TSandM:
I honestly think, if somebody did the research, that nitrogen does something to the dopamine pathways in the brain -- those are the pleasure center circuits, and the ones that tend to be involved in addictive behavior. Because diving sure makes us happy, and we are all ridiculously hooked.
You know Lynne, there may be something to this, I've felt that euphoria for sure. I'll add a few things to why I enjoy diving:
First, the ocean (substitute any body of water here-but for me it is the Pacific Ocean). It is something I always will keep coming back to in my life. Surfing growing up (and now on vacations) and now diving. I think that being in the ocean gives one a proper sense of self and place in the grand scheme of things. It is easy in life to get self-centered and think you are bigger or somehow in control--the ocean will put you in your place in an instant, and for me that is a perspective I regularly want to seek out. Even during our last dive-when we had to thumb it--just swimming back to shore on the surface was probably the most relaxed I've been in a while.
Forgive me for waxing philosophical, but I think the ocean reminds us of who we are, and for me, it reminds me that I am alive.
Second would be the actual physical aspect of diving. When you think about it, it is quite meditative. (Grateful Diver's signature line quoting Jerry Garcia comes to mind here). To be a good diver, one has to necessarily be in touch with what is going on with your body, trim buoyancy, everything requires listening and paying attention to senses and signals that otherwise would go unnoticed. Combine all this, and for me diving results in something similar to meditation or yoga, with a similar euphoric feeling afterwards.
Third would be the sense of direction and meaning in the sport. Once again, I think for those of us that are serious about it, there is something attractive about the order the diving necessarily instills into your routine. Working on skills, thinking problems out, solving those same problems, all of this at different time scales and in different situations. This too, at least for me, stimulates my mind in a way that it ordinarily is not in day-to-day life.
I also love the transient nature of the experience. Someone said that you can't step in the same river twice, and the same is true for diving-you certainly can't have the same dive twice. The richness of each dive combined with the necessity of heightened awareness creates very vivid memories for me, memories that stand in stark contrast to day-to-day life. One of my favorite authors, David James Duncan, refers to such memories as "River Teeth" or the particularly knotty parts of trees left in the bottom of rivers after the rest of the trunk has worn away. Diving creates those types of memories, and imparts a sense of passing of time in me.
Finally--and perhaps just as important--is the people and the community. I mean, really, I posted on this board a while back and have lucked out with some truly great dive buddies and people I hope will become life long friends. Once again, the shared experience lends itself well to building of a unique community, and I think we as a society need to find such opportunities today, especially as old, traditional methods of building such a sense of community break down.
Anyways, this is a monster post. But those are my few cents.
There must be some psychological addiction mechanism to nitrogen, I swear....
