BDSC
Contributor
I recently did an Adventure dive as part of my AOW and we reached depth at 96 feet off of Molokini, and I'm trying to figure out if I got narc'd at all...I don't think so but I want to be sure.
I have never been narc'd (that I know of) in the past, though that was by far my deepest dive to date.
I didn't get a nervous or panic feeling nor did I feel like I just finished of a tasty daiquiri.
I've read and listened to what others have explained about their experiences but I'm just not sure...
Any thoughts?
So here are my thoughts on this.
First of all YOU need to decide what you mean when you use the term "narc'd". When people answer a question like this not everyone seems to be working off the same concept/definition of what being "narc'd" means.
If you are using the term to mean an increase in nitrogen being dissolved in the blood/tissues as you dive deeper, then like some people have said, you are "narc'd" as soon as you begin the dive.
If, however, you are using the term to describe the effects of that nitrogen build-up in divers (and I think most people use the term this way), then I would say based on what you described during your dive, you were not narc'd and that is quite possible.
Did you have a build-up of nitrogen in your blood/body......of course. Did you feel any effects from that build-up........no. Some people will tell you that you were narc'd but just didn't know it. But I would say that if you felt no difference at 96ft as let's say 50ft., you had no unusual sensations, actions, thoughts, or whatever, and the dive was a normal dive for you......then again I'd say you were not narc'd. My thought is if the effect from the nitrogen build-up is so incredibly small that you can't even measure it or notice it, then in practical terms there is no effect.
Here is a quote from a paper written by Lawrence Martin, M.D. called: "Scuba Diving Explained, Questions and Answers on Physiology and Medical Aspects of Scuba Diving"
[GOOGLE]SECTION I
Effects of Gas Pressure at Depth: Nitrogen Narcosis, CO and CO2 Toxicity, Oxygen Toxicity, and "Shallow-Water Blackout"
WHAT HAPPENS TO GAS PRESSURES AT DEPTH?
Any gas taken to depth in a scuba tank will be unaffected as long as it remains in the tank. Once it leaves the tank and enters the diver's lungs it will have the same pressure as the surrounding water, i.e., the ambient pressure. This statement is true for the two major components of compressed air (nitrogen and oxygen), as well as for any gaseous impurities (e.g., carbon monoxide).
WHAT IS NITROGEN NARCOSIS?
Nitrogen narcosis, also called "rapture of the deep" and "the martini effect," results from a direct toxic effect of high nitrogen pressure on nerve conduction. It is an alcohol-like effect, a feeling often compared to drinking a martini on an empty stomach: slightly giddy, woozy, a little off balance.
Nitrogen narcosis is a highly variable sensation but always depth-related. Some divers experience no narcotic effect at depths up to 130 fsw, whereas others feel some effect at around 80 fsw. One thing is certain: once begun, the narcotic effect increases with increasing depth. Each additional 50 feet depth is said to feel like having another martini. The diver may feel and act totally drunk. Underwater, of course, this sensation can be deadly. Divers suffering nitrogen narcosis have been observed taking the regulator out of their mouth and handing it to a fish![/GOOGLE]
So you can see from Dr. Martins research that some divers don't have any effect at depths up to 130 fsw. You may be one of those divers. I know I am. Only a very few times when I have exceeded 150ft depths have I noticed any differences during a dive.
So there you have my thoughts on the subject. In answering a question like yours it helps to know how you were using the term "narc'd" but I'm pretty sure I know what you were asking.
By the way, my deepest dive ever was to 233ft on air and I was definitely feeling the buzz big time. I probably would have gone even deeper had my grandmother not made me turn the dive.
BDSC
