It is not unusual to be nervous before scuba diving, especially if you are new or just learning. It can also happen if you’ve had a break or are taking on a new challenge. Being excited, nervous or apprehensive about a dive can sometimes feel a bit much, and you just want to calm yourself and get in the right mindset to enjoy the dive, … Continue reading Nervous before scuba diving, what should I do?
You know that you want to go scuba diving, and put a lot of time and effort into getting ready for the dive. You were excited about getting back under the water and looking forward to what you might see. But, when you see the thumbs down signal and go to press your deflate button, you suddenly find it really hard to let yourself slip … Continue reading Why do I feel panicky when descending underwater?
Your ability to flood and clear, or remove and replace your mask is an important part of being a scuba diver, and essential to be a calm, safe diver. However, these scuba mask skills are sometimes a bit of a challenge. In this article, explore some of the issues divers have with mask skills and how psychology can help you be okay with, and without, … Continue reading How can I get more comfortable with the scuba diving mask skills?
Fitness to dive is important We can understand that physical fitness to dive is important because we know that our bodies will need to be able to cope with some stresses, like the pressure on our ears at depth, or the effort of our heart in swimming against a current. Staying physically fit-to-dive is essential. But how often do we consider psychological fitness-to-dive? Because it … Continue reading Psychological fitness to dive
Because your mind and body sense a threat We are underwater. We would not survive long without our scuba equipment. Experiencing emotions like anxiety and fear is perfectly normal. These emotions are our signals to detect problems. But anxiety can sometimes get out of control, and its useful to reflect on the question “why do I panic underwater?” We have an instinct for survival. We … Continue reading Why do I panic underwater?
Most of the time, a scuba diver who panics will be probably be lucky enough to escape without injury. But that is not always the case, because panic is a state that makes people do strange things. The instinctive actions of someone in a panic underwater can make them a danger to themselves or other people. So what happens if you panic while scuba diving? … Continue reading What happens if you panic while scuba diving?
The aeroplane accelerated along the runway and as it lifted off I heard “we are going to die, we are all going to die!”. Nobody had said anything, everything was fine. The sudden appearance of this phrase in my head is what is known as an “intrusive thought”. The mind wants to protect us from danger and every so occasionally provides these unwanted and (largely … Continue reading What are psychological skills and how can they be useful in diving?
