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Scuba Diving Panic Attacks
Scuba Diving Panic Attacks
Scuba Diving Panic Attacks
Dr Laura Walton
In a state of panic, the human being acts on instinct, generally
heading mindlessly for the nearest escape. A person in panic
cannot think clearly and their actions are not rational, because
their brain is operating on survival mode.
REFERENCE:
Undersea Hyperb Med. 2018 Sep-Oct;45:505-509.
The panic triangle: onset of panic in scuba divers
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If you have ever done any mandatory fire training, then you have
probably heard of the fire triangle model for how a fire starts
and burns. The fire triangle states that three things are needed
for a fire: fuel/combustible materials, oxygen and heat.
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the Panic Triangle
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The three sides of the panic triangle:
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The gap in READINESS
This is the fuel: the diver does not have the skills/equipment to
respond to the specific situation effectively.
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The difficulty in REGULATION
This is the oxidising agent that can fan the flames.
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The STRESSOR
This is the heat: the event that turns up the pressure.
If you are thinking, some of these things don’t bother me ... then
that is the triangle! If you perceive yourself as having the skill to
deal with them (readiness), or are not in an unhelpful state of
arousal (regulation) - then those things won't be a problem for
you.
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Panic is sparked!
When we have all three sides of the triangle happening at the
same time, then panic may be sparked. Psychological and
physiological processes mean the panic fuels itself, in a positive
feedback loop. The more stressed the person gets, the more
they panic, the less able they are to fix the problem, the worse
the problem seems, the more they panic, the more stressed ....
Fortunately, like fire, we can reduce the risk by limiting the three
sides of the triangle.
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Prevent Panic
Avoid dives you are not yet ready for by
sticking to recommended limits and
evaluating conditions on the day.
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What next?
We can never fully predict what a person will do under pressure, but
we can understand panic - what it is and why people go into that
state. We can reduce the risk of panic in diving by being fit-to-dive,
learning scuba skills and building our ability to self-regulate.
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