Facing anxiety in scuba diving

[@AzulUnlimited]

Share your tips with fear and anxiety here in the comments! 🌊Join the community: www.patreon.com/azulunlimited 🤿 Dive with me: azulunlimited.com/upcoming-diving-expeditions/

[@sjhvalro6352]

A lovely and dear beautiful girl. A question for every boy is how to express his love and interest to a girl he likes. I wanted to know how to tell my love that I love him. What do you think about him? to say

[@coyoteran]

You comment about "judgement and shame keeping stories locked away" really struck a chord with me. I have been a big proponent of sharing accident, incident, and near miss data as a community writ large. Going from the old adage, "Learn from others mistakes. You will never live long enough to make them all yourself" I have recently startling reading up on "Human Factors in diving" which is trying to change the culture of secrecy that surrounds dive accidents and find the root cause of the accidents. Not just "Diver error" but what were the factors that lead to that diver making a mistake in the first place. Really fascinating stuff if you are into that kind of thing.

[@AzulUnlimited]

We’re reading that right now in my patreon community!

[@christianperrin964]

One of the most helpful things for me was reading about divers speaking of their own incidents and "near misses" on a scuba forum, as well as Sarah and Itor's commentary on scuba mishap videos. So I completely understand what you are saying! Mistakes or errors are learning experiences, and if the person who made the error can talk about it, they become learning experiences for more than just the one person. So valuable!

[@zarlorz]

Excellent book, and the funny thing for me is how all of it integrates perfectly in general management and leadership outside of diving.

[@AzulUnlimited]

@@zarlorz Absolutely. We can take the lessons anywhere!

[@richardstratford9419]

Thank you! I've been "anxiously" LOL waiting for this video. Another winner for TEAM Azul. Good job Sara

[@AzulUnlimited]

Yay! Thank you!

[@sparksi2519]

I'm a DM with tec certs and do deco dives semi-regularly in cold waters. However, i've always said I will keep myself out of caves. And here I am starting my cave training tomorrow, watching a video about anxiety in diving...

[@AzulUnlimited]

Hehehe you’ll be fine! Deep breaths, have a clear understanding of the dive, open communication with your team, and have fun

[@gbsailing9436]

Great episode Sarah. Even better advice on anxiety control. I agree with everything you said here this week, although I do think 'try out' dives are important part of building trust in dive partners, and hence dive planning, and can help divers focus on particular elements of the planning and the dive that are necessary to successful dives. I also think it is important to understand the dangerous sympathetic breathing loop that one can get into when under stress. As you know, this is where small anxiety leads one to think they are not getting enough air and they start to breathe faster to compensate (SAC rate increases) - this then reduces the efficiency of their off gassing of CO2 which, in a REAL physical impact on the body and increases CO2 in the blood stream, which then alerts the brain to breathe fast/more which then reduces the efficiency of the off gassing of CO2 even further, and so the cycle continues to a point where the panic sets in fully till the divers goes unconscious with the inability to provide the brain with enough O2. Once this loop starts it can be very difficult to control and a strong mindset is necessary to bring strong exhalation into force and bring breathing under control. This can be exacerbated with increase ppO2 levels at depth. Clearly in this situation, immediate ascent can not always be achieved in a cave so monitoring SAC rate and anxiety level in a diver is crucial. It's great that you offer such sound advice here on your channel and especially through this episode. I can only hope my knowledge and experience above - as an instructor - albeit limited, is helpful to all in any diving situation they find themselves in, caving. or otherwise. I hope you dive trips go really well this year!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you for sharing! So important to get to know yourself and understand what you need when you're at the beginning stages of stress.

[@heathen667]

Thanks for the video. I took about 6 months off from diving and am planning this year’s diving season. I had a rush of anxiety around equipment, skills, traveling, etc. Then I realized it’s ok. I can take my time and plan the sequence of dives over the next few months to regain confidence and to feel comfortable in my fins again.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Fantastic! It's easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about everything at once. But when broken down into manageable steps, it becomes much easier to handle.

[@00bikeboy]

So much good advice in one short video! And that turtle was so darn cute 🥰

[@AzulUnlimited]

I'm so glad you found it useful. Yes, that little turtle was adorable!

[@jamesaurich501]

Hi Sara . Your yoga and zen relaxing is a key to channel the calm and enjoy the dive. You are absolutely right about cave diving with unknown buddies. STAY SAFE.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Always safety first. Number one rule :)

[@kevincollins2834]

Sara thank you for posting this video. The timing couldn't be more perfect. Last weekend I took my confined water pool sessions for my OW Cert. It went the exact opposite of how I envisioned it. My mask leaked constantly so I was constantly having to try to clear it only to have it fill right back up and then the water would go up my nose which would cause me to choke, cough and rush to the surface. I couldn't get equalized. I couldn't sit on the bottom and watch my instructor demo the skills. Only then to have the mother of all anxiety attacks. My anxiety got so bad at one point I had to surface because I just could not breath. I could not calm down and we had to just sit there for a few minutes for me to settle. I was extremely fortunate that all the other students had backed out at the last minute leaving just me and my instructor for basically a private session. My instructor was awesome was able to get me past the issues I was faced with. Leaky mask and so on. I did finally equalize and we figured out he had to sit at the bottom and watch me fidget and fuss until I could get comfortable (clear my mask, equalize, clear my mask again, try to equalize) and then we'd move on. Oddly enough the skills I excelled at was without my mask on under water. Removal, Replacement, Clearing. Removal and swim around with out it off. All that was a breeze. But the rest of the time was a constant battle. I lost sleep last night feeling dread and fear of my OW portion of my cert in the coming months. I'm questioning if I'm going to be able to do this. I should be feeling excited and gung ho to do them but I'm not. Your video popped up on my computer today because I subscribe to your channel and the timing couldn't have been better. I'm going to finish what I started. I'm just not sure how much diving I'll do after I get my cert. Thanks for you video though. It has inspired me to keep after it and keep trying. Kevin

[@AzulUnlimited]

Wow! I'm so glad my video was able to help you. Take your time and go at your own pace. I'm so glad you had a good instructor who was patient and who was able to take to the time you needed to work through the skills. Everyone learns at difference rates, so don't ever feel like you need to go at a certain speed. Jut take it one step at a time and you may surprise yourself with what you will accomplish and enjoy. The same goes for finding dive buddies. If the buddies you find won't have patience with you as a new diver, you don't want them as dive buddies. Everyone was a new diver who struggled with skills. You want to make sure that you have people who remember this and are willing to share their experience with you. Good luck! You'll do great.

[@zarlorz]

Meditation/mindfulness techniques help with anxiousness, certain. I find the most stressful parts of a dive for my (still inexperienced) diving is just everything to prep for and lug out to the water before the dive starts. Once I get in the water I like to take a moment to not just do my checks on me and my buddy but also to just appreciate how awesome it is to be weightless and in the water again. My SCA rate is always highest at the beginning off a dive in part as my (admittedly later middle-aged) body recovers from all of the stress of just getting into the water for scuba in the first place. Taking another moment after getting in the water, whether at a buddy-check stop or at our initial depth to start the dive, is another place for me to concentrate inward for a moment, checking in on my breathing and getting my body to calm down from all the work off getting there to sheer anticipation of being able to enjoy why I love diving. Almost like telling yourself to be bored for minute or two! I did have a question, though. You mentioned exhaling longer than your inhalation (obvious technique good to use for calming the body and mind) but while cave diving where buoyancy can be a paramount concern how do you handle that? Yes, I realize it's the same amount of air, but if you are exhaling for longer than your are inhaling then you should be, generally, holding a bit more air in your lungs over that time. In the sense that, let's say, you inhale for 3 seconds (and with a delay you should begin ascendng) then exhale for 5 seconds (the end of which you would expect, after a delay, to descend). Do you have difficulty with trying to maintain the rhythm of managing the delays (and thus staying neutrally buoyant) over keeping the same timing of inhalation to exhalation? Or are there any little tips to how you handle that, maybe?

[@AzulUnlimited]

I don’t use my whole lung capacity which would make me rise and fall a lot. I breathe enough to feel comfortable and I breathe slowly so I haven’t had an issue with bobbing up and down. Everyone has to find the rhythm that works for them since physiological needs will vary person to person.

[@padraicmcgraw]

Im an anxious diver and this gave me some extra tools to try! Thanks !

[@davelundergoesunder]

You are not alone. I'm just an Open Water diver but I have to combat anxiety every single dive.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Be patient with yourself, put in the work/practice, and stick to simple dives... AND be kind to yourself. Dive with buddies that are kind too. You got this 💪

[@RealJonnyDiver]

Thanks for the honest and helpful video Sarah.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Glad it was helpful!

[@glenndrew7917]

Excellent video. Should be compulsory viewing for anyone who dives, regardless of experience.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Aww thanks so much! I appreciate you :)

[@scottsimmons849]

Important topic Sara . Seems to be a culture of denial in some parts of dive world . I feel it is a disservice to our clients to not share mishap stories as instructors . I’m always happy to hear of people choosing alcohol free life . A great way to diminish anxiety . Another step that has worked well is eliminating sugar from the diet . Gets the body out of glucose/insulin roller coaster cycle . Thanks and happy bubbles!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks and I agree. As dive professionals, sharing our experiences is very important especially with newer divers who look to us for all kinds of advice. That's an interesting point about sugar. I hadn't even thought of it.

[@richgilbank]

Great video. The parasympathetic hand pinch I do sometimes as well, and for the breathing I personally find that doing a big exhalation once entering the water (as deep as possible) allows me to be in a more relaxed state. My anxiety around caverns (haven't done caves yet) is mostly the "what if". TBH I feel like doing cave training would be the best way to be more comfortable in those circumstances to be more confident in knowing how to handle surprises.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Yes yes yes. Highly recommend proper cave training with an experienced instructor. You learn so much through the course, and even if that type of diving isn't for you, it'll make you a stronger diver.

[@timgosling6189]

Have to say I was starting to get zenned out just sitting here watching and listening to that calm voice. But all good points and especially about having the courage to speak up if you have a question. 'Trust-Me' divers - LOL. It may be trite but there are no stupid questions and if someone treats them that way you shouldn't be diving with them. And I've screwed up loads of times and I know it can be hard to admit to, but if you don't speak up everyone loses.

[@AzulUnlimited]

That's exactly right! It's always really easy to tell when I shouldn't be diving with someone. Attitude is a big deal.

[@adamleaders]

Nice! Definitely have to manage anxiety in caves or any technical diving. Very easy to let your mind spiral out of control with irrational scenarios if you let it. Strange how the brain does that. Next time go for cave DPV! The most fun you can have underwater. Absolutely mind blowing!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Now that's next level! Maybe one day :)

[@theck672]

Pretty amazing cinote’ dive…clear, so clear … no silt stir up … and a few tight squeezes… 😅

[@AzulUnlimited]

So pretty!

[@Teampegleg]

While I do think that the culture around accident and incidents is changing. There certainly isn't as much tolerance for anxiety or nerves. I once described a section of a cave as being spooky to me, it was a section that was smaller, silty, and dark walls. I got dog piled online, most of them by non-locals. At the time it was at the edge of my gas range, often taking 40-50 minutes to get there already building up a few minutes of deco; it was a place where I knew I had little margin for error and honestly that area concerned me. IMHO those nerves keep you safe, you can't let them stop you totally, but you need to listen to them and address them the best that you can rather than ignoring them. Your new buddy thing is something that always concerns me and I personally have routes where I take new buddies. They are safe routes, well as safe as one can get cave diving, where by the time that we get out of low risk areas I will be sure if I want to continue the dive or not.

[@AzulUnlimited]

The internet can be a really unkind place. I don't understand why people feel the need to tear apart others online, but it's why I stay far away from forums and FB. Sorry you had that experience and I'm glad you're sharing it here.

[@Teampegleg]

@@AzulUnlimited Honestly I don't know if it is because they never struggled, are so far removed from the struggle that they don't remember it, or they are attempting to cover up their own insecurities. But largely those voices are increasingly being drowned out, when people I actually respect say that those nerves are a good thing. But I will say that my overall experience online has been fairly good, I've gained a lot more from interacting on forums and FB than I have seen negatives.

[@AzulUnlimited]

@@Teampegleg That's wonderful! Love it when I hear about good internet interactions. I have also had a *mostly* good experience online, but I haven't hit big numbers of followers, so I think I'm quite protected for now 😅

[@ActiveDutyOutdoors]

Awesome. I am super envious of your lifestyle. I do a ton of diving here in Destin Florida but would love to do more traveling. Just finishing up my AN/DP and will go cave after that. Keep doing you!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks so much! I’ll get over to Florida one of these days…

[@leezynel7203]

Not me… I share the good, the bad and the ugly moments in every dive… the plan is 99.9% of the first and .0.1% of the latter two. What always pops into my head on cave and ship wreck dives is the fear of getting stuck! 😱 1. Agree, having confidence in the lead diver and crew is important. 2. Having an escape plan(s) if everything goes sideways… do the what-if scenarios in your head. 🤔 3. I simply blank out my mind to relax… visualize an empty chalkboard. 🤔 Great tip on breath control! 👍 Super vlog… video plus information! ⭐️ ADIOS Y VAYA CON DIOS! 🙏

[@AzulUnlimited]

Gracias!! Glad to hear you share openly. We all need buddies like that!

[@christianperrin964]

So many thoughts on this video! Firstly, your excitement at the cave wildlife was very cute, hehe. Secondly, I love your honesty and transparency around the subject. I have often in my mind used you as a diving mentor so it's helpful knowing you experience jitters that you must manage too. Thirdly, a few things ive discovered about diving anxiety over my 33 dives so far... ...I need to be relaxed on the surface before I descend. At the start, I didnt want to inconvenience anyone by making them wait for me, so I would hurry down the mooring line regardless of how I felt. But it turns out that my needs matter too, a radical idea I've since even tried out in the non-diving part of my life, lol. ...I thought attempting to use a camera would increase my anxiety underwater (I waited until my 13th dive), but having a familiar and simple task actually helps bring me back into the present when irrational, non-useful anxiety pops up. ...Anxiety can be a kind of annoying friend that helps you. It demands a level of planning, competency and focus that is safer than complacency. The key is to know which fears are rational vs irrational, and to know when you are no longer in the moment, but in an imagined, negative future inside of your head - you dont want to let that happen. Love your work! 😊

[@AzulUnlimited]

That is such a great point about rushing to start a dive! If conditions allow it, I love taking that moment with everyone to take some deep breaths and get centered. The point about the camera is also great. Depending on the diver, it can be a cool tool for people to focus their energy. Thank you so much for your support. It really means a lot to hear about your experience.

[@SidneyBrinsonSSB]

Thank you for this. I havent found much information on mavigaing anxiety when diving and this was super helpful!

[@AzulUnlimited]

I'm so glad you found it helpful!

[@CelindaPeverly]

Sara, I love this! Anxiety can be crippling. Thanks for these great tips for diving.

[@AzulUnlimited]

So glad it was helpful 💙

[@Dboy10810]

Great video! You are very honest and informative! We love you, Sara!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you so much!

[@willsmooth45]

Woooooo. New video ❤❤

[@AzulUnlimited]

oh heeeeeey! Happy Sunday!

[@JamesTurner-xf6fn]

Awesome dive. And thank you for sharing your personal experience with anxiety and diving.

[@AzulUnlimited]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@SummersideDiver]

Anxiety is a complex emotion indeed, and one that we will each need to deal with in our own ways. But a you stated, the more we share our thoughts, emotions, and stories, the more we can learn tools from each other. And that applies to every aspect of diving - successes, emotions, near misses, and outright failures…. Although I hesitate to use that last word. If we can *learn* from the experience, it’s not a failure. Thank you for your vulnerability and your willingness to share!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@freedomwanderer91]

Great video. I feel that every diver should have a little anxiety before a dive. I think it keeps us level headed and precautious and not so "Gung Ho" to be some kind of super diver. Those are the divers that are dangerous.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Agreed. A little healthy worry can keep us honest about our skills and expectations.

[@user-rz1ij2ek4e]

Awesome!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you🙏

[@Scubamaddin]

Very good video!! Love it!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you very much!

[@kevindavison6019]

I would add to analyze where the anxiety is coming from. Is it psychological or physiological? Sometimes I get anxious about navigation or current in low viz, and being able to return to the entry or back to the boat. That is psychological in such a case I just develop an alternate plan if I need to surface away rom the exit. Sometimes if I'm working hard and getting out of breath I start to feel anxious and claustrophobic. I realize that is physiological and a symptom of hypercapnia, and I just need to take a break to flush out all the co2 for a couple of minutes and it goes away. The more you learn about your environment your equipment and yourself the easier it is to think rationally through any anxiety producing situation.

[@AzulUnlimited]

That's a great observation! Thanks so much for sharing.

[@ahhhh5583]

Great video. Lovely footage too. I used to dive but now dont know how I did it. Stopped diving because I ultiamtely starting feeling panciky every time I went in. Decided I'm best on land! What drives you to dive?

[@AzulUnlimited]

Oh I love the animals. The ocean has my heart. Caves have been a fun and interesting challenge for me.

[@GreenDolphinProject]

These tools extend beyond diving as well.

[@AzulUnlimited]

I completely agree!

[@user-wi1zb8vy3l]

It's all truth.

[@willsmooth45]

Ugh I’m doing my rebreather mod1 training on the 7th otherwise I’d be there diving with you

[@AzulUnlimited]

ah bummer! I'll be in the area for about a week.

[@davidb5195]

I love turtles

[@AzulUnlimited]

Me too! I love all sea critters!

[@prestonhogg6086]

What you are using for regulators.

[@AzulUnlimited]

I have the Nex Underwater Products Monterey regulators