Martini Effect -- No Consistent Definition

[Jax]

I think it's embarrassing for agencies to even put that rubbish in their textbooks. It's inaccurate in so many ways.

Well, that's an interesting take.

How would you describe a "narcotic effect" to someone who has never felt it (we are talking new divers here), presumably never had narcotics, and you want him or her to understand that their judgement is being affected as they go deeper?

 

[Jax]

Somehow I managed to get through 6,000 dives in 20 years without ever hearing of something called the martini effect. Maybe I'm narced.

Hey, Wookie, maybe we could do a comparison test in October?


:snicker:

 

[Doppler]

Well, that's an interesting take.

How would you describe a "narcotic effect" to someone who has never felt it (we are talking new divers here), presumably never had narcotics, and you want him or her to understand that their judgement is being affected as they go deeper?

Well, I'd just like to say that the most narced I have ever been was sitting in Bret Gilliam's living room in Maine. Very little alcohol involved.

And of course, that was a long while ago.


(Seriously, add me to the group who find the comparison to booze, foolish and misleading. One issue with it is that it may lodge the idea in a punter's head that Narcosis can be "managed" and if one has experience with martinis, you know what to expect.)

 

[Hawkwood]

I think it's embarrassing for agencies to even put that rubbish in their textbooks. It's inaccurate in so many ways.

Hmm....could you tell me what agency does that?

 

[Jax]

As you can see from these 3 random quotes from the web, there is no consistency among definitions of the Martini Effect.

Is the problem that it's purely subjective? Or is there actually a definition that's accepted by the scuba diving community?

Hey, Matt, have you read Deco For Divers yet?

 

[Aqua-Andy]

I like the way my instructor described narcosis to us. How he described it was narcosis is an amplification of how you are feeling at that time. IE if you are nervous you will feel more nervous and possibly start to get freaked out. I know the feelings of narcosis are very subjective but this explanation seams to hold true for me.

 

[Sam Miller III]

The term originated with LA County Underwater Instruction program.

The first effective recreational diving manual was "Underwater recreation" by Bev Morgan published in July 1954.

In order to describe N/N the author used the effects of drinking a Martini..one every 33 feet of depth.

I suspect that we will have some modern late model tube sucking bubble blowing diving revisionist come out of the wood work who will use 50 feet and still others declare it came from some obscure or currently popular agency--

Nope! it came from LA Co UW program- 33 feet = one martini.

If quoting the very short history of recreational diving it is very important that it be accurately quoted.

sdm

 

[boulderjohn]

... if one has experience with martinis, you know what to expect.)

Now that we have had all the serious answers we need, I thought perhaps people might enjoy something I once read about experience with martinis and knowing what to expect:


After one martini, my husband is a delight to be around. He is witty and so very interesting.

After a second martini, though, his bad side begins to show. I see how foolish he can be, and he can be very annoying.

After three martinis, he is so unpleasant to be around that I have trouble being in the same room with him.

After four martinis, I just pass out.

 

[irishsquid]

...(Seriously, add me to the group who find the comparison to booze, foolish and misleading. One issue with it is that it may lodge the idea in a punter's head that Narcosis can be "managed" and if one has experience with martinis, you know what to expect.)

Yep, I guess an alcoholic would be able to go really deep before perceived/demonstrated narcosis would set in.

I like the way my instructor described narcosis to us. How he described it was narcosis is an amplification of how you are feeling at that time. IE if you are nervous you will feel more nervous and possibly start to get freaked out...

Maybe call it the "LSD trip" effect.
The one time I "felt" that I was narced was more of an anxiety/stress feeling with no apparent/obvious external contributing factor/cause (Dark Narc?)

 

[rhwestfall]

one martini, two martini, three martini, floor...