Panic Attack

[diverbob]

or drop their weights, since you said the power inflator was broke.

[murphdivers286]

befenne,

My wife went through a traumatizing experience of her own. It took her awhile to deal with it. She has never really gotten over it, but she learned to embrace it.

My suggestion is not to try to get over it, but learn to embrace it and utilize it in the future. Just remember this experience will help you save someone's life one day. Everything happens for a reason.

[baitedstorm]

I found talking about my ordeal with other divers really helped me out alot, members of this board have helped me get through a pretty icky struggle. I think in the long run, you'll be a better diver for this experience. I notice everything and everyone now, I listen and pay very close attention to the conversations that go on before the dive (call it ease dropping, but I want to know what/whom I'm diving with).

You reacted to this situation in such a manner that you saved this mans life, it doesn't matter what you could have done differently, he is alive today because of you and your quick thinking and ability to react under pressure. That feeling you get (or at least I did), like a little rush of adrenaline, heart starts speeding up and you start looking for up at the surface, it gets harder to breath by the second..... well, it will pass in time. I still do alot of self talking while I'm diving, of course the things I say now are usually about someone breaking a fan, or molesting the creatures, but seriously, it worked for me. I said this little "chant" alot when I first got back into the water, I am the source of all my emotions, Nothing and Noone can change the way I feel except for me, If I find myself reacting to anything, I can change it in an instant .. <---complements of Tony Robbins it might sound a bit foolish to some, but it worked/ and still works for me...

Best of luck, and just keep wet!

[oceancrest67]

Good job dealing with the emergency situation.

Regarding panic or anxiety...take your time, rest, take a break, and when you feel ready then proceed.

Poorly working equipment is ONE major reason NOT to dive until equipment has been inspected and maintained. Peer pressure, trying to be one of the guys, trying to fit in...or the simple rush because everybody is in the water except you is NO reason to dive with a poorly functioning power inflater or any other malfunctioning piece of equipment.

I see 'group think' issues take hold all the time...and, it really takes some independence to say...hey, I am calling this dive. The golden rule: A diver can call a dive at any time for any reason.

Not knowing one's dive buddies is another reason to proceed with caution...I rarely dive with people I do not know...I do not care how much of an expert they claim to be. To me, much of what can happen underwater boils down to the character of your dive buddy...how they are, how they carry themselves and how they maintain their practices.

It is much much better to maintain and to prepare...to avoid any potential for an emergency. Then again...Murphy likes to dive.

Just my 02.

[yknot]

bfenne- If you really think you suffered a panic attack, seek medical attention immediately. Panic disorders are largly exaggerated by stress, be it accumulated or immediate. I have family members that suffer from panic disorders. If you have one underwater you may not survive-the panic creates urges to do things that logic and a normal thought process can't control. The disorder can be controlled thru medication and there are techniques to controlling stress and managing this condition that should come thru an MD. The advice to take things slow and such is inadequate- this could be a legitimate medical condition that you can't overcome on your own.

[sealkie]

A few more good dives and the nerves will subside - but as everyone told you - and keep saying this to yourself - you dealt with the situtation extremly well - everyone is alive and well - you did an admirable job especially as a new diver

Learn what you can from this situtation

Never go into the water with someone who has broken equipment ( where was this guys buddy anyway ? ) - no matter how many times they tell you they are OK

You CAN refuse to dive with someone ( this sounds like an organised dive shop trip - was it ?? .... if so why were their DMs not taking care of this new diver with equipment issues ?? )


Never overweight yourself - staying on the surface in an OOA or broken BC situtation is difficult


IF someone is having trouble staying on the surface orally inflate their BC OR drop their weights


You reallly did a good job

[Rick Inman]

While we should all be able to finish a dive without a power inflator there isn't any sense in starting a dive that way especially since so many divers dive overweighted.

When I first learned to dive in '71, we didn't have any fancy-schamancy power inflators, so I guess I don't see anything wrong diving without one. Unless you never practice without it and you are overweighted, which is what I think Mike is saying.
I like to do a dive now and then without using the power inflator just to keep in practice, and once you get into the flow of it, it is easy. It also helps you not to overuse your inflator, but use breathing control for most adjustments. On a normal profile, once you hit max depth at the beginning of the dive, you're mostly just letting air out anyway, so it's no big deal. Then, if you're neutral at 15' during the safety stop, a couple of deep breaths and you're up at the surface floating.
Orally inflating a BC is a basic OW skill we should be able to easily do. My guess is, this gentleman had other issues.

[SueMermaid]

I usually inflate my BC orally, not sure why, it just makes me feel more...in touch with the force.
Or. something.
I don't see anything wrong with using a BC with a bad inflator, you should be able to do that. Just thought I'd throw in my two cents on that.

[MikeFerrara]

When I first learned to dive in '71, we didn't have any fancy-schamancy power inflators, so I guess I don't see anything wrong diving without one. Unless you never practice without it and you are overweighted, which is what I think Mike is saying.
I like to do a dive now and then without using the power inflator just to keep in practice, and once you get into the flow of it, it is easy. It also helps you not to overuse your inflator, but use breathing control for most adjustments. On a normal profile, once you hit max depth at the beginning of the dive, you're mostly just letting air out anyway, so it's no big deal. Then, if you're neutral at 15' during the safety stop, a couple of deep breaths and you're up at the surface floating.
Orally inflating a BC is a basic OW skill we should be able to easily do. My guess is, this gentleman had other issues.

I agree except that divers usually don't practice diving without a power inflator in OW classes these days. A PADI class for example has them do a fin pivot using oral inflation and esablish pos buoyancy on the surface using oral inflation but that's about it.

In contrast in tech training most divers must demonstrate that they can actually dive without a power inflator.

Also the failures that I've seen the most with power inflators is that they leak. Meaning that when the LP hose is connected they leak air into the bc. When disconnected the leak air out which can further complicate things.

Of course he had other issues.

[MikeFerrara]

I usually inflate my BC orally, not sure why, it just makes me feel more...in touch with the force.
Or. something.
I don't see anything wrong with using a BC with a bad inflator, you should be able to do that. Just thought I'd throw in my two cents on that.

Maybe the thing that gets divers the most is task loading. this was another task.

As I mentioned in another post, look at the failure modes of an inflator that "doesn't work". If it only means that you have to orally inflate that's one thing but often it will leak air into the bc if the LP hose is connected and leak air out if not. Diving without a power inflator isn't exactly the same as diving with a broken one.