A panic attack can be terrifying if you've ever scuba dived. Panic attacks are dangerous. You may find yourself holding your breath, hyperventilating, or wasting your air supply. This will cause you to lose your sight and lead you to make bad decisions. Worse, your life could be endangered if you are submerged in water for ten to fifty feet.
Scuba diving panic attack treatment
The first step in treating panic attacks while scuba diving involves understanding the causes. Panic attacks can cause injury if a diver is unable think clearly or control their actions. Their only focus is to get to the surface. Their actions are unpredictable and potentially dangerous. Panic, a physiological response to severe stresses, can impair a person's ability to control their actions or pay attention to the surroundings. This can lead to dangerous behavior, and can even result in death.
There are many things you can do to prevent panic attacks from escalating. Divers should be alert to their surroundings and learn how to communicate with each other.
Scuba diving panic attacks signs
To determine if your buddy is relaxed while scuba diving, you should keep an eye on them. Early panic may indicate that your buddy is looking blankly and unable to make eyecontact. If your diver is having panic attacks, you should ask him/her for help.
The diver who panics must be calmed and reassured. Avoid running over to the side of a dive. This could further escalate the situation and potentially endanger the diver. You should also avoid latching onto the diver to trigger an attack. The diver could lose control of their air supply and become 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.
Many reasons can lead to panic attacks while scubadiving. If a diver is sensitive to caffeine or alcohol, panic attacks can occur. 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
You can distract yourself from panic attacks by using observations. Panic attacks are characterized by rapid breathing and higher levels of carbon dioxide. Your brain responds quickly to an increase of carbon dioxide by emitting stress hormones. This signaling your heart, lungs and heart to work harder. But this action can deplete your tank of oxygen. Therefore, if you feel that a panic attack is coming on, you must do something to reduce the effects of the attack.
Once you are aware that panic attacks may be approaching, it is worth focusing on familiar sensations, such water on the skin or the dive watches. Swim shallower and ascend at a safe, slow pace if possible. This will allow you to push through panic and continue your dive.