Injuries and fatalities are perennial risk factors for all scuba divers. Physical injuries can have an adverse psychological impact on divers and a fatal case can result in psychological injury to the survivors. Much of the psychological research associated with diving risks has focused on anxiety and panic behavior. There have been, however, investigations on the impact of scuba diving on neuropsychological functioning and neuropsychological impairment following injuries due to decompression illness (DCI).
As a scuba diver, you are exposed directly to the underwater environment. Your only hope of survival depends on your breathing apparatus and your limited air supply. Even if you are diving along with your buddies, you face most of your problems alone. These conditions, however exciting they might seem, demand your ability to adjust mentally to diving. In such cases stress, anxiety, and panic are not uncommon.
Stress, Anxiety and Panic
Most divers will experience enough stress at some time in their diving lives to feel anxiety before, during or after a dive. For some, this will reach an intensity that will make normal functioning difficult or impossible. This is panic. Diving psychologists say that panic is the leading cause of most diving fatalities. Panic can result from anxiety – exhaustion, weariness, unfamiliarity with equipment, etc., or from an event the diver is unable to handle – regulator free flow, loss of mask, equipment damage, suit damage, etc. Also according to many psychologists, fear resulting from diving at a new site or in extreme conditions the diver is not used to is the root cause for diver fatalities. For some divers, a gradual accumulation of stressful life events can take them closer to their panic threshold.
Panic can cause death in a number of ways. If the diver does not follow good breathing practices, insufficient flow of oxygen will cause hypoxia and fill the lungs with carbon-dioxide. As a result the diver will expose himself to the risks of decompression sickness (DCS). In addition, the diver may lose consciousness and suffer a myocardial infarction due to an increase in heart rate and nervous system activity.
Fear-Proof Yourself
Prevent panic, anxiety and other psychological issues in the following ways:
- Improve your physical fitness and combat cold, fatigue, stress, etc.
- Know the real risks of diving from the unrealistic ones
- Practice emergency response techniques, such as buddy breathing
- Know your limits and competency levels
- Develop psychological fitness by relaxing, breathing and thinking so you break out of the cycle that leads to anxiety and panic
Although the experience of anxiety or panic can be devastating mid-dive, it is important to understand that these experiences can be minimized with the right kind of preparation and with the practice of the right breathing techniques. It is important to know the risks but not let this knowledge dissuade you from participating in something you really enjoy. Knowledge is the best way to equip yourself to deal with any eventuality.