Folks, she completed her deep dive and did just fine! Then we did a fun dive at this little island in the lake where she found a bunch of sunglasses. It was a good day.
Panicked on first deep dive
- Thread starter SheilaATX
- Start date
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Tri-mixer
New
I agree with Stoo, Making sure your equipment is 100% is the first step and if all your equipment is yours, has it been serviced?
All things being equal, my advice is think about just one thing, your breathing. The depth is really a non issue think about it in meters, its only 12 meters, might be the numbers not the depth. 12? that's a walk in the park
I tell me students, no matter what you are feeling, getting your breathing under control is the number one most important thing...After that, its all peaches.
Panic is a mental thing so before your next dive (I realize this is a late post) just close your eyes, breath through your nose and just feel the air move in and out, don't think about anything but that. Once you feel relaxed, walk yourself through the whole dive, what you will do, what you will see, and how you will feel once you complete the dive.
Lastly, if you feel wrong, abort. No one knows how you feel but you. If it's not right it's wrong
Good luck
All things being equal, my advice is think about just one thing, your breathing. The depth is really a non issue think about it in meters, its only 12 meters, might be the numbers not the depth. 12? that's a walk in the park
I tell me students, no matter what you are feeling, getting your breathing under control is the number one most important thing...After that, its all peaches.
Panic is a mental thing so before your next dive (I realize this is a late post) just close your eyes, breath through your nose and just feel the air move in and out, don't think about anything but that. Once you feel relaxed, walk yourself through the whole dive, what you will do, what you will see, and how you will feel once you complete the dive.
Lastly, if you feel wrong, abort. No one knows how you feel but you. If it's not right it's wrong
Good luck
iamrushman
Contributor
why are there so many sunglasses at this dive site?
Alcohol.
The number isn't close to the number of beer cans, bottles, plastic cups, and so on.
ozarkdiver
Registered
Since you don't have time to obtain more experience before next weekend, I would suggest asking the instructor to allow you to descend very slowly, maybe stopping at a couple of depths to relax. You're probably focused on the maximum depth, and that can consume you. Instead, go to 30 feet and stop/relax. Then go to 50 feet and do the same. Now you're simply going a little deeper than a depth you're comfortable with.
artdivers
New
As a new diver , you will gain experience, by diving as often as you can, But if you start to feel like your starting to panic , take 3 deep breathes and exhale slowly, this should help calm you and then you should be able to proceed with your dive. Remember what you learned during your dive training. During you AOW training, don't be afraid to talk to your instructor. He can only help you to advance if he knows what your having problems with.
Good luck to you. Just remember safety first ! Its not always about how deep the dive is . Its about how prepared your are to to make it a safe and enjoyable dive and your comfort with your surroundings.
Good luck to you. Just remember safety first ! Its not always about how deep the dive is . Its about how prepared your are to to make it a safe and enjoyable dive and your comfort with your surroundings.
As ozark posted...take your time. descend slowly. relax and breath. you have plenty of air...so enjoy the process.
MHDahle
Registered
Hi Sheila,
RELAX. I'm an older diver with about 1000 dives. I went for DM many years ago with the intent of getting the knowledge but not the certification. So, take what I say with a grain of salt.
My advice is to relax. Get comfortable diving where you are. Don't focus on HAVING to get the certification. Just dive. When you find a reason to go deeper like watching something interesting. you'll do it and be relaxed doing it. Find an eel, a sponge, a crab, a juvenile drum that's a little deeper and go investigate. Work your way down...check your depth as you go down...but don't make yourself crazy about having to go deeper than 60 feet. The extra pressure you feel as you go deeper is something you'll need to get used to. If you're not comfortable...DON'T DO IT! Most resorts and dive boats have an instructor available. If you don't finish you AOW before you go, do it on your trip. You may have to take some paperwork with you. Check with the dive operation you'll be diving with. I have also found that most dive operations don't keep a record of your certifications, just that you have one. If you're on a dive trip, and there's a reason to go deep, usually no one will stop you. The only thing that is important is that your are comfortable and safe.
RELAX. I'm an older diver with about 1000 dives. I went for DM many years ago with the intent of getting the knowledge but not the certification. So, take what I say with a grain of salt.
My advice is to relax. Get comfortable diving where you are. Don't focus on HAVING to get the certification. Just dive. When you find a reason to go deeper like watching something interesting. you'll do it and be relaxed doing it. Find an eel, a sponge, a crab, a juvenile drum that's a little deeper and go investigate. Work your way down...check your depth as you go down...but don't make yourself crazy about having to go deeper than 60 feet. The extra pressure you feel as you go deeper is something you'll need to get used to. If you're not comfortable...DON'T DO IT! Most resorts and dive boats have an instructor available. If you don't finish you AOW before you go, do it on your trip. You may have to take some paperwork with you. Check with the dive operation you'll be diving with. I have also found that most dive operations don't keep a record of your certifications, just that you have one. If you're on a dive trip, and there's a reason to go deep, usually no one will stop you. The only thing that is important is that your are comfortable and safe.
I am a divemaster who stopped diving for maybe ten years. When I got back in the water I was very surprised to find myself panicking below 20m in clear tropical water. Frankly, I was embarrassed. I don't know why but I think my subconscious was just unconvinced that I could handle any situation while my conscious thought I could. I spent a few dives in my comfort zone depth taking the mask on and off changing regs, taking gear on and off and just playing around with buoyancy and doing nothing in particular until I really wanted to to go deeper. The problem went away pretty soon, I dive wrecks and caves and have dived to 70m with 55mins of deco above me (being trapped under a long deco ceiling is a good way to induce a panic in some people) and felt just fine. It was a very useful experience because most people have never had a panic attack and don't understand it until it hits them, now I can sense and empathise panic in other people and if I feel it coming my way I stay rational and deal with it methodically. A panic attack can be very hard to explain to anybody who hasn't had one and may be seen as a sign of weakness or reason not to persist in diving. Treat it as a blessing, if your subconscious senses a danger that your consious cannot see, listen very carefully to that but don't let it stop your progress in diving. Your subconscious is your friend. Remember, Felix Baumgartner the skydive record holder, had panic attacks when he became claustrophobic in his space suit; it damn near wrecked his record bid but he dealt with it slowly and methodically, with help of good friends and advice and got past it and did the jump.
noahtenbears
New
Hi There - My husband and I did that workshop a few years ago. It is a wonderful experience. Now, having said that, I am concerned about you diving this particular dive with your limited experience. It is a live-aboard, which is different diving than what you may be used to, The drift isn't bad in the Flower Gardens, but the depths are usually 50+. You will be diving in salt water instead of fresh, which also changes things - buoyancy, primarily. That is a challenge for new divers in and of itself - throw in the elements of ocean diving, depth - you see why I have concerns.
I do not know when your trip is planned - if you can, I would recommend getting some ocean dives in before you go - or, speak with the folks running the workshop and see if you can get a slot for next year. It is a wonderful opportunity - but - you are facing obstacles that could scare you from diving, risk both you and those you are diving with. Going comfortable and prepared gives you the best chance of gaining all you can from the experience.
I do not know when your trip is planned - if you can, I would recommend getting some ocean dives in before you go - or, speak with the folks running the workshop and see if you can get a slot for next year. It is a wonderful opportunity - but - you are facing obstacles that could scare you from diving, risk both you and those you are diving with. Going comfortable and prepared gives you the best chance of gaining all you can from the experience.
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