i have a ? about suba diving

[dubes]

some people have said that if you are closterfobic you will not like it i am closterfobic a littel bit it is only like when i am geting an MRI like that kind of close space so if any buddy can help me i wood be thankful i love being in the water. :(

 

 

 

 

 

thanx

[budaman]

I think that would be something each individual would have to experience themselves. That being said, my wife won't go in caves or other close spaces, but loves to dive. She will go through swimthroughs if she can see light from the other side, but won't if she can't. She has been diving since the early 80's and has not been able to get past that. I would suggest a Discover Scuba course to see if you can overcome your concerns.

 

Mike

 

http://www.homepage.mac.com/csealove/

[dubes]

thanx

[Bassethound]

And a dictionary.

[budaman]

Was that totally neccessary:confused:

 

Mike

 

http://www.homepage.mac.com/csealove/

[dubes]

well ok than but if any buddy can still answer the ? :(

[drew sailbum]

some people have said that if you are closterfobic you will not like it i am closterfobic a littel bit it is only like when i am geting an MRI like that kind of close space so if any buddy can help me i wood be thankful i love being in the water. :(

 

thanx

 

According to the RSTC (Recreational Scuba Training Council), a dive industry group which has developed the standardized medical questionnaire used by many member organizations:

 

 

Claustrophobia and agoraphobia are to be considered Severe Risk Conditions.

For the purposes of this document,Severe Risk implies that an individual is believed to be at substantially elevated risk of decompression sickness, pulmonary or otic barotrauma or altered consciousness with subsequent drowning, compared with the general population. The consultants involved in drafting this document would generally discourage a student with such medical problems from diving.

 

Further, on behavioral health issues in general:

 

Behavioral: The diver’s mental capacity and emotional make-up are important to safe diving. The student diver must have sufficient learning abilities to grasp information presented to him by his instructors, be able to safely plan and execute his own dives and react to changes around him in the underwater environment. The student’s motivation to learn and his ability to deal with potentially dangerous situations are also crucial to safe scuba diving.

[drew sailbum]

Is that a complete enough answer?

[dubes]

yes thanx's alot :)

[JackieMd]

I can say I have been diving for a little over 6 years now, I know my limits. I do not do Cold drives well, it makes me feel like I can't breathe and I have near panic attacks. So I know Quarries, and the cold Fenwick Shoals near Ocean City Maryland are for me.

 

Diving in the carribean is wonderful, it is like being in a heated (if you go the right time of the year, and right places) swimming pool. Much different. So only you will be able to throughly answer your questions. Know your limits, and an entry scuba class should help you learn what they are... You will also have a Dive Instructor there to assist you.

 

Thanks,

Jackie

[Hilary]

The most important thing to remember about diving is that you are in an environment where there is NO air. Diving can be a very dangerous sport and if you panic underwater, you can easily die. Those people who have problems that may cause them to panic (and claustrophobia is definitely one of those!) may be much better off sticking to snorkeling and snuba, where you are on or close to the surface and your risk of drowning, having an embolism, or getting DCI (the bends) is nil.

 

There is nothing wrong with knowing your limits and sticking to the upper 10' of the ocean. There's a lot of cool stuff to see and you won't have to worry about the unpredictable moment when your claustrophobia might kick in.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[joediver]

I've met lots of divers who are very claustrophobic and have not had any problems. My wife and a number of other people I know who are also claustrophobic have tried diving and absolutely can't handle it. Basically it depends on the individual. Best advice given above.....take a Discover Dive with a good patient instructor (small group or individual lesson preferably) and see how you feel. You know your body better than anyone on this board and only you can make the decision for yourself. Just don't make the decision based on other people's opinions and miss out on what could be your life's passion.

 

My 2 cents worth....:)

[pcsanity]

I tend to get very stressed out in enclosed CT / MRI machines. (I am a pretty big guy.) That being said, I have been diving since 1984 and feel more relaxed in the water then almost anywhere else. Even night dives relax me. I guess because I never really feel "closed in." I am wreck certified, but not cave certified. Really have no desire to do cave diving. Caverns are as far as I will go.

[drew sailbum]

better off sticking to snorkeling and snuba, where you are on or close to the surface and your risk of drowning, having an embolism, or getting DCI (the bends) is nil.

 

(My emphasis)...

It is a popular misconception that snuba does not present the same inherent risks as scuba diving. Both have the participant breathing pressurized gas. Indeed, the risk of air embolism is greatest during the portion of ascent in the shallowest depths, whether on scuba or snuba. People can, and have, embolized in less than 5 feet of water. :eek:

 

 

Any person with a history of claustrophobia MUST obtain a medical clearance to dive from a physician before enrolling in a dive course. While I cannot say that no one with claustrophobia should dive, a careful assessment of what triggers such episodes should be carried out by a physician knowledgable in dive medicine. Finally, it the ultimately up to the instructor as to whether or not to accept any given student. Just because you obtained medical clearance does not mean that any instructor must take you diving.