Anxiety

[Sacher]

Hello,


First of all, my apologies if I post this in the wrong part of this forum or if it has been asked already. The search function can’t be found on my mobile phone.

Long story short, I have anxiety when diving. Severe. I opted for a 3-day Open Water PADI. The first day with the pool sessions was full of problems for me. With this I mean that although I succeeded doing all the tests (mask;...), I did panic when underwater. When I felt like I was unable to see, it also felt like I was unable to breathe and I had to return to the surface too many times.

Today, our second day, it was time for an open water dive in a max depth of 12 meter. While my instructor was explaining what to do, I was unable to listen and unable to focus, how hard I tried. When on the edge before jumping in the water, I noticed me breathing short and completely wrong. My exhale were 4 small exhales with some shaking in between. When I got into the water, it got even worse and I had to get out immediately after seeing the open see, one boat and nothing else.

About me, I am a biologist loving wildlife. I am desperate to succeed in this task but I am also aware that it sure isn’t the time for me. How can I succeed? Starting to become more comfortable in the water? Snorkeling?...?


Thanks

 

[The Chairman]

Some people need to go far, far slower than a traditional Scuba class. Find an instructor who will be willing to go a lot slower. I've taken several students through this process. All but one made it through and those all still dive.

But it has to be slow and progressive at YOUR pace.

 

[CuzzA]

I agree slow is going to be your best plan, but to overcome anxiety you need to build confidence. Anxiety and confidence are both feelings that reside in your head, and are opposing forces.

It sounds like you don't have a lot of experience in the water and snorkeling and that is where you should start. You should spend ample time in a shallow pool with a mask, snorkel, fins. Practice clearing your mask over and over until you build up your confidence. Then put on a BC without a tank. Build confidence clearing your mask and moving in the water with that on. Add a tank with no reg, practice snorkeling with that. I think for some people the initial amount of gear they put on for the first time simply overwhelms them. Once you finally have built up your confidence with all that gear on, add the regulator and just float on the surface and work on your breathing. You're looking for nice zen like deep inhales and full exhales. Just like you would on the surface when you're trying to lower your heart rate. From there you can add some weight and practice clearing and other skills on the bottom of the pool. Again, you're trying to build confidence. Stick with each step until you feel confident about moving to open water.

 

[Kimela]

I wonder if the folks who are training you would allow you to come out with them a couple of weekends to just sit on the boat and maybe snorkel while the others are diving. I agree with all the above. Take it slow. It feels like you're trying to force yourself and it's causing more anxiety. Also, is the water really cold where you are? That can make things more uncomfortable.

You could also find a therapist who is familiar with diving and see if a session might help. (I'm a therapist - sort of like 'if you're a hammer, everything is a nail' - I think therapy helps everyone!!).

 

[DBPacific]

I second the advice to practice slowly in a pool. Also practice just swimming around and getting your head under the water. Try swimming in a lane or just holding on to the edge and submerge your head with no mask or goggles and your eyes closed. Talk to the instructors for advice and if you can take things slowly.

 

[Marie13]

I know there are diving quarries in Belgium. @Zef is a divemaster and dives frequently at them.

Perhaps it might be better if you tried a course that did the open water dives at a quarry, rather than off a boat in the ocean.

Something to consider.

 

[RockiesFan]

Scuba might not be for you, and then again it might. Give yourself a break, learn to be comfortable swimming and snorkeling and good luck!

 

[Esprise Me]

There were, I think, 10 students in my OW class on day 1, and only half as many on the final checkout dive. Most of the dropouts indicated issues with equalizing, but based on what I saw I suspect at least a few of them were just scared and overwhelmed. On the boat we took for dives 1-3 was another student not part of our course trying to overcome her anxiety and finish her cert with a private instructor. The people who finished the course on schedule all had a fair amount of experience in the water; I'd been snorkeling since I was a kid, one guy was a lifeguard, one was a surfer, most of us had been on a Discover Scuba Dive. The ones who didn't finish the course with the rest of us seemed really unsure of themselves even in the pool.

Making a concerted effort to face your anxiety with an instructor and baby steps will probably work if you're really motivated, but it doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me. Snorkeling is fun. I'd go snorkeling. Then, when you're comfortable with that and just annoyed that there's so much cool stuff farther down than you can hold your breath for, take another stab at scuba diving.

 

[Zef]

It took my wife nearly 20 years between her 1st try-dive and finally getting certified. She is a bit clausterphobic and does not like diving in dark or silty conditions or where she can't see the bottom. She has to push through her anxiety in order to dive here in Belgium, and she does a great job doing it.

I am of the belief that diving is not for everyone, but I also believe that it is very much attainable and one does not need super human skills to become qualified to dive.

It all begins with being comfortable in the water, and I don't mean just comfortable chilling out on the surface. What I do mean is that one should be comfortable on the surface, swimming down to the bottom, putting their face in the water without a mask or goggles, etc. I believe one should feel naturally comfortable in the water regardless of depth. You should be able to swim with your face in the water on the surface and below the surface, you should be able to retrieve an object at the bottom of a swimming pool and bring it to the surface. You should be able to tread water without difficulty and you should be able to float tranquilly at the surface without stress on your back and your front.

If you can do all the above then you could consider yourself relatively comfortable in the water. If you can't then you should work on those things until you develop that comfort.

Once you are comfortable in the water, you will most likely find your anxiety about diving will diminish significantly.

Find a pool and start getting wet. Like diving, experience and comfort only comes with time in the water.

Back in the 90's I put myself through college teaching group and private swim lessons to folks from age 3 years to 75 years old. One of my specialties at the time was water acclimatization (working with adults who wanted to learn how to swim but were not comfortable in the water to one degree or another).

-Z

 

[Cap335]

I think The Chairman had the right idea