<p>Just wondering if anyone is as neurotic as I am. This is an offshoot of the zip lining post yesterday. What would you love to do if you could?</p>
<p>I would love to learn how to scuba dive. My H and family members love the water and we are going on a vacation to a dive location. I would dearly love to get over my fears and learn how to dive. I would say that while I am not afraid of the water, I am not very comfortable in it either. My family members think that it would not be a good idea for me to even take lessons, first I should learn how to snorkel, which I have never had the opportunity to do either.</p>
<p>Also, I would love to know if you have conquered your fear, how did you do it?</p>
I think the key here is that you would like to do something that your fears are keeping you from doing. I am claustrophobic and would never want to scuba dive, as the very idea feels rather suffocating to me. But YOU want to try, so why not start with something simpler like snorkeling? (Which I have done, btw, and which is fun if the water isn’t choppy.) </p>
<p>I am also afraid of heights, but have jumped out of a plane twice in my twenties and went zip-lining with the kids a couple of years ago. They got a charge out of their tree-hugging mother. I wouldn’t say I overcame any fears, since I’m still afraid of heights.</p>
<p>I’ll talk about your fear first since that’s less scary! Go snorkeling–so much fun and wear a buoyancy vest to take all the fear out. You don’t even have to swim well. Get some good fins and especially a good mask. Good equipment makes a HUGE difference even for the enjoyment of snorkeling. Practice clearing the snorkel and your mask until it’s second nature (even if it’s in your bathtub).
I can’t scuba (too much sinus trouble) and while my family dives I happily paddle above. Seeing the sea life in a good location will banish your fear pretty fast as the wonder takes over.
If you do want to dive, take the lessons, start by reading the books so you’re familiar with the equipment before you actually do it. Learn the safety rules. Take lessons from a dive shop rather than some place at a hotel in a foreign country. </p>
<p>I guess I’ve already outlined how I conquer my fears…by reading, watching others do it, learning the safety rules of a sport. As long as harm to life and limb isn’t a big part of the picture I can generally work through it.</p>
<p>Good points on the open water–that’s why you need to be really comfortable clearing your snorkel (and wear a buoyancy vest). Salt water is a constant surprise if you’re not ready. But practice will make it second nature to clear your snorkel while you’re enjoying the new environment. And my favorite mask came from a dive shop–not Costco. I tried lots on before finding one I loved.</p>
<p>Scuba diving? Try something safer first … like sky diving.</p>
<p>OK, OK … so that suggestion wasn’t helpful. But what I’m getting at is that you don’t have to look into the mouth of the whale with your first effort. Experiment with things that aren’t as scary. Take a few shooting lessons. Ride around a racetrack with a professional driver. Go up in a hot air balloon or a biplane. Take a cave tour.</p>
<p>NewHope33, haha so funny! Not really scared of those other things. Wouldn’t have any problems shooting, or on a racetrack. Love roller coasters. Anything on land. It’s the water that is holding me back. I am very nearsighted and I think that swimming or anything like that is scary because of either not seeing or water in my contacts is very frightening.</p>
<p>I will go to the dive shop and get a good mask. No salt water here in Michigan, but plenty of lakes I can practice on. Thanks for that advice.</p>
<p>-10.5 and -11.0 contact lense prescription here. Goggles can be made with your prescription. Expensive, but possible. I have not done that, personally. I have worn contacts while snorkeling (not scuba) for years without problems. Always swim, snorkel and scuba with a partner.</p>
<p>I’m an awful swimmer due to a low fat %…I don’t float! Not to mention my fear of deep water. But, when I went on a cruise several years ago, I realized I was going to places where diving/snorkeling were amongst the best in the world. So, my BF and I signed up for snorkeling in Honduras and scuba diving in Mexico. I backed out of the snorkeling due to super choppy water (wasn’t comfortable with my swimming skills), but absolutely LOVED scuba diving. Having a respirator and air tanks made my fear of drowning go away, although it did take some getting used to. My only complaint about scuba diving was how sick I felt that night because I’m not used to being underwater that much. </p>
<p>Be vocal with your instructor about your fears, and they’ll work with you a lot more. My dive guide worked with me/my BF and another couple who was terrified specifically, gave us more time to get used to it, and went a little more slowly than some of the other guides.</p>
<p>Nope, never tried to conquer any fear because I figured it was my protective magnesium. I would be happy to sit on a boat or at the hotel while people went diving. I would also be perfectly happy sitting by a fireplace sipping hot chocolate or wine while people went skiing.</p>
<p>Recently on a family vacation, everyone was very active playing tennis or sailing, I had the tough job of making sure nothing happened to the pool. My family was very happy to know I was always there directing traffic. I was given an award by the resort for “The most relaxed and non-participant guest.”</p>
<p>From a psychological standpoint based on what I’ve learned, systematic desensitization works the best long-term. Think about a “hierarchy of anxiety”…ie things that make you the least nervous to things you would never do. For example, since you said the water is what makes you most anxious, taking a shower would be at the bottom, then swimming in a wading pool, then a regular pool, then in the ocean, etc. etc. (note that I’m not a professional or in any way licensed.)</p>
<p>Take it in small steps and don’t expect the change to come overnight. There are also a lot of therapists who deal explicitly with behavioral therapy/helping people overcome fears, which might be helpful if you choose to go that route.</p>
<p>“Scuba diving? Try something safer first … like sky diving.”</p>
<p>I have to warn you… I’m not a fan of heights, so Mr B tossed me out of a plane with a dude and a parachute attached to my back. The result? I’m still afraid of heights, but I will gladly go tandem skydiving again! ;)</p>
The last time I was snorkeling we were off the Bahamas just as Hurricane Katrina was working her way inward from the ocean. It was very choppy and I kept getting a mask full of water. The cruise ship left early to run ahead of the storm…</p>
<p>SCUBA is like flying, because you can move in three dimensions. It’s a wonderful experience, not at all claustrophobic! It’s also MUCH easier than snorkeling, because you don’t have to deal with waves at the surface.</p>
<p>If you really want to try SCUBA, I think you should at least take a lesson. I would NOT make it a group lesson, though. Spend the money and go for a private lesson, WITHOUT anyone else there (including–especially–your spouse). Ask for the instructors who’s used to dealing with nervous people. </p>
<p>My first SCUBA experience was a private lesson. It took me almost fifteen minutes to make the transition from breathing through the regulator above water (just standing in the pool with all the equipment on) to sitting on the bottom of the pool in three feet of water breathing through the regulator. It would NEVER have happened if I’d been in a group class, because in a group class, almost everyone would have done it in the first minute and the instructor would have told me to watch. </p>
<p>After that first shock of discovering I could actually breathe underwater, the instructor and I worked, one at a time, through each of my fears (starting with things like taking off the mask, putting it back on, and clearing it). It took two hours before he was confident enough to take me out into the shallow calm bay, where I immediately fell in love with SCUBA diving. </p>
<p>Since then, DH and I (and DS and I) have gone on dive trips to some of the most interesting diving in the world–Hawaii, the Fiji Islands, Australia, Palau… I read an article yesterday about the Solomons and now I want to go there. Just need to figure out how to pay for it, persuade my son to go with me (he’s an amazing dive buddy), and persuade DH to take care of the dogs for two weeks.</p>
<p>Thanks SO MUCH! I am feeling so encouraged to try this. I no longer want to be the person on the sidelines watching everyone else. I want to conquer this fear!</p>
<p>Thanks so the stories, dmd77, that is exactly what I want!</p>
<p>dmd77 is right. For many, scuba is easier than snorkeling, as you don’t have to worry about water getting in the snorkel. Our entire family are certified diviers - kids were certified at ages 11 (d1) & 10 (s1) in the lovely island of Bonaire, where most dives are made from shore or the resort dock. The reef starts 20-30’ from shore in 10-15’ of water. </p>
<p>Some people, however, are not comfortable in open and/or deep water. You don’t mention that - it’s a bit opposite of claustrophia. (I don’t like night dives too much for this reason - it’s just too dark!)</p>
<p>One skill taught in diving is running out of air at 30’ and making a controlled ascent. Most people don’t remember Boyle’s law from HS physics - under pressure, air volume decreases, so as you ascend in the water, you must exhale slightly to release the air pressure in your lungs, so you blow out your lungs. </p>
<p>You do say you’re not a strong swimmer. Most dive classes will first test your ability to swim 200’ without stopping and treading water for 5-10 minutes. If you can’t do that, you shouldn’t continue.</p>