Wannabe diver here!

[undrwater]

If you've ever snorkeled, breathing from the regulator should be easier than that.

The feeling of "not getting enough air" is very likely anxiety. With perseverance, you can overcome this.

 

[Tenacity]

BTW, welcome to Scubaboard!!
Don't hesitate to ask more questions, just like you did on your first go. As long as you have a thick skin for some of our blunter posters' responses, you'll eventually receive an answer you can trust. There is a lot of great info here.

Keep posting!

Thank you!! I pride myself on my thick skin, so no worries. I am happy to have the input - sometimes the best thing to hear is the blunt truth. I am very appreciative so far of everyone’s help and encouragement.

 

[TMHeimer]

If you've ever snorkeled, breathing from the regulator should be easier than that.

The feeling of "not getting enough air" is very likely anxiety. With perseverance, you can overcome this.

Yes. It may be a bit late since you've already started the course, but snorkeling solves quite a few problems. Aside from your concern about all the skills and deeper water, it makes doing the various mask skills easy. Diving down to the bottom in say, 10' of water gets you used to being underwater. Then blasting the snorkel clear back at the surface helps with the airway drills. Of course, snorkeling at the surface gets you used to breathing through the mouth while swimming.
Lake Mead must be warm this time of year.

 

[Esprise Me]

Do you remember anything specific about what helped you overcome other fears in the past? Fear is a very personal thing even when it's common. My weird thing is I like reading about dive accidents to learn what not to do; it actually reassures me. But that doesn't seem to be the case for most people.

 

[rsingler]

Here's an interesting little story:
My wife got certified in Hawaii a few years back, as a referral, since she didn't want to do her checkout dives in the cold northern California water. Even with just a few pool dives, she was used to well-tuned gear, and indeed brought her own set with her to Hawaii. But when it came to do the air sharing exercise with her instructor for her third open water dive, she nearly panicked! Why? Because her instructor's auxiliary second stage (octopus) breathed so stiffly that she initially felt like she was getting no air! She got through it though, and came away with a real appreciation for having finely tuned equipment.
Her instructor was not really to blame, as she was just using the equipment the shop gave her, and while a good instructor, was not a regulator technician, so didn't have as good a good a feel as she might have, for how badly the equipment was tuned.

 

[Tripp]

I think success comes from many attempts at small incremental steps until you feel comfortable. For me, the sheer joy of being free to breathe underwater is FANTASTIC. When I'm at 60 ft, I don't want to come up. I want to keep breathing and looking and exploring. You will find success as you take it in small incremental steps! GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

[Tenacity]

Yes. It may be a bit late since you've already started the course, but snorkeling solves quite a few problems. Aside from your concern about all the skills and deeper water, it makes doing the various mask skills easy. Diving down to the bottom in say, 10' of water gets you used to being underwater. Then blasting the snorkel clear back at the surface helps with the airway drills. Of course, snorkeling at the surface gets you used to breathing through the mouth while swimming.
Lake Mead must be warm this time of year.

Ok, confession time. I have gone snorkeling many times, but... I didn't actually use the snorkel. The first time I went snorkeling, I panicked. I couldn't seem to coordinate breathing through a tube and not my nose, so I adapted... by just not using it; I just held my breath, and went under the water to look at what I wanted to look at. I know, I KNOW - first rule of diving - "NEVER hold your breath". So, I guess I need to go back, and start at square 1.

Lake Mead is warm right now - and it's ridiculously hot in the area. That is where my divemaster usually does the open water does, but the visibility has been less than 10ft, so he has now been doing them at Lake Havasu. Im scheduled to do my open water dives there in 3 weeks, but it doesn't look like Im going to get there.

 

[Tenacity]

Do you remember anything specific about what helped you overcome other fears in the past? Fear is a very personal thing even when it's common. My weird thing is I like reading about dive accidents to learn what not to do; it actually reassures me. But that doesn't seem to be the case for most people.

I can see where that would help; knowledge is power. As for overcoming fears in the past, well, it was two things really. First, as cliche, sappy or whatever you want to call it, as it sounds, I got through them because my BF gave me the positive vibe and reassurance I needed to get through them. He's pretty even tempered, and self assured, and I knew he had me. He's safe, I'm safe. These were things he wanted to do, and I wanted to do them with him. The second thing, was that I spent most of my life being afraid to try things that scared me; I think I finally got tired of being afraid of everything, and missing out. Some things, I didn't really get over the fear, per se, but just looked past it, like the paragliding. It didn't even occur to me to be afraid, as I was putting on my harness. It wasn't until I ran off the cliff and thought "OhmyGodOhmyGodOhmyGod"! Until I was looking at the view. still fearful, and I kind of wanted to vomit, but I was 3000ft up, it was a little late to worry about it, and I knew I was ok.

I think the fear with diving (now that I have felt what using the regulator feels like), is the "what ifs", and the fact that if the "what ifs" happen, I am trapped. I can't just spring to the surface, and fix whatever is going on.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

It is possible that the reg wasn't tuned. You may want to practice some skills listed here: Simple exercises for students not completely comfortable with having their faces in the water | Facebook

Everyone goes at their own pace.

 

[Tenacity]

It is possible that the reg wasn't tuned. You may want to practice some skills listed here: Simple exercises for students not completely comfortable with having their faces in the water | Facebook

Everyone goes at their own pace.

Thank you! Those seem like reasonable exercises. I have a pool, so I can practice before my next pool dive.