"Panic, anxiety and stress are not well covered in training manuals by some national certifying bodies" Dr William Morgan, PhD (Scuba diving psychology expert) "Scuba Diving courses tell you how to manage other people's panic, but not your own panic." Dr Sarah Carney (Advanced Scuba Diver)

"Panic, or ineffective behavior in the emergency situation when fear is present, is the single biggest killer of sport divers."

(Alfred Bove-psychologist)

The #1 biggest mistake that divers make is underestimating the psychological challenges of diving

In an adventure sport like scuba diving, a wrong decision can have deadly consequences. If you take part in an adventure sport such as scuba, or, are considering it, you need to be fully informed in order to become a balanced and responsible diver.

Here are my top 5 tips for successful diving:

1. Never stop learning
2. Be prepared physically
3. Be prepared psychologically
4. Reduce Diving Stress
5. Know your limits

Firstly, it is vital that, no matter how experienced a diver you are, you never stop learning. Even, if you are a diving instructor with years of experience in many different kinds of diving environments you should never stop being a student.

-Complacency breeds carelessness-

Secondly, physical training is vital to ensure you are able to withstand all the extra stresses and challenges that scuba diving brings. These include:

-increased ambient pressures associated with being at depth underwater -a raised partial pressure of oxygen and a different air supply (individuals may well tolerate these gases in very different ways) -increased resistance to movement (drag of diving with bulky diving apparatus which is not streamlined!) -cold stress (predisposing to heat loss and a lower body temperature -dealing with and intereacting with sea creatures -a higher breathing resistance (the combined strain of this, and the above stressors, means a greater tendency to breathe less efficiently and feel a sense of dyspnea or breathing distress) -decompression effects (there are about 600-900 recorded incidents of decompression illness each year in the US)

Thirdly, there are many psychological challenges involved in diving. One little understood challenge is the psychodynamic effect of scuba diving. Submerging yourself in an underwater world can invoke deep-seated fears. Psychologists liken the experience to going deep into unchartered recesses of your subconscious mind where fears, long-hidden, are lurking. These fears may emerge without any warning, under the physical and emotional strains of scuba diving.

Fourthly, it is vital that you learn to reduce all the controllable sources of stress.

These stresses may be particular to diving, for example, communication problems with your buddy, or general stresses e.g. lifestyle choices such as fatigue and poor physical fitness.

Lastly, it is vital to know your own limits.

It is all very well to say that is 'character-building' or 'courageous' to go beyond your comfort-zone, however, in the underwater world, the repercussions of being psychologically uncomfortable may be unforgiving. When the stakes are so high, you must be sure of your motivations for exposing yourself to extra stress.

Always err on the side of caution, learn how to manage your inner (psychological) world as well as the outer physical world and always dive within your limits.

The skills learned in training, such as the careful use of equipment and the techniques of coping with accidents, appear to be lost in a panic situation. Therefore, it is important to understand stress and the way people learn to handle stress. (Bachrach & Egstrom 1987)

Diving is a sport which can test you psychologically at any time!

Are you 100% prepared????

Diving is a risky activity. This does not necessarily mean it is unsafe. However, it means that a risk-management approach to diving is needed and divers must be well-informed and adequately prepared for the challenges of the underwater environment.

Safe divers manage the risk of hazards and injuries by being optimally prepared, vigilant, and highly trained. For these divers, Scuba is a safe activity.

The best way to avoid diving injuries is to ensure optimal preparation for diving. Optimal preparation for diving means knowing how to manage challenging situations and incidents whilst diving. It also means being able to train yourself to better handle psychological states, such as anxiety, stress and panic.

The only priority you must have when scuba diving is...........safety

No matter how experienced a diver you are, there will always be at least one technique, skill you could master more competently, or a diving environment you need more experience in.One of the biggest secrets of diving is that YOU are your own responsibility! If you choose to go scuba diving you must take responsibility for your own safety.

It is up to you to become better informed of the risks, the diving situations and stressors you may face. It is also up to you to endeavour to learn how to manage your own state if you want to have safer and more fun diving experiences.

"The Scuba Diving Panic Management Guide" takes a risk-management approach to help you develop useful skills, attitudes and knowledge that you may apply if you choose to take part in an adventure activity such as scuba diving. It is a timely adjunct to the diving training courses already available. It aims to help bridge the gap to help set up a more complete risk-management approach to scuba diving.

Dr Sarah Carney MBBS BSc

What is the worst thing that could happen to you when you dive?

Ok, so if you've been following me up to now you'll know the answer to this question. The worst thing that could happen to you when you dive is............that you panic

Ok, but do you know what's the second-worst thing that could happen to you?

The second worst thing that could happen to you when you dive is...................that your buddy panics

Why is diving like driving?

It doesn't matter how well trained you are. If your buddy panics they may inadvertently kill you in their attempts to save themselves. Just like with driving where it may be the 'other car' that causes you damage, it may be the 'other diver' that causes you harm.

You always have to worry about the other diver as well as yourself!

Are you beginning to understand just why diving is such a psychologically challenging activity?

Is your buddy-safe or unsafe? What are the characteristics of a safe dive buddy?

-Works with you rather than against you
-Communicates well with you
-Is well-trained
-Stays on an even keel emotionally
-Is self-supportive and self-sufficient
-Can think rationally
-Can manage intense emotions
-Can support YOU in the event of difficulty
-Will come to your assistance in your hour (or minute) of need

Surely this super-buddy doesn't exist?

Actually you already have your own personal super-buddy!

Who is it?

Your mind!

Your mind can become your own best friend -a true diving super-buddy.

So, if you want to know how to get the best dive buddy you could ever wish for, the answer is...........work with your mind!

If you can learn to understand your mind better you can help it become the best dive buddy you could ever wish for.

In order to understand how to turn your mind into your super-buddy (if it isn't already!) You must understand what makes a super-buddy
become a deadly-buddy.

Characteristics of a deadly-buddy

-Is not there to support you when you need help
-Can not manage anxiety, stress and panic well
-Over-reacts emotionally
-Can not be trusted to help you in a distressing diving situation
-Communicates negatively to you
-Does not support you if YOU panic

Is this the state of your relationship with your mind?

Is your mind a super-dive buddy or a deadly-dive buddy?

Here are 6 essential questions you must ask yourself before going diving again:

1) Should I ignore the risks of diving?

If the answer to this question is 'yes' then you can stop reading this letter now. If you don't have any interest in safeguarding your life while you dive then scuba diving panic management is not something you need. You will believe in taking your chances in life and pretending the responsibility for all the events in your life lies outside of your control.

If, however, like most safe divers, you believe that you are indeed responsible for your life, (in psychological terms this is called having an 'internal locus of control'), you will be someone who feels they have some control over what happens to them and take the initiative to make the most of their diving experiences. In this case, the Scuba Panic Management Guide can help you prepare psychologically for diving.

2) Do I really know my own psychological limits?

3) Do I know which situations would trigger panic in me?

4) Have I ever really considered whether I am at risk of panic?

5) Do I really know what would tip me off balance enough to push me over the 'psychological edge'?

Again, if the answer to these questions are 'yes' then you can stop reading now as you are obviously confident (or over-confident?) of your ability to manage diving.

For the rest of us, who would answer 'no', then we need to continue training ourselves to better understand our minds, and build psychological stamina for diving.

"There is no way to completely prevent the occurrence of extreme situations in diving. The question is how the diver will react when they do occur." Nevo & Breitstein, 1999

6) How likely am I to panic while diving?

Psychologists believe that it is possible to test your own ability to panic while diving. In the Scuba Diving Panic Management guide I show you how.

There is a double-edged sword in diving....anxiety.

Anxiety can help or hinder you during diving (hence the reason for it being a 'double-edged sword). Anxiety is a normal response to a threat or danger. It becomes unhelpful if it is experienced at a level which is intense or frequent enough to interfere with an activity or cause distress to that person.

-When is anxiety helpful, then?
-How do I know if I have the right amount of anxiety?
-What if I have too much anxiety?
-When does anxiety become panic?
-How do I recognise the signs of panic?
-How do I assess my tendency to panic while diving?
-What techniques can I practise to help make my mind a super-dive buddy?
-How do I manage diving anxiety and panic?

To find out the answers to these questions, and learn much more about diving panic and anxiety, order your copy of The Scuba Diving Panic Management Guide.

A unique panic management program targeted to the particular stresses of scuba diving Learn to manage one of the biggest obstacles you will ever face as a diver (your own panic) An 100 page E-book exposing the common misunderstandings of scuba diving panic Discover insider knowledge that will help make scuba diving more fun and safer for you Proven psychological techniques for managing panic in any emergency situation Build psychological stamina for scuba diving Powerful tools for self-assessment, worksheet templates and quick-reference summaries for self-study Measure your own tendency to panic -are you a high or a low-risk scuba diver? No diving experience needed Master useful skills, attitudes and behaviours that you can apply while scuba diving, whether novice or experienced Practical strategies designed to be integrated into your daily life as a diver Advance your diving skills beyond the norm! A comprehensive guide which takes a risk-management approach to scuba-diving Safeguard your life underwater. Forewarned is forearmed! Receive unique information not comprehensively covered in other scuba diving training and courses Discover specialist knowledge that few divers are aware of Written by SCUBA instructor, Reiss Mackie and medical advisor Dr Sarah Carney MBBS Expert advice backed up by experience Digital product, no postage costs and immediate download Learn how to stop panic from overwhelming you and expand your ability to manage psychological discomfort  ------------------------------------------------------ Maximize your diving pleasure!

Just to recap.....

-Most divers are simply not aware of the dangers of losing psychological control underwater. 

-Panic can make you act completely irrationally and dangerously.

-Research has shown that, most divers will experience a panic episode or a near-panic episode at one time or another.

-Divers need psychological training, not just physical scuba instruction.

-Courses teach you how to manage other people's panic but not your own.

-There are many myths and misunderstandings about diving panic.

-In the new Scuba Diving Panic Management guide we seek to expose these myths and replace them with the facts.

-Where diving is concerned, ignorance most certainly does not mean bliss. It means RISK.

-Scuba diving carries inherent risks, but these risks can be minimized through safe diving practices & training.

-There is so much focus on the external aspects of scuba training, such as gear malfunction or safety procedures. These are very important, however, not enough attention is given to helping you manage your own personal reaction to a diving situation.

-The Scuba Diving Panic Management guide is an adjunct to the diving training courses already available.

-It aims to help bridge the gap to help set up a more complete risk-management approach to scuba diving.

-The guide incorporates a unique diving panic program, and invaluable strategies to help each diver, manage their personal diving stress, anxiety and panic more comprehensively.

-The biggest blind-spot divers have is thinking that they have 'done-enough training' or that panic is not something that they will experience.

-The statistics prove that this is simply not the case!

-Panicking is a real-risk for all divers whether novice or experienced.

-Techniques that help divers deal with stress and panic are vital for safe diving. 

In this valuable guide I lead you through a step-by-step guide to underwater panic so you too can learn what you can do to prevent and manage it.

The Scuba Diving Panic Management Guide is packed with useful techniques and knowledge about the psychology of scuba diving. You will receive:

• A cutting-edge E-book presenting the facts behind panic and diving
• A step-by-step guide describing the powerful techniques you can use to prevent and manage panic
• An audio recording of part of the panic-free diving program so that you can listen and practice regularly
• Handy quick reference summaries so that you can see at-a-glance the most important points to remember

• Get wise about diving stress and panic
• De-bunk the myths of diver panic
• Assess your personal stress levels and tendency to panic
• Master your mind to make it the best dive buddy you could ever hope for
• Maximize your SCUBA safety
• Respond effectively to panic
• Avoid the most common misunderstandings that puts divers at risk
• Utilise the 5 critical factors that will reduce diver panic
  
  ***IMPORTANT NOTE***

Warning: Do NOT follow any Scuba Diving Panic Management Program unless it meets 3 important criteria

Here are 3 elements you simply must have in order to reduce diving stress and panic:

1: Stress and panic management techniques that are targeted to the particular stresses of underwater situations

2: Strategies that really help both novice and experienced divers manage the anxiety that arises before or during a dive

3: A program that addresses each of the 5 factors that are absolutely crucial to successful diving stress management