really nervous

[greenie]

hi guy's and girls,

just wanted to ask this.....

i am a open water diver (bsac) but got into diving with tiggerbiker as its time we enjoy together and i really enjoy it...

i had a major fear of water and have managed to over come my main fear.
but every time we dive i have a sort of panic attack.....

sounds strange i know but i don't know how to describe it .......but i will try...

when we first kit up and ready to go i start to gag after testing my reg's and feel that i want to be sick.hot flushes and sweaty palms.heart rate goes up not chilling at all,don't want to let any one down as i am still a newbie after 25 dives,i am in the middle of doing sports diver as thats as deep as i want to go...

we jump in and still in a sort of panic mode,heavy breathing and just stress but once i am in the water at 6m onwards i just chill completely and feel very relaxed and at home and do our dive and really enjoy it....its the best ever feeling for me cant describe it...

i really do love diving thats the weired thing....its not like i'm just doing it ..if you see what i mean..

is there any thing that i can do before dive to try and chill my self out instead of getting so worked up..

is it just me being weird......

cheers kaz

[DIVE BUDDHA]

hi guy's and girls,

just wanted to ask this.....

i am a open water diver (bsac) but got into diving with tiggerbiker as its time we enjoy together and i really enjoy it...

i had a major fear of water and have managed to over come my main fear.
but every time we dive i have a sort of panic attack.....

sounds strange i know but i don't know how to describe it .......but i will try...

when we first kit up and ready to go i start to gag after testing my reg's and feel that i want to be sick.hot flushes and sweaty palms.heart rate goes up not chilling at all,don't want to let any one down as i am still a newbie after 25 dives,i am in the middle of doing sports diver as thats as deep as i want to go...

we jump in and still in a sort of panic mode,heavy breathing and just stress but once i am in the water at 6m onwards i just chill completely and feel very relaxed and at home and do our dive and really enjoy it....its the best ever feeling for me cant describe it...

i really do love diving thats the weired thing....its not like i'm just doing it ..if you see what i mean..

is there any thing that i can do before dive to try and chill my self out instead of getting so worked up..

is it just me being weird......

cheers kaz

i could always pop down to give u a neck rub kaz before the dive im sure grant wont mind!

try to stay relaxed hun when kitting up and dont let owt rile u up !

just enjoy it the confidence will come with time! remember its not always the best diving with loved ones u can feel that extra pressure!

maybe try diving with a friend from the club for a few dives

[fishyheid]

I think you show guts fighting past the nerves. Have they diminished as your diving has developed?

[greenie]

thats not fair you are just teezing me now

but i will take that offer lol

[greenie]

nerves have got better as i have progressed,its not just diving with hubby,its diving with any one,i really get nervous on all dives


just feel i don't want to let any one down etc you know but its hard

[purple vonny]

I know that exact feeling. I used to be scared of water too. The only way to overcome it is to keep diving, and then dive some more.

You will naturally panic if you think, even on a subconscious level, that you are going to drown. It's not natural to breathe underwater.

My fear stemmed from a near drowning experience when I was 18, I nearly died. I figured the only way to overcome the fear was to keep facing it until it didn't frighten me any more. This took about 50 dives or more.

There are some breathing exercises that help.

It you breathe in and out to a slow count of three and then to a slow count of 4 etc before your dive, it calms you down. When you get in the water, just put your face in and keep doing the slow breathing/counting until you feel OK.

Then agree with your buddy that you will ascend very slowly and keep this slow breathing going.

Keep practising, it will get better, honestly. You are not unusual.

[PeeBee]

Greenie, a lot of people find that yoga breathing exercises help to calm and focus the mind, it can also make a big difference to your air consumption... worth investigating. Good luck.

Pete

[Tunicates]

It sounds like stage fright to me.
One thing about stage fright, some well known actors will still puke up before going onstage, once they're on - no problems and loving every minute. Sound similar?

I still get a bit nervous getting ready for a dive, but a bit less now at @75 dives.

Apart from the fact that its obviously not very nice for you - does it make you less aware of things or can you still think and function well? If you can, then dont worry about it, it'll diminish in time.

I'd say dive as much as you can.
The more you do the more you'll get used to it.

[greenie]

i have already purchased a breathing scuba cd to help me with breathing and calming down....so i hope will help

purple vonny you so know where i am coming from that is how i feel.......
i will try your breathing mod tomorrow...going for a bimble tomorrow at stoney so i will let you know how i get on

i am so glad its not just me,tigger has been great does every thing at my pace and understands my worries and concerns and as said hes a great teacher as when we are diving i dont treat him as hubby but as my instructor....

i just want to be calm and not panic,i have gone on dives and been in tears as i cant control it some times,double and triple checking things and some times even thinking of a excuse to try and get out of a dive so i dont panic...

i hope i will get there

[TerryH]

Yeah easy, stop diving with Grant

TBH what i've found with nervous or more accurately aprehensive students,
is to get into a strict routine of kitting up and prep. You do kinda need
Grant on board with this mind. Once established you are concentrating on
the next task and it helps to control any anxiety.

So that means kit stacked in the same way in reverse order to the way its
going to be used etc. Reg packed in a bag/box. Be inventive, but work out
a routine that makes it very straightforward and logical to kit up.

Then actually kit up in the same way. Do a buddy check starting at the top
and work down etc. Reckon you get the idea.

This is very similar to athletes, who go through a ritual of preparation prior
to a big race. I'm sure someone will be along soon to explain the
pyscological angle behind it, but the main thing is that for a lot of people
it works.

HTH
Tel.