(08 SEP 04) Panic Attack

[JustDiveIt]

I pray before each dive, for a safe return, giving any and all anxieties to the Lord. This clears my mind and allows me to focus on my dive. I find myself praying during the dive for all sorts of things. Sometimes for guidance because the vis is so bad my search for a particular underwater land mark can't be found. Sometimes for warmth. Sometimes for my fellow divers. Sometimes just for comfort. My prayers are always answered. Upon my safe return, I give thanks. I dive with a group of fellow divers that do the same. It works for me and for them, and we all have a great time. So, my suggestion is that whatever it is that you sruggle with, give it to the Lord, put your faith in him and enjoy the dive. He will take care of the rest.

Respectfully,

Fred

 

[scubadobadoo]

Some REALLY great advice here in this thread. I am glad I read it! I have had 2 panic attacks in my 125 dives and both were in COLD water even after 90+ dives. Once while trying to do a mask removal drill in cold water after not doing it for some time. Not smart. Luckily I was only in 20 feet when I bolted after I removed my mask and couldn't breathe. Second time was another issue but also in COLD water. I was diving with strangers in a NEW environment with 10 ft visibility to 110 feet and started to panic a little about 80 feet. We were just moving too quickly for my taste and I didn't have time to adjust and relax myself. Thanks to my first bolting experience I kept myself calm but had to abort the dive thus irritating my new dive buddies. Too bad for them but if you have to abort you have to.

All of the above posts contain some really great advice to help one avoid a panic in cold water or any water for that matter. The most important advice is to not put yourself into a stressful situation in the first place. DSAO folks and thanks for the well though out and measured responses here!

 

[ScubaSarus]

You are not alone. Many divers and good divers have had these feelings. It could be CO2 or mental. It could also be stomach irritation effecting the nodal rhythyms of the heart. Read the book Deep Descent about diving the Doria; there are passages that talk about hearts pounding out of the chest due to fear and apprehention and successful dives scared or not scared.

Study what is called Blue Orb Syndrom in which one has -anxiety attack from suddenly being in an unfamilar situation. I had this feeling before and one of the times was when we left the cliff at 60ft to head out into dark waters here in RI. Nothing but sand cold and darkness encompassed us.

Once I we did a around the cliff dive to 100 ft at 10 pm and I was leading around the cliff only to come up to a sand flat at 60ft and being near no deco time. Hmmmm quite an unfamilar situation wont you say and I had to trust that compass. Have confidence in yourself, stop, breath , think and remember some of the best divers have felt your way and being in a deep in a quarry is par for those kind of feelings.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Gotta add. Go slow and breath well and efficient to avoid CO2 hits and plan a dive were you are not concerned about how much air you have and you know you have plenty to get back to were you want to be.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Don't mean to keep chiming in. But I just read all the threads. Anything can cause these feelings of apprehension.

Diving with a strange buddy who you are not familiar with.
Being in a new dive spot and deep in a new dive spot.
Being cold and having low vis.
Being responsible for the dive plan.
Get caught in an unexpected current or other situation.
Forgetiing to take a compass heading realized when you need to head back.
Seeing a diver with a spear gun swimming near you.
Hearing a loud boat overhead.
A large dark swimming object.

You name it. You need to esablish a comfort zone for yourself and when that zone is violated or if you dive beyond that zone, you'll most like get feeling of apprehension and breath heavier causing heavier breathing and having the situation cascade. I'm sure we can all name a few things that increase our breathing rate if we encounter it.

 

[ScubaSarus]

http://www.scuba-doc.com/bluorb.htm

Just go to google type "blue orb syndrome" with quotes to learn more. Panick attack might be more prevelant than thought in diving.

 

[mm777]

I pray before each dive, for a safe return, giving any and all anxieties to the Lord. This clears my mind and allows me to focus on my dive. I find myself praying during the dive for all sorts of things. Sometimes for guidance because the vis is so bad my search for a particular underwater land mark can't be found. Sometimes for warmth. Sometimes for my fellow divers. Sometimes just for comfort. My prayers are always answered. Upon my safe return, I give thanks. I dive with a group of fellow divers that do the same. It works for me and for them, and we all have a great time. So, my suggestion is that whatever it is that you sruggle with, give it to the Lord, put your faith in him and enjoy the dive. He will take care of the rest.

Respectfully,

Fred

Me too, Fred. I count on His promises... "Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered ... out of the deep waters." Thou are with me, thy rod and staff comfort me.

 

[molksmith]

LITANY AGAINST FEAR


I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

Frank Herbert 1965

 

[LuvsItWet]

If you're like me. and hate water in your mask, get a new mask that has a purge valve! When water seeps in, or I start getting "mask squeeze", a little puff through the nose, and all is gone!

 

[molksmith]

I must admit that while I generally keep these feelings to myself and work through them, I always have a "moment" during a dive where I think "what the heck am I doing down here", usually I just look around and think how magnificent this world is underwater and how fortunate I am to experience it...
This "moment" can also occur on a repetative dive where maybe i am a little cold and tired. I remember on my OW certification dives about 10 years ago the 4th dive on the second day, we were in full farmer johns with hood..( it was in a very cold quarry in pa) and all of sudden I got that claustrophobic feeling to just head to the surface. Luckily, i was only about 15 feet down, but i stayed down and just fought through it. It was more a reaction to being tired and cold...

So The important Part is too realize how you are feeling, do not ignore it, but also know that what your doing is something really wonderful that you enjoy. If that doesn't work then by all means take the necessary steps and stops and slowly ascend. My Buddy rule is always that anyone can cancel a dive at anytime. No questions asked.
If you get a hard time from your buddy, choose a better one next time.
It is not natural to be breathing under the water and it is part of our primal instinct to be afraid of the darkness, the cold, and the water. These are our own self-defense mechanisms that have kept us alive for thousands of years.

As Mark Twain said...

"Courage is not the absence of Fear, but the mastery over it...."


Keep On Diving!!!!