Stress in Cave Diving
Stress is a phenomenon that may, if unchecked, lead to panic and result in an accident. Cave divers are exposed to most known stresses measured by psychologists.
Like wrecks or diving under ice, caves present us with an overhead environment. This means we can not escape directly to the surface as we do in open water diving. Caves are dark. They usually present us with choices. Deciding which passage to take in an apparently never-ending maze can create its own sources of stress. As we review each stress source it will become apparent how these environmental hazards add to stress.
Time pressure – stress is present in a wide number of scenarios. In its most simple form, time pressure stress involves matching the gas supply to the time the dive will take. This expands into a major problem when a dive plan has been exceeded and the gas supply is running low. In this instance uninformed divers may actually compound the problem by increasing their breathing rates.
Preparing for a dive can also cause stress. For example, if one diver is already suited and enters the water and his or her partner has an equipment problem and removes his gear to make repairs, time stresses both divers – the one who has to wait and the one who is causing the delay because he has to catch up.
Distance – presents a major time pressure stress. The greater the distance to open water, the more time stress has to build. The greatest danger in distance-related stress is the perceived time-pressure threat. In this case the perception is usually greater than the actual threat. There have been numerous instances where divers become so stressed out, they forget basic but important rules for cave diving. Time pressure stress can also build when a diver looks at his decompression clock.
Confinement – is an obvious source of stress. This is usually lurking in the recesses of the mind and comes into play when other stresses are introduced. Confinement couples time-pressure stress with the distance factor. The reaction to bolt toward the surface is overcome by overhead training that discourages thinking about the traditional escape route. In this way confinement stress is managed.
Task loading – occurs when divers must perform more tasks than they think they can simultaneously handle. Task loading can happen when a diver is trying to do three simple things at once – manage a reel, light the pathway ahead while swimming in a normal, correct, relaxed manner. Add to this a Diver Propulsion Vehicle ( DPV ) and / or other specialized items, and the apparent overloading of a cave diver’s comfort zone is evident.
Incorrect breathing patterns – lead to serious stress related incidents. Incorrect breathing results from compounding stress, or simply by not breathing correctly. Incorrect breathing is a major cause of stress. To breath correctly, practice diaphragm breathing exercises. When diving, always concentrate on breathing slowly and deeply until it becomes a reflex reaction.
Once a pattern of incorrect breathing has begun, a vicious cycle develops. The pattern is often so subtle a diver may not even recognize it. Examples of stressful breathing include hyperventilation or rapid breathing ( usually shallow ) resulting in a feeling of air starvation. This is frequently sensed as regulator failure. A diver who fails to exhale and keeps inhaling in small gulps until his lungs are full often feels his regulator is faulty. Hypo ventilation, most often, results from a concerted effort to skip breathe. This often produces a CO2 excess that may lead to unconsciousness.
When first becoming aware of stress or a feeling of discomfort, it’s important that a diver does stop all activity, exhale slowly and fully, and then inhale slowly and fully. This breathing pattern should be repeated at least three times before resuming the dive. The diver should then continue breathing slowly and fully using his diaphragm muscles. Discomfort can almost always be alleviated by this method.
A good way to avoid breathing stress is to develop a swim pace that allows acceptable forward momentum, while maintaining a correct, comfortable respiratory pattern. Accelerating one’s swimming stroke will frequently lead to uncontrolled breathing. It can even produce a sensation of uneasiness.
Physical Factors of Stress
Exertion and thermal imbalance produce stress by being either too hot or too cold. An aware diver should be able to control these simply by monitoring comfort levels and using adequate thermal protection. Factors such as overexertion, new equipment, bad fit of equipment, new cave, bad visibility or strong current can induce physical stress as well.
Psychological Factors of Stress
Ego threats, or peer pressure are indirect sources of stress. They frequently lead to attempting feats beyond our personal ability or comfort level. Diving with a new partner, long distance cave penetrations and task loading can add to psychological stress.
Disorientation is always a problem when exploring overhead environments. Most caves feature multiple passages (mazes). This presents the possibility of becoming lost. The proper use of line arrows and guide lines should offset this source of stress. One of the leading causes of cave death is the failure to follow a continuous guide line. Other stresses include buoyancy problems, excessive dependency on another diver and real or perceived physical threats.
Darkness or loss of visibility produce stress due to sensory loss. This can be due to a light malfunction, low visibility, turbid water or silt outs. While this should not be a major consequence, when combined with other stresses and performance inhibitors, it can lead to threatening situations. This condition may be avoided through proper lighting systems and good technique.
The most serious form of stress is “compound stress.” It occurs when more than one stress source is involved. Compound stress is more difficult to manage than individual sources of stress. However, in reality, it is very common to have more than one source or form of stress on a dive. If stress is not controlled, it may, lead to panic. Panic is a life threatening event.
Signs and Symptoms of Stress
Telltale signs, or symptoms of stress, can be prevented by early recognition. Personal indicators of stress often include an uneasy feeling, unusual anxiety or apprehension irritability. Our intuitive hunches will attempt to tell us if there is reason for stress. Becoming tuned with our inner self is imperative for stress-free diving. This degree of awareness also takes training and the use of mind control techniques.
Visual indicators of stress include but are not limited to big eyed look, increased respiration, failure to communicate, fixation on gauges, changes in swim pace, inability to do skill, freezing up, clumsiness and tensing up.
Control of stress can be accomplished through increased self awareness. Frequently the stressed diver is unaware of an increase in respiration. A buddy, who notices his or her dive partner breathing quickly or unusually, should immediately alert him and momentarily remain at rest until the breathing problem is solved. To control stress we must first be aware of it and then execute a corrective action. When dealing with stress we must remember its cause may be either real or perceived. It frequently manifests itself by a change in respiration.
We must recognise some common behavioural modifications that can result in mental narrowing or more aptly becoming unfocused as it relates to problem solving. This condition is also referred to as “tunnel vision”. By becoming overtly focused, the diver may lose his or her ability to correctly analyse situations and to perform many skills, both newly learned and well known. Tunnel vision can compound the problem because of perceived task loading. This type of behavioural change, if not corrected, may lead to panic. The ability to focus the mind on problem solving is paramount in these situations. Physiological adaptations are created by behavioural modifications. Included are increased respiration, increased heart rate, abnormal adrenaline release and the urge to flee.
For survival, it’s imperative we compensate for behavioural and physiological changes. The tools that will enable us to control stress in all its manifestations include awareness, adequate training and the application of newly acquired skills. We must develop a new discipline or attitude. We must be able to instantly recognise a real threat (instead of a perceived one) and we must instinctively make the right moves, take the right corrective actions to avoid disaster.
Awareness is developed through a process of both self and group analysis. Awareness must become automatic. To accomplish this we employ the process of mental visualisation prior to actually diving. By running the dive through our mind prior to diving can result in a safer dive. Awareness also opens the mind’s ability to detect changes in dive performance that otherwise would go unnoticed in either your self or your dive companions. During the dive ask yourself, am I comfortable ?. Is everything really OK ?. Observe team members and their comfort levels and listen for changes in respiratory rates.
Personal training needs to be ongoing even after the course has been finished. It is key to maintaining a record of safe diving. To do this, we must continue to regularly practice relevant skills. We must continually evaluate and configure equipment so it’s easy to use and every element is accessible and works dependably. Routinely review your skills to make every dive safer. As your interests expand, seek additional training for specialty areas in cave diving. Select team members who share your interests and training objectives. Through anticipation of upcoming stress, elimination of stress factor through continuing training with continuing skill practice and preparation for upcoming dives a lot of the stress factors can be reduced or eliminated. A certain amount of stress is good for us and keeps us sharp, to much stress is harmful to us.