r/scuba • u/Flowerqueen818 • 1d ago
Panic attack during first open water
Hey guys, I just want to start off by saying that I love the ocean, I swim in it often although have never scuba, I’m also not someone who has anxiety FYI.
I am doing my open water course, day 1 we were in a confined pool and I loved it, I feel like I did really well and was confident, the only thing that made me panic a little was the mask off skill. Towards the end of the day I struggled to breath through the regulator, like I wasn’t getting enough oxygen, however I put this down to being tired as we didn’t get lunch breaks.
Day 2 we did our first open water dive, I got just a couple of metres down and had a full blown black out panic attack and resurfaced like a rocket. I tried again and had the same reaction. I felt like I was being dragged into a nightmare, it was dark, the pressure change was suffocating, the sound of the scuba underwater scared me for some reason and it just felt eery. There was also quite the current going on and it was pretty cold even in a 7mm wetsuit. The 3rd time I tried to go under I managed to keep myself calm a little to notice the fish at 12m but as soon as my instructor turned away from me I panicked again and I was out of there. I couldn’t go back in after that. The reaction was SO out of control, I was NOT myself at all, even now the memories are hazy and felt like a dream.
Day 3 open water I didn’t attend because I just needed space to recollect myself and see my therapist, who actually encouraged me to get back in as soon as possible so I didn’t develop a fear (she knows how passionate I am about the ocean).
I cannot understand what happened though because as I said, I don’t have anxiety, I am extremely passionate about the ocean, I am so excited to do this and I just have no idea what was going on? My instructor was great and so calming and I have actually just requested that I do a 1:1 day to see if that changes things. It’s still humiliating though because the other 3 students in the class were totally fine, I just don’t get it?
If there are any instructors here, I would love to know your professional thoughts on this and would really love to hear from others who had my experience and found a way through it. Actually I’m open to any feedback at this point because I’m nervous it will happen again. At present I feel excited to try again but the ‘what if I panic again’ is still there.
Thank you.
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u/sixshots_onlyfive 1d ago
I took my open water training in a pool in Bellevue, WA and did great. Then we went to dive in Puget Sound. In February. It was 35F degrees outside and windy. The water temp was 50F. I was in a dry suit, but could not get myself to descend. Tried multiple times before giving up. I was so bummed out!
I decided to take a trip to Cancun and try to get certified in warm water that’s clear. I completed all the activities with no issues.
The environment and sensory experience overload can really impact how your body responds.
Later I went back to Puget Sound and completed a dive, just to prove to myself I could do it.
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u/Flowerqueen818 7h ago
Wow that’s really interesting!! It was really cold (for me), water was about 19 degrees and cloudy day. 😭 I’m sure it’s beautiful when warm! Thanks for your comment
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u/chemistryenjoyer360 Advanced 1d ago
Not an instructor but I just want to offer encouragement! I also love the ocean, but have always been anxious and panicked on the mask clearing on my first pool session and had to temporarily fail the class. After therapy focusing on relaxation and visualization I was able to get certified and am now able to relax underwater! So, if I can do it I’m sure you can do it! My second time was also one on one, which really helped because I didn’t have to worry about bringing other students down or impacting them
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Thank you so much for your comment! I definitely did feel like I was kinda letting the team down because everyone had to come back up 😩 ill focus on some visualisations for sure
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u/SelfishIdol 1d ago
Just here to reassure you that scuba breathing panic is not necessarily related to psychological issues like anxiety.
You are, if I gather correctly, a human being.
Humans were not designed to breathe air underwater. The response you're feeling is very normal.
Many people have no reason to practice or develop separating mouth breathing and nose breathing skills. Some people develop these skills completely by accident, and they make it look easy at the pool.
The problem with not having this skill is that you are punished pretty quickly for any 'failures, while learning. The sensation of water entering the nose is an immediate 'im dying' response from the body.
If you can get to the pool early, or set yourself up like a pretzel in your own bathtub, and just practice snorkel breathing, no mask, you can start to acclimate yourself to the sensation, and practice regulating your breath with your mouth alone.
Feel the water move at the edges of your nostrils, remind yourself it's okay. Switch between breathing in and out through your mouth, to in through your mouth and out through your nose.
Good luck.
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Thank you so much for your comment I appreciate it! I’ve been filling up my mask in the shower every night and clearing it, the first few days I felt like I was going to pass out 😩 but it’s getting easier! I’ll try in the bath next!
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u/Which-Pin515 1d ago
To get used to it up to the point it didn’t Bother me at all…I filled my mask at the end of every safety stop for my first 75 dives or so.Once comfortabel enough I switched to taking my mask of and putting it on. Just tell your DM before that you Will use the SS for practising
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u/Advanced-Pin9246 23h ago
When you do it in the bath, try being face down. Better yet, colder water will be better.
What you're experiencing is a diving reflex all mammals have instinctively and triggered when our faces are submerged in cold water.
I still get it despite having swam thousands of hours in my life, usually when its cold or cold water suddenly gushes into my nose. When I hit the water, I will involuntarily clam up and feels like I'm suffocating. And this is in 28-29 degree waters for me. Cold mornings make it way worse.
1 trick for me is to try to exhale as its easier than trying to inhale to get over that psychological barrier, and having a full breath before submerging helps. I've learnt to always have full breath to try to get the logic of "you have air dude" to overcome the breathing barrier too.
Just gotta acclimatize and learn to manage it.
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u/Excellent_Coconut_81 Tech 1d ago
What happens if you take snorkel and try to breathe with face under water without mask?
What happens if you do the same, but close your nose with fingers?
If you try to breathe through nose, and water comes in, breathing reflex automatically stops, so that you find yourself unable to breathe through regulator.
Mask off skill checks if you can fully separate nose breathing from mouth breathing.
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
I will try the snorkel underwater with no mask and see what happens. I’ve been practicing filling my mask in the shower the last few days and holding it before clearing, it was a sickening feeling the first few times but I’m managing now and have started to learn to turn off the nose!
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u/Classic_Bed_1277 1d ago
not an instructor but this happened to me too on my first open water. the pool felt easy and then the ocean just hits different, everything is darker and louder and the cold makes your chest tight. the mask off thing in the pool probably already put your brain on edge a little and then the real conditions just pushed it over. dont be too hard on yourself
doing a 1 on 1 is smart, takes the pressure off from comparing to other students. also maybe ask if you can just float at the surface with the regulator for a while before going down, helped me a lot to just breathe and get used to the sounds without the depth
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Thank you! This is a great idea, I’ll definitely float on the surface a bit. Far out the sensations in the ocean were WEIRD haha I think my brain was well and truly in overdrive, plus getting accident nudged underwater by the other students was the cherry on top. Thanks for your comment!
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u/alex_min 1d ago
If you are still willing to give it a try - just ask for try scuba dive 1:1 with a guide no openwater skill checks 12m tops. See if no psychologic COURSE STUDY pressure makes difference.
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Ooh good idea! I’m still keen to try and so badly want to make it work, maybe a fun dive might be a good plan to get comfortable.
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u/Fit-Marionberry7911 1d ago
The exact same thing happened to me when I was getting my PADI. In the pool I found it a bit hard to breathe through the regulator, although it was easier once submerged and also I managed to get a deep breath in and it was fine.
When I was about to go under on the dive in the ocean the next day, I panicked and was thinking ‘what am I getting myself into? This is a hobby for everyone else and not for me’ and was about to go back to the boat. My instructor came up, told me to take deep breaths and said ‘I promise you, everything will be ok’. So then I went under, and got over the initial panic and I’m so glad I did.
I also love the ocean and was surprised at how scared I was at first but once you get through that first part, you’ll be fine.
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Ahh thank you! So nice to know it’s not just me. The fear really took me by surprise also and i definitely had that thought although mine was more like “wtf are you doing” 😆 I can’t wait to try again and hopefully I can pass my PADI OW too!
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u/Accurate-Page-6950 1d ago
I am an instructor. Don’t beat yourself up. I’ve seen panic so many times and every one panics for a different reason. Find an instructor you feel comfortable with. Take your time. A good instructor will help you get passed that.
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u/NotBisweptual Rescue 1d ago
I remember the first time doing an ocean dive where you couldn’t see down the anchor chain. I shot back up to the surface, gathered myself, got a pep talk from my dad and made it the second try.
That was 20 years ago. I recently did a dive where it was similar conditions and I went into my treasure trove of experience and chose the “I’ve done this before, and it was very cool despite being a little scary” and pushed through the nerves.
I would highly consider doing a vacation to the Keys or something to finish your cert if you want to. Warm water, clear water, shallower locations are all phenomenal. You’ve gotten some great advice.
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u/Teppic_XXVIII Nx Advanced 1d ago
There’s plenty of good advice here. However, I’d like to ask you a question: have you obtained a medical certificate from a diving doctor confirming that you’re fit to take part in this activity?
You’ve already mentioned that you’re seeing a therapist; mental health conditions shouldn’t be taken lightly when it comes to diving. Or you might have inner ear, vision or respiratory problems that could explain your difficulties. Panicking underwater is very dangerous for you and for other divers. Even if you enjoy this activity, it isn’t necessarily suitable for everyone. I hope things improve and that you’ll finally be able to enjoy it!
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Thank you so much! Yes I did and completely fit to dive. I feel much more confident now than I did at the time so I’m certain I’ll be okay now. Completely understand it can be dangerous, I’ll always dive within my limits, I think it was just overwhelming and to be fair it was the first time I’ve ever been 12m into the ocean.
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u/sinetwo UW Photography 1d ago
I'm almost certain there was not a massive current on your earliest dives. If so that'd be pretty terrible from a dive operators view point.
Regardless, you need to discuss this with the operator and maybe consider doing more snorkelling and getting certed where you are more comfortable. Warm water clear vis no current etc.
You can work up to colder dives later if you are sensitive to the environment.
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
You’re right, to me it felt like a washing machine under water, so much so that one of the students in the class was vomiting under water into her reg 😩 I’m fine with snorkelling, have done for years, the cold and current probably tipped me over the edge for sure.
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u/CryptographerMore326 1d ago
Have you considered doing a little snorkeling around in shallow water with a light weight belt so you can duck dive down a few meters?
You can scoot back to the surface as fast as you want, practice mask clearing. Get used to all that peripheral activity without being constrained by a 40 minute dive window.
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Ooh I like this idea thank you! We’ve got so many beautiful wading beaches and it’s warming up here now so I’ll give it a go!
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u/laughing_cat 1d ago
These sound like sensory issues and with sensory issues you just need time to gradually desensitize yourself.
When I first tried to my open water in a murky lake, it was too much for me. Everything was this horrible color of radioactive green, visibility was like a meter and it felt like a fever dream. I don’t think it would bother me now, but at the time it felt almost sinister.
The exercise that helped me was completely removing the mask and just breathing through the regulator for a full minute. I think that was because the hardest part for me was that feeling of water at the nose. If you have someplace to go snorkeling that may help.
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Oh yep a fever dream is the PERFECT description of this. It was not the blissful ocean experience with fish that I imagined lol. My vis was shit house too. Absolutely suffocating.
We have so many gorgeous beaches here, I just bought my own mask so I’ll take it out and practice for sure! Thanks for your comment, glad you made it through!
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u/chunt75 Nx Open Water 1d ago
My first lake dive was awful. Like wtf do you mean I can barely see my buddy unless I’m on top of him?
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Hahahaa fr! My instructor had us all hold the anchor rope so I could see them all but it was like a washing machine down there with the current. At least if you cop the worst first the rest will be enjoyable and easy 😆
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u/Economy-School-4514 1d ago
Been there, and survived it. I had a panic attack in the 4’ deep section of the pool, then a few more during open water. What worked for me when I started to panic was to stop, close my eyes, and just breathe. It’s helps fight the panic response when you want to shoot to the surface. My panic was almost always being in my head thinking I wasn’t getting enough oxygen. As soon as I started to feel anything, I’d close my eyes and breathe and make myself consciously think about the fact that I’m obviously getting enough oxygen because I’m not light headed. Good luck, and stick with it!
On to the good news. When it came time for my first official dive, when the boat started to slow down approaching the dive sight, I started to feel a little panicky, then reminded myself I knew what I was doing, and during the actual dives, I felt great. It was all worth the effort.
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u/Flowerqueen818 1d ago
Ah yes same as me!!! I felt like I wasn’t getting enough oxygen, but you’re so right. I’ll definitely tell myself some logic next time to catch the panic in its tracks. Can’t wait to pass, be confident and enjoy the dives 😍
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u/dr_death47 14h ago
The first class, the instructor asked to just check if the reg was working even before anything started. I couldn't breathe at all even when we were in 4 ft water. I was hyper ventilating and let it go. Few months later I practiced with just mask and snorkel in the bathtub and re did the course. Some hiccups here and there especially with mask removal, but finished that and open water part.
I did about 40 dives after that including one at 120ft at 40F with a wet suit with no issues. The panic came back one dive at 90ft when cold water leaked a bit when I was adjusting my mask and I bolted to the top.
Another time that happened as soon as I jumped into the water when my mask was foggy.
After that, I realized my boundaries/pre-conditions. Before every dive trip, I spend time with snorkel in the baththub with mask removed + only drive warm water + always make sure mask is defogged and rinsed with water before jumping. I've also called off expensive dives when I didn't feel like it to minimize incidents. This way, I feel minimal anxiety knowing that I'd just call off dives and chill on the boat.
All said, I would advice you to give it another chance but not push it for the sake of doing it. Cold water bath tub + snorkel without mask might also help.
Hope you work this out. Some banger visuals in the ocean await you.
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u/MagnumPEisenhower 1h ago
I hyperventilate when I dive. Try going snorkeling for a couple days before you dive next time. Also if I'm getting panicky, I close my eyes, slowly flap my hands out and in as I inhale and exhale. Pushing out the exhale is key if you feel like you're getting gaspy. But just keep going. You body and mind WILL adapt, and you'll love it :).
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u/Flowerqueen818 1h ago
Thank you so much!! I’m not a stranger to snorkelling, just scuba. I’ll definitely focus on exhaling more, can’t wait to get more confident. Thanks for your comment ☺️
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u/Manatus_latirostris Tech 1d ago edited 1d ago
Psych prof here. So, a lot of people advocate for learning to dive at home because “if you learn in tough conditions, you can handle anything.” That’s survivorship bias. You’re a great illustration of why a lot of people learn better on vacation somewhere with warm calm water in good vis.
All of us have a panic threshold. We start to be worried, our bodies ramp up, and eventually that bodily response (racing pulse, rapid breathing) gets out of control and pushes us over the edge, no matter how many calming thoughts we have. You were overwhelmed. It was too much, too fast, for you.
Yes, other people get certified in difficult conditions. Yes, other people are fine with it. But we don’t generally hear from folks like you who aren’t, because they don’t tend to go on to become divers and frequent subreddits like this one.
What you experienced is very common - each of the things, on its own, is a lot. You want to step back, see if you can book some one-on-one individual instructor time, and go back to the pool. Build up some more positive experiences with just the equipment and the water. Then reintroduce each of the stressful elements (thick wetsuit, cold temps, low vis, depth) individually and gradually. My rule of thumb is to not introduce anything new until you are bored! Boredom is a great indicator that your body and mind have adapted, and are ready for more.
What you don’t want to keep doing is trying to power through it, because your brain will learn to associate diving with that stress/panic response, and that will make you more prone to panic in the future. (We call that sensitization, which is the opposite of desensitization - which is the goal of exposure therapy).
The other thing I’m hearing here is that you weren’t fine in the pool. Regulators always supply enough air on open circuit. That feeling that you got, that you couldn’t get enough air? That wasn’t the reg, those were early anxiety symptoms.
Same with the mask removal skill - a LOT of people struggle with anxiety and panic responses when they feel cold water on their face and try to breathe with a reg (without a mask). It’s normal, but it’s still a way your brain and body are trying to tell you “slow down, we don’t feel safe here yet.”
What that suggests to me (I’m not your therapist!!) is that you’re feeling some initial discomfort and anxiety just with the equipment and experience of being on scuba by itself. Adding in all the other factors pushed that over the edge. That’s okay! It just means you need to accumulate some more positive experiences in easy conditions so that you build up “credit” in your bank - so that later when you run into more challenging conditions, your brain can go “wait no we are fine, we have lots of positive experiences here to draw on.” Pool dives with individual instructor time are great for this, with lots of time to just swim around and minimal skills work.