{"id":11417442,"date":"2024-10-15T11:36:46","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T09:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alertdiver.eu\/?p=11417442"},"modified":"2024-10-28T15:43:18","modified_gmt":"2024-10-28T14:43:18","slug":"managing-fear-while-diving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alertdiver.eu\/en_US\/articles\/managing-fear-while-diving\/","title":{"rendered":"Managing Fear While Diving"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fear is the cold wave of emotion that can feel like a solid barrier against forward movement.\u00a0 One of the most primitive of human emotions, fear forms part of an adaptive reaction to danger in the environment.\u00a0 When threatened, our biological system offers up a range of states to support survival: freeze \u2013 flight \u2013 fight \u2013 fright \u2013 flag \u2013 faint (Schauer and Elbert, 2010).\u00a0 All are of only limited use underwater and can tend to create more problems that they solve.\u00a0 Combining these psycho-physiological reactions with depth can stimulate further issues and physiological drivers of fear, for example due to the impact of gas density<\/u><\/a>, narcosis and hypercapnia, see Fear and Loathing in Scuba Diving<\/a><\/strong> by Klaus Stiefel<\/em>. And of course, the risks of the fight\/flight state are fairly clear to any diver with a basic grasp of diving physiology, with rapid ascent being one of the most frequently reported incidents.<\/p>\n

In diving, there are plenty of potential sources of immediate fear. From the various issues that can arise with equipment, through to the occasionally aggressive marine life encounter or boats getting too close for comfort.\u00a0 Beyond the array of threats offered by the underwater environment there are the pre-existing issues that divers may bring. Phobias of sharks, fish, snakes, submerged objects, enclosed spaces, heights, dark and open water: all mean a risk of a strong reaction when the feared object is encountered. Triggers of prior unresolved trauma can sometimes, though not always, be found in the water too. As well as those solid threats to safety are the less tangible human fears of failure, rejection and loss of control.<\/p>\n

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So, is fear to be avoided?<\/h3>\n

Well, yes and no. The physiological effects of the threat response for example in changing breathing pattern to rapid and shallow, or even breath holding, and the racing heart can cause problems when diving.\u00a0 Underwater this can quickly escalate into panic. Plus, the way that fear grips and steers attention can make it hard to think and problem solve. However, the concern does not come from fear alone, but the cascade reaction to the threat. Walking through the defence reactions, you can see where trouble forms.<\/p>\n

The initial reaction- freeze – to stop and become more alert, is adaptive and can help us underwater.\u00a0 It\u2019s the point that we can be aware of a problem and consider what we will do about it. STOP-THINK-ACT.\u00a0 Similarly, a little bit of fight\/flight can be useful in providing energy for action, but it\u2019s a state that can soon get out of control underwater. This can happen for physical reasons, such as the fast shallow breathing heightens stress, and from psychological sources such as the thoughts about what will happen and the resistance to feeling the emotion.<\/p>\n

All can send the diver towards the panic cycle, and they lose the ability to think and act clearly.\u00a0 Where fight or flight is not an option, the next stage is fright.\u00a0 This is where the emotion of fear will be most intense, because in this state a person is effectively paralysed, and still conscious of the threat. From there, the person begins to disconnect and numb out from emotion, they have no energy (flag) or even fall into unconsciousness (faint).\u00a0 Clearly these latter stages have a negative impact in diving situations.<\/p>\n

Although fear may be experienced within these reactions, fear is only one aspect. Fear is an emotion: it\u2019s the wave of energy<\/u><\/a> moving through the body in a natural progression. The middle part of that wave is physiological processes, such as the release of stress hormones.\u00a0 This can be an issue, but it\u2019s really the cascade reactions that lead to incidents.<\/p>\n

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Fear alone is not the problem. We feel anticipatory fear when stimulated to perceive a source of threat.\u00a0 That could be an actual threat, but also our own thoughts can set off the defence reaction. \u201cWhat if I run out of air?!\u201d\u00a0 and \u201cI don\u2019t think I am ready for this deep dive\u201d.\u00a0 Fear is often a signal that something may be wrong and a reminder to take effective action.\u00a0 Fear reminds us where our limits are and encourages a pause to reflect on whatever we are doing.<\/p>\n

If anything, as divers we need to have fear.\u00a0 We also need the ability to regulate emotion and attention<\/u><\/a> in the face of fear. What we do not need is the reactive, energetically-demanding and unthinking state that fear can drive us to when we resist it.\u00a0 The way we resist fear can cause more problems than the emotion of fear.\u00a0 Firstly, not heeding valid fear can mean a diver going into a situation that they are not prepared for.\u00a0 Secondly, the unwillingness to feel strong emotions like fear can stimulate panic in itself.\u00a0 By this I mean a diver has an issue and, rather than notice the fear and do something about the problem, they turn in the other direction, running from the fear and taking attention away from the problem.\u00a0 Given that this will tend to create more problems, the panic escalates out of control.\u00a0 Thirdly, ego-defences can make it hard to call a dive on feeling fearful.\u00a0 Fourthly, avoidance behaviours that do not lead to improved safety and increase risk, because the intention is focused on avoiding fear (rather than addressing the problem).<\/p>\n

How to dive with fear<\/h3>\n

Fear is always a possible experience, so learning to dive with fear is an important part of being a diver.\u00a0 That does not mean putting ourselves in danger, but instead being open to fear as a signal and developing skills (both technical and psychological) that support safe diving.\u00a0 It may even mean holding fear when telling a fellow diver that you have decided to miss a dive. Here are some options:<\/p>\n