Panic attack first time on open water dive...

[BrianATL]

I was just curious if this had ever happened to anyone else. Back about '83 or so when I was in my 20s I decided to become certified. I finished the requirements but due to circumstances beyond my control had to move before I got my card and was never registered to my knowledge. So planning on becoming certified soon again.

Anyway, I began to take lessons, and all was fine. In the pool like a fish in the water. No problems, did everything fine, etc. We went on our first open water dive though, and as soon as my regulator hit the water to go under, I had a panic attack. I wasn't nervous or anxious before going under the water. It just happened out of the clear blue without my conscious mind knowing it was going to happen. It was like the trap door of fear that I had no idea existed opened up deep in my psyche and I panicked. The instructor recognized it and talked me through it, told me to take deep breaths, etc. I finally calmed down after about 5 minutes and after that was totally fine.

Anyone every experienced this? Have any idea about this? I don't expect it to be a problem on my first open water dive again, but I will be on the lookout for it. I just thought it was strange after not having any problem in the pool, etc.

 

[KevinNM]

I saw a woman in the pool session having a terrible time, with nausea and all. Not sure what they did, but the next day she looked fine doing all the skills in the deep end.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've seen some uncomfortable first attempts at descending in the pool, but so far none at the ocean. Am curious--have you spent much time swimming, snorkeling etc. in the ocean/lake?

 

[BrianATL]

I've seen some uncomfortable first attempts at descending in the pool, but so far none at the ocean. Am curious--have you spent much time swimming, snorkeling etc. in the ocean/lake?

Yep. Snorkeling right now in the gulf off Venice beach this past week. Never even a hint of anxiety snorkeling in the ocean, being in the pool, etc. Just a really strange occurrence. And only happened that one time. So I am curious to see what happens when I do my first open water dive again. That was over 30 years ago.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I've had a few panic attacks, and what was probably most unnerving about them was that they were completely unexpected. If you were expecting one or suspecting one or recognize that you are susceptible to one, then I think you may be more able to implement a mental response to the situation, before it takes full effect. But when you just get slammed with one "out of the blue", it is not a good feeling.

I have never had one when diving, but on very, very rare occasions I have felt myself growing excessively nervous and uncomfortable for no identifiable reason during a dive. This has caused me to prematurely abort dives, because it just didn't "feel right". Sounds like a whip, but I have never been caught by one underwater.

I think if you have never had one before and you worked through the minor one you had on your first dive, then I wouldn't worry about it too much. The first open water dives can be very stressful because you really don't know what to expect, so having your confidence falter in that situation should not be too concerning.

 

[BrianATL]

I've had a few panic attacks, and what was probably most unnerving about them was that they were completely unexpected. If you were expecting one or suspecting one or recognize that you are susceptible to one, then I think you may be more able to implement a mental response to the situation, before it takes full effect. But when you just get slammed with one "out of the blue", it is not a good feeling.

I have never had one when diving, but on very, very rare occasions I have felt myself growing excessively nervous and uncomfortable for no identifiable reason during a dive. This has caused me to prematurely abort dives, because it just didn't "feel right". Sounds like a whip, but I have never been caught by one underwater.

I think if you have never had one before and you worked through the minor one you had on your first dive, then I wouldn't worry about it too much. The first open water dives can be very stressful because you really don't know what to expect, so having your confidence falter in that situation should not be too concerning.

Yeah, like you were saying, I had NO idea this was coming. Calm, cool, collected one moment, then it was like somebody flipped a switch and I was in a full blown panic attack I had no idea was coming. lol.

 

[Octopusprime]

I panicked on my first open water cert dive. I was underweighted and had to work really hard to get down... By the time I got down it was my turn for skills flooded mask and freaked. I learned that day the hard way I have tendency to rush and now I consciously have to SLOW down and relax if not the anxiety makes things much worse.

They eh key is identifing your push buttons and learning how to deal with them. I know I do not like water in my nose... So all of the time I practice replacing my mask and swimming mask off. To the point replacing is muscle memory. It helps a lot. I was in a silt out in a search dive and felt like I was getting. Squeezed and was able to close my eyes and relax. There was nothing to see anyway but with my eyes closed I was able to keep oriented.

just practice take it slow and dive smart.

 

[TMHeimer]

I agree with dumpsterD in that I wouldn't worry as it was your very first dive. I recall my first checkout dive in the ocean. No panic at all, but until you've actually dived in the ocean you really don't know what to expect. And I did a lifetime of snorkeling/going down 8-10 feet to the bottom. But going down 20-30 feet without surfacing was just different. I would also guess that you've done a lot of snorkeling and ocean activities in the last 30 years which should make a big difference.

 

[Maverick17]

I wouldn't call it a full fledged panic attack, but I had a big rush the first time I hit the open ocean. It calmed quickly without assistance, just some box breathing (which I do anyway at the start of dives).

I'd agree with the above on two points. First, my trigger is not the ocean per se, as I swim very well and have snorkeled extensively. My theory instead is that I know I am pretty sensitive (if you choose, read: wimpy) with water up my nose. I'm fine clearing my mask in the eye area, but if there is a bunch of water that gets in my nose area, it's much less natural for me to clear than my eye area for some reason, and if I'm looking up at all when I clear I almost always inhale a bit of water for some reason.

Second, knowing my biggest issue is water inhaled, in theory helps me avoid panic. I breathe calmly, and I know in mask clears to keep my head down rather than any upward angle, and my dives go great.

Anyway, I don't have 5% of the experience of some people here, but I think there's a thread lately I saw about not panicking being a learned skill, and I mostly agree, that practice makes it easier. I get that quick rush my first time in the water on a trip, but afterwards seem to be fine in my limited practice. My one tricky moment was a guide at Tulamben took us to the dropoff site and on the way back the current was strong, making me suck wind the last 5 minutes and use a lot of air, and I felt I handled it well (besides not liking his slow reply to my signal that I'm low on air we should go). That didn't phase me, but the first drop off a boat into the water gives me that rush.

 

[Fish in a Barrel]

When I first started, I would often have to control my panic on the first descent of a trip. I would get overwhelmed by that sense of being a tiny being in a very big ocean. For me, it helped to look down so that I could see the bottom and know that I wasn't descending into some depthless void.

Even now I occasionally feel a little echo of that apprehension.