5 Top Fears People Experience Before Their First Dive

Diving is perhaps the most exciting and exhilarating experience one can have, but it can also be daunting for those who have never experienced it before. When I learnt to dive over 30 years ago, I well remember my own apprehensions at the time. Today, I share the top concerns people have when they start to learn how to dive, and how to overcome them.

Fear of the unknown

The most common fear people experience before their first dive is the fear of the unknown. What will it be like underwater? What will I see? Will I be able to breathe?

The best way to overcome this fear is to do your research, ask plenty of questions, and do plenty of practising. Today, new divers are lucky in that they have access to PADI's eLearning. The PADI eLearning is an excellent means to gain the knowledge, make sure you allow sufficient time to gain the most from this research. The more you know about what to expect, the less afraid you will be, and the eLearning does that.
Fear of not being able to breathe

The first major concern new divers have is not being able to breathe underwater. This can be a legitimate concern for those who have never dived before, but it is important to remember that you will always have a regulator with you. As long as you follow the safety guidelines and keep your regulator in your mouth and breathe deeply and slowly (in and out) you'll be fine.

Starting out, you will learn how to breath with your face out of the water. Then you will move to just a few centimetres below the surface, and as your confidence builds, you will slowly progress into deeper water.
Fear of sharks

This is quite common and understandable, but it is important to remember that sharks are not actually seeking humans to attack. The fear of sharks is unfortunately created by the media. Shark attacks are exceedingly rare, and scuba divers are the last people that a shark would want to attack. Sharks dislike the noisy bubbles we produce every time we breathe out.

At Abyss Scuba Diving, to give piece of mind to nervous students, all our standard courses are taught with the added protection of Electronic Shark Deterrent.

Fear claustrophobia

While underwater, the feeling that you are "trapped" in the water because of pressure can make some people feel claustrophobic. This can cause anything from discomfort to all-out panic, which could lead a diver to ascend too quickly up from depth. The solution is to simply remember to breathe. Sounds crazy; how could you forget? While underwater, you have the freedom to breathe.

Fear of going too deep

For many beginner divers, their fears about the deep water are a key factor for them in taking up the sport. When training as a beginner, your instructor will only take you to dive sites where the sea floor prevents you from descending deeper than the depth for that particular phase of your training. Additionally, it is important to remember that PADI standards require the instructor to do the very first dives in relatively shallow water.

Diving can be a wonderful experience, but it is important to be prepared. If you do your research and ask plenty of questions, you will be able to overcome your fears and have an exciting time.