If you have ever experienced a panic attack while scuba diving, you know how terrifying it can be. Panic attacks can be fatal. This can lead to you hyperventilating and holding your breath. This will cause you to lose your sight and lead you to make bad decisions. Even worse, you could die ten to fifty meters under the sea, breathing compressed air that changes the chemistry of your blood.
P panic attack treatment for scuba diving
Understanding panic attacks while scuba diving is important. Panic attacks can cause injury if a diver is unable think clearly or control their actions. They have a singular focus on the surface and are dangerously unpredictable. Panic is a physiological response that occurs when there is severe stress. This can cause panic attacks and make it difficult to control one's behavior and pay attention to the surrounding environment. This can lead to dangerous behavior, and can even result in death.
There are several ways to stop panic attacks before they escalate. Divers must be aware of their surroundings and be able to communicate with one another.
Panic attacks in scuba diving
You can check if your buddy is calm and relaxed when you're scuba diving. Your buddy may appear to be staring blankly or unable make eye contact. This could indicate early panic. If your diver is having panic attacks, you should ask him/her for help.
It is important to calm down panicked divers and give them reassurance. Avoid him or her running off to the side of your dive. This may further agitate the situation, and could endanger you. It is also important to not grab on to the diver, as this could trigger an attack. This could result in the diver losing control over their air supply and becoming immobile. You should not attempt to calm the diver. Instead, you should keep your distance and get the diver out of the water as quickly as possible.
Panic attacks can occur while scubadiving for many reasons. For example, a diver may be prone to panic attacks if they are sensitive to caffeine or alcohol. Also, drinking caffeine or alcohol can increase the chance of suffering panic attacks so it is important that you limit your intake before diving.
You can use these observations to distract from panic attacks while scuba diving
Observations are a powerful way to distract yourself from focusing on the panic attack. Rapid breathing and an increase of carbon dioxide in the body are two signs that panic attacks cause. Your brain responds to the increase in carbon dioxide by sending out stress hormones and signaling your heart and lungs to work harder. However, this action can reduce your supply of oxygen. You must take immediate action if panic attacks are threatening.
After you have recognized that panic attacks are coming, you can start to focus on familiar physical sensations such water on the skin, or the dive-watch. Swim shallower and ascend at a safe, slow pace if possible. This can help you push through the panic and continue the dive.