If we didn't enjoy diving, we wouldn't do it. Some people enjoy deep diving on air, seemingly enjoying the feelings nitrogen narcosis can bring about; others suffer terribly when narcosis sets in, avoiding it like the plague. Narcosis is the result of central nervous system depression, which when left unchecked, can lead to a state of stupor and eventual loss of consciousness. The feeling often mimics that of some chemical substances, causing people to ask the question: Is diving addictive?
Symptoms of Intoxication
People often enjoy mild intoxication; a few beers for example, can bring on a relaxed and carefree state. While diving, your imagination may feel more lively, your thoughts may seem more colorful, and some symptoms of intoxication can certainly present themselves. Nitrogen Narcosis is so named because it provides similar feelings to narcotic drugs like Demerol, Codeine, and others. The signs of narcosis are often similar though, to those that tell you when you've had enough to drink - laughter, excitement, euphoria, impaired manual functioning, and over-confidence are some symptoms. Darker symptoms normally manifest later, and can include irrational fear, panic, terror, idea fixation, decreased perception, hallucinations, stupor, and finally, unconsciousness. What they represent is the brain shutting down as it is deprived of the oxygen it needs to function.
Answering the Question of Addiction
Addiction comes in two forms: psychological and physical. There is no real evidence that diving produces any kind of physical addiction - if you think in terms of withdrawal from drugs which normally causes physical addiction, you'll notice that you probably do not shake, sweat, or become violently ill when you don't have the opportunity to dive as often as you would like to.
On the other hand, diving might very well be somewhat psychologically addictive, just as all pleasurable experiences can be. It is in our nature to enjoy experiences that bring us pleasure, and it is also quite human to want to repeat those experiences.
Those who enjoy narcosis would do well to reexamine their enjoyment of diving deep on air. Doing this is a lot like gambling - at some point, you are bound to lose. Divers who dive deep on air on a regular basis almost always eventually experience an emergency while compromised by the intoxicating effects, with the ultimate outcome being death.
Those who dive deep on air without feeling narcosis are affected even though they do not realize it, and they are in even greater danger; the lack of perception puts them in a high-risk category. Narcotic effects of breathing air at depths of 100 feet or more can be reliably measured, with measurable effects increasing as depths are greater. This is why most training agencies recommend limiting recreational diving to a maximum depth of 130 feet (40 meters) - primarily, it has everything to do with narcosis, although limited bottom time before deco is also factored in. It's also important to remember that maximum recommended depth decreases when conditions are challenging, either physically or mentally; this includes cold water dives. In cases like this, the maximum recommended depth for recreational diving on air is 100 feet (30 meters) or less.
No matter how you feel about the issue of the potential for psychological addiction to diving, you should never forget that narcosis is much more than a feeling. It is a physical phenomenon that can affect your health. Any time you are breathing compressed air, remember to consider narcosis before and during diving. Taking proper precautions ensures that you will continue to be able to enjoy the pleasure of experiencing the underwater world for many years to come.
Comments
Um. Yes for me.