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- I feel panic or acute anxiety underwater
What is happening
Your breathing speeds up, your attention narrows and you may feel a strong urge to reach the surface immediately. Other signs include gripping the regulator, not communicating, tension before entry or fixation on an imagined problem.
Why it happens
Ordered from the most common cause down. Open one to see the mechanism behind it.
Anxiety can lead to fast, shallow breathing, which intensifies the feeling of not getting enough air. It can quickly become a cycle of even faster breathing and loss of rational control.
- fast, shallow breathing
- a feeling of suffocation
- tension before entry
Panic often comes not from one problem but from a series of manageable stressors. Time pressure, a task, the environment, lack of preparation or an unexpected event can together create a feeling of lost control.
- task loading
- pressure to continue
- an unexpected equipment problem
Poor visibility, current, cold, a mask problem, buddy separation, low gas or trouble equalizing are documented triggers. They can overload your attention, especially when they happen together.
- poor visibility or current
- mask or regulator
- difficulty equalizing
When key skills are not automatic, a small problem requires a great deal of attention and time. Regular practice of core procedures leaves more capacity for a calm response.
- emergency skills practised infrequently
- an unclear buddy plan
- a break after certification
Elevated carbon dioxide can create severe breathlessness and trigger panic. Excess effort and inappropriate breathing increase the risk of this mechanism.
- excessive effort
- inappropriate breathing
- a feeling of severe breathlessness
What to try on your next dive
One thing, not ten. Give it a full dive before you judge it.
A Stop–Breathe–Think–Act pause during a transition
- Agree a signal with your buddy for a short pause.
- At a chosen transition, stop moving and stabilise yourself.
- Breathe slowly and deeply from the diaphragm, without holding your breath.
- Use Stop–Breathe–Think–Act: assess yourself, your buddy, your equipment and the environment, then decide the next action.
- Practise diaphragmatic breathing on land before you need it.
- Before every dive, rehearse the response to a mask, gas or buddy-separation problem with your buddy.
How you will know it is working
| Published reference | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative criterion | No quantitative pass/fail criterion is published; use SBTA before ascending. | DAN Asia-Pacific — Fathoms of Fear |
After the dive, note whether you stopped, breathed, assessed the situation and communicated with your buddy before taking the next action.
- It is always acceptable to cancel a dive for any reason.
- If you panic, do not make an uncontrolled ascent. Stop, breathe, think and act within your training and the plan agreed with your buddy.
- If you have diagnosed panic disorder, recurring nightmares, flashbacks or avoidance after an incident, seek medical and professional help before diving again.