Hydrophobia... go scuba?

[DementialFaith]

I think someone should start calling the American psychological Society and ask them to stop sending hydrophobic and hydro-traumatized individuals to scuba shops. I mean... shouldn't they start their fear-overcoming journey by, let's say, combing the beach first? Frankly, I find it a little too much to ask someone who's terrified of a swimming pool to be breathing from a compressed air tank 40 feet below the wonderful Californian waves. Not to mention that it's really a distress-filled situation when you're trying to work with these water-challenged individuals... and to see them try so hard and not going anywhere... to have to try and pull the plug on the situation. Why are we getting these people in our scuba classes?

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

We had a woman like that in our OW class. Her husband is a diver and I think he pretty much pushed her into the class. She was late for nearly every class, couldn't pass the swim test, and the instructor had to constantly take extra time with her. He assigned one of the dive masters to help her out with her swimming skills and we continued the class. By the time we were certified, she still hadn't been in the pool with scuba gear on. Good grief...

 

[Ron Brandt]

It can be overcome. If it's just therapy the pool works wonders with an understanding instructor.

Getting into a wetsuit is another level and a drysuit another.

Ron

 

[Greg D.]

Not a situation I would want to put a person afraid of the water in. what happens when they lose their reg at 50ft? can they deal with it or do they panic and bolt to the surface? wouldnt you just be creating a liability?

 

[Daylonious]

I can do you one better... had an ex GF I tried to get certified... turns out she was not only scared of water over her head, but fish as well. Not big "munch munch" eat you fish... I'm talking small perch. Gobis. Wouldn't even put her face close to a saltwater tank. This is when I began to suspect that Divemaster was not going to be her vocation of choice....

Needless to say, things didn't work out. ;-)

D.

 

[rmannix]

Hydrohobia is also another name for RABIES.
don't let any of these people bite you.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

My instructor told me this story. Years ago the local fire department was adding members to their rescue team and it was a mandatory assignment. One guy they sent her had some sort of accident in water that left him terrified of it and he was being forced to take the scuba class to join this team. He confided in her that he was terrified of the water and didn't want to be in the class. She said, "Fail the swim test." He said, "What?" She told him if he couldn't swim then there was no way she could certify him and his Lieutenant would have to excuse him if she was refusing to train him for safety reasons. She said he flailed like a drowning man during the test

Wanting to overcome a fear is different, we've had a couple of students in our class that didn't want to get certified they just wanted to get more comfortable in the water. It takes a lot of patience and time to work with them and they should probably be charged extra and placed in a private class. I don't know about taking them out of the pool though, they would have to have gotten pretty daggone comfortable for me to remove them from a controlled environment.

I was afraid of being underwater when I started diving thanks to some kid standing on my head and holding me under when I was younger. I'm perfectly happy when I have air but to this day I don't dive very deep when snorkeling.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[miketsp]

I think someone should start calling the American psychological Society and ask them to stop sending hydrophobic and hydro-traumatized individuals to scuba shops. I mean... shouldn't they start their fear-overcoming journey by, let's say, combing the beach first? Frankly, I find it a little too much to ask someone who's terrified of a swimming pool to be breathing from a compressed air tank 40 feet below the wonderful Californian waves. Not to mention that it's really a distress-filled situation when you're trying to work with these water-challenged individuals... and to see them try so hard and not going anywhere... to have to try and pull the plug on the situation. Why are we getting these people in our scuba classes?

A mask and snorkel works really well for many people that have poor or non-existent swimming skills.
By eliminating the breathing problem and allowing them to realise that they actually float and it is in fact quite hard to submerge, only then many people lose their fear of drowning and then work on their swimming skills.
Just put them in a very shallow pool where they can touch the bottom with their hands and leave them alone with a mask and snorkel until they can float around with confidence. Works wonders.

 

[J75]

I actually have two friends that got into scuba this way. One has pretty much overcome her fear, but will only dive in the clear water of the Carribean. The other has gotten brave enough to occasionally join me in Jersey. So it can work, but I do think that perhaps these people should be placed in special classes as to not affect those who are taking the classes without issue.

 

[drbill]

Hey, Tony... hope all goes well at UCSB. I'll have to check out the club web site.

A serious fear of water should be an immediate disqualifier until it is resolved. Of my 8 nieces and nephews, several are divers and enjoy it but two were extremely stressed and uncomfortable under water.

When I did my OW class, it involved a real swim test before proceeding. That allowed my instructor to see who was comfortable in the water and who was not. Of course someone who can swim OK can still feel panic when 40 ft under.

I have a friend who is not entirely comfortable in the water, but wants to learn how to dive. I've suggested a few ways for her to become more comfortable including spending more time in a pool and snorkeling in warm water (unfortunately she lives near cold water and I don't blame her for not trying it there!).