A silent, serene paradise -- that's the usual picture of the watery world of scuba diving. But is there terror in paradise?
Yes, according to a new study that suggests episodes of panic or
near-panic may explain many recreational diving accidents and deaths.
In a national survey, more than half of divers reported
experiencing at least one panic or near-panic behavior, says
William Morgan, director of the Sport Psychology Laboratory at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the principal author of the study.image courtesy of UW Sea Grant Institute, photo credit UW-Madison
News Service.
The panic attack was often spurred by something that a non-diver
would deem serious -- entanglement, an equipment malfunction or the
sight of a shark. But the attacks don't make things
better, Morgan says -- they can lead to irrational and dangerous behavior.
If divers and instructors knew more about the phenomenon, Morgan
adds, they could screen out people who might be susceptible to
life-threatening panic attacks.
What to learn more about panic underwater?