What is it with divers?

[nkw5]

Why are divers so obsessed with diving? The divers I know, myself included, are always thinking about diving. If it's not when or where, it's what new gadget to make or buy or making a new connection with another diver. Is there something physiological? We gotta dive to get our high? We're hooked on something? I can't think of any other hobby that is so addicting (except maybe running?).

 

[Quarrior]

Why are divers so obsessed with diving? The divers I know, myself included, are always thinking about diving. If it's not when or where, it's what new gadget to make or buy or making a new connection with another diver. Is there something physiological? We gotta dive to get our high? We're hooked on something? I can't think of any other hobby that is so addicting (except maybe running?).

It's the nitrogen.

 

[Boogie711]

I would argue it's more your social setting. There are a whole TON of people who consider themselves "divers" but who I wouldn't necessarily label as such.

Just today, I was talking with the Home Inspector during a tour of a house I'm about to buy, and he overheard me speaking with the current owner about diving. He mentioned he and his wife were divers too - but upon questioning, he hadn't been in cold water (I live in Ontario, Canada), he has less than 10 dives, and his last dive was 3 years ago.

He still called himself a diver. I wouldn't.

 

[Kim]

When I was a kid I read a book called 'Coral Island' - sorry don't remember the authors name. The descriptions of the underwater scenery etc were so spectacular that I always wanted to dive to see them for myself from that moment. When I eventually did so - the views were every bit as amazing as I had in my imagination. There's just nothing like it above water!

 

[CBulla]

Know what I love about it? Its an environment I am very comfortable in. For all intensive purposes, unless porpoises are around squealing and clacking, its quiet except for the Darth Vader inhale/exhale sound followed by the bubbles. No body bothers me to write their websites, nobody bothers me to fix their PC, nobody bothers me for an opinion about which wireless network set-up to use. Its a step back to my younger years when I lived in the water.. a time when life was simpler, a time I'm trying to get back to.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I have been thinking the same thing for quite a while now. What I have come up with is this. In some religions and self meditative roles, you are susposed to relax with long slow breaths-the same thing we do (or at least I do) while diving. Very calming effect. Blood pressure drops, life is simpler, and all around peacefulness and euphoria are experienced.
And people pay big bucks to get this in a pill or other means. sheesh!

 

[Kim]

I have been thinking the same thing for quite a while now. What I have come up with is this. In some religions and self meditative roles, you are susposed to relax with long slow breaths-the same thing we do (or at least I do) while diving. Very calming effect. Blood pressure drops, life is simpler, and all around peacefulness and euphoria are experienced.
And people pay big bucks to get this in a pill or other means. sheesh!

Yes - it's principle is Hatha-yoga. There are a lot of very rich gurus who got their money by teaching uptight Westerners simple Eastern breathing tecniques - I agree - sheesh!

 

[SueMermaid]

I am convinced that diving makes your brain release some serious habit-forming drugs.

 

[Kim]

I am convinced that diving makes your brain release some serious habit-forming drugs.

But at least they are fully legal - and FREE!

 

[simbrooks]

When I was a kid I read a book called 'Coral Island' - sorry don't remember the authors name. The descriptions of the underwater scenery etc were so spectacular that I always wanted to dive to see them for myself from that moment. When I eventually did so - the views were every bit as amazing as I had in my imagination. There's just nothing like it above water!

Kim, was it this one: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...97809/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-5541827-6556055 by Robert Ballantyne?

As for the drug induced love of diving, i think it comes from a variety of things, its that feeling of floating effortlessly, being able to move in any 3-D (kind of like skydiving, but without the ground and parachute to worry about ), the quietness, lack of stress and things to bug you (in fact my breathing rate falls off another 0.1 cuft/min on every night dive from its normal rate), its the thought of being up close to all those fish, or corals or wrecks that you have seen on the tv (or in the case of fish a fish tank). I find myself strangely hypnotized by it all and thinking about it all day everyday, i even feel like i am floating whilst falling off to sleep - no that isnt induced by aliens taking my body away . The social part is nice, but its not my reason for diving, i dive to play in the water and enjoy what i am doing and seeing, nothing more nothing less. Addictive, certainly!!!