincts are for an air breathing environment . As soon as the forehead is immersed, all land based instincts move to survival mode in an environment that cannot be breathed. This makes a land walking-air breathing critter very uncomfortable ... at extremes, our primitive brain (part of brain tasked with survival) can interpret immersion as a life threat.

These millions of years in the making survival instincts take time to overcome.
and
with time and patience, the primitive brain mode, "I am going to die here" anxieties are replaced with a "this is really fun" mentality.

I sincerely hope that your students are not made to feel as though dying is a distinct possibility

 

[UofMI_Divegeek]

Of course not ... dive instruction emphasizes the fun aspect of diving. My thought process as I guide them thru training is kept to myself ... I am just a guide to help each on their unique path to in-water comfort.

But an understanding of human psychology, stresses and performance is a valuable tool in assisting folks learn a new adventure.

I should add that the basic course is a series of tasks, each more complex than the previous. The driving force is student sense of pride / joy / high at successful completion of a task. Pride of accomplishment is a powerful drug and the driving force for student learning.

 

[scubadada]

OK, the OP has not been here since Jan 29. Scuba is not for everyone, perhaps not for her.

 

[60plus]

It seems that you can dive but get stressed. I would delay trying to get your OW qualification. Just ask to do a few "try dive" type dives in open water to gain confidence, concentrate on ear equalization, mask clearing and buoyancy skills, but mainly just dive and enjoy the underwater scenery.