Panicked on first deep dive

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SheilaATX

Registered
Messages
7
Reaction score
8
Location
United States
# of dives
25 - 49
I'm a new diver - OW last summer. This year I started AOW training to prepared for a dive trip coming up. Everything had gone great, but when it was time for my deep dive checkout the following day, I panicked. My mask felt too leaky, the dry air was making me uncomfortable, and the poor visibility scared me. I made it to only 40 ft before I was hyperventilating and abandoned the dive. I really need this certification for my upcoming trip, and need advice. I'll be attempting another deep dive this weekend and am already nervous. Advice please!
 
The trip planned requires AOW. I was selected from a pool of teachers to participate in a workshop in the Gulf of Mexico Flower Gardens and its an opportunity I can't pass up. I am comfortable at 50 - 60 feet, but just freaked out. Also - my training has been in a lake with little visibility (only a few feet). Is there anything I can do to make myself more comfortable?
 
From the description of your issue I agree with PfcAJ - you need experience to overcome the concerns. I gather you're lacking confidence in your experience, only to be gained through more controlled diving, slowly increasing the limits of your comfort.

Going through an AOW course does not make you better at diving, it only presents you with advanced theories to be carried out in the dives.

More diving will truly improve your experience levels, thus gaining more confidence.
 
I'm going to have to agree with PfcAj and Kerry. The last thing you want to do is panic at depth. How many dives do you have under your belt? You mentioned that your mask felt too leaky. Does that mean your mask was letting in water? You may need a mask which fits your face better. The dry air in the tank may have felt drier because of your panicking. Would the issues you experienced have bothered you at 35ft dive?

Only thing I think you can do is get more dives in before your AOW. You need to get comfortable with your equipment, environment, and yourself.

JC


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1. I am glad that you are willing to try it again.
2. Since you stated that you are "comfortable at 50-60 feet," then it was all in your head.
3. Dive more, take it slow and think about the positive side of deeper dives.
4. Chances are that you just had a bad dive and got scared or a bad feeling...which at one time or another most of us have had.
 
Do you know what you are afraid of and why you are afraid? Do you have experience in facing anxiety on land and calming yourself down?

Nitrogen narcossis can make some people more anxious underwater. However, it seems that your previous experience is adding yet more anxiety about the dive. So I would suggest normal relaxation tips while on land, while thinking about the deep dive -- visualising the beautiful things you would see and floating effortlessly in water, breathing in deep and slow (like through a regulator), feelings of peace and calmness.

If it's the darkness you are worried about, bring a dive light.

I was initially worried about my deep dive too, but got over it by focusing on the fact that I could breathe and was ok. I was a panicky diver in my OW course but learned how to calm down by my 3rd checkout dive, so that experience helped a lot in overcoming other fears.
 
Let me add my comments to what others have said. In short Ditto. You have fewer than 25 logged dives according to your profile. I personally believe the advance course pre-requisites should be a minimum of 50 dives. Since you panicked at 40 feet but are comfortable diving to 60 feet you must ask yourself, "Why? What was different about this dive at the point I stopped the dive?" Have you dove in limited visibility before? That can freak you out. Night dives can make you nervous because of the limited visibility. Are you comfortable in general with diving? If you are comfortable with diving in general and are comfortable diving to 60 feet, then The answer is your mind was focused on the unknown and the planned depth of the dive. You allowed yourself to talk yourself into a very anxious state. The only way to resolve this is to dive more, and slowly work your way down. If you are comfortable at 60, then dive to 70 on the next dive or two or three, then 80.

Remember, you don't need the certification, you want the certification. The reef begins in less than 60 feet and goes to depths beyond 130 feet. so relax, and have fun.
 
Sheila, this sounds like a good example of peer pressure to me.
You as a teacher will know all about this issue. Beware of doing dives you do not comfortable with. If something feels wrong, don't do it.
Murphy's law of thermodymics applies to diving: things get worse under pressure :cool2:
 
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