Dive with someone who knows you well, or dive with someone who’s been through some of the same things. Pre-think the sorts of issues that might be a challenge or a trigger–feeling overly exposed if the water is too clear, as if you’re “lacking cover”? The “crack” of an anchor chain? A tap on your shoulder? And think what the maladaptive responses might be–taking “cover” on the bottom, when it’s time to ascend? Whirling in response to a sound (which may sound right next to you, or right behind you, as sounds do, underwater)? How would you respond to a buddy who carelessly flashed a light in your face on a night dive?

Warn your buddy in specfic, concrete ways if there’s someway you should not be touched or approached, or if there’s some warning sign that you’re getting stressed, so they don’t compound your risk, and theirs.

As to the dive operator, whether or not you say PTSD, you might tip them off in some way. How do you respond to signal flares? Fireworks?

I have to agree that diving is usually a serene and powerful source of balance and sanity, and you should absolutely get back into it. But don’t use it as a way to push limits. For a while, consider your self (medicated and all) as a new piece of equipment, and dive not only within your “official” limits, but within the limits of a much less experienced diver. The delight and benefits will still be there.

I loved your thorough and gracious response to the issue raised about PTSS. Our men in uniform deserve all the support we can give them. If diving can give this guy some peace, I hope his physician clears him. My thanks to the soldier as well for his service. I hope they all can come home soon.

I agree this is a topic open to debate. In this regard, you might enjoy the following recent Undercurrent articles where Ben and I intentionally took somewhat differing positions.

Oct ‘09 issue:

Why Divers Fail to Disclose Medical Conditions http://www.undercurrent.org/members/UCnow/issues/y2009/UC1009/DiscloseMedicalConditions200910.pdf

Jan ‘10 issue:

Lying About Your Health Could Be Lethal
our medical expert tells you why you shouldn’t fib to dive shops
http://www.undercurrent.org/members/UCnow/issues/y2010/UC0110/LyingAboutHealth201001.pdf

Regards,

DocVikingo

I was interested to read the list of symptoms Dr. V listed. As a Vietnam vet who would have been diagnosed with PTSD, had that been recognized at the time, I found this very interesting.

When I returned from Vietnam, the first night I was very uncomfortable going to sleep NOT behind barbed wire with someone on gaurd. For many years, when I went hunting, I’d hit the dirt when someone else fired a shot nearby, especially if close enough in my direction that I’d hear the double crack-pop which indicates the bullet passed you before the sound of the original shot could reach you. That still gets my accute attention. I still have the hair on my neck stand up if I even drive through an area near a river that is brushy and reminiscent of the Cambodian border and the Oriental River. I came back and trying to get ahold of “The Real World”, got married in short order. That proved unfair to my wife, myself and her daughter. We didn’t have that much in common and it broke up in a few years. Only later, when watching an early show about PTSD did I realize why I had gotten married.

I had started diving in 1967, a year before getting drafted. I instantly became a diving nut, and was in the ocean at Monterey pretty much every week at least once. On returning from Vietnam, I resumed diving just as intensly.

You mentioned that you were most at ease and peaceful diving. That was and is certainly one of my favorite situations. PTSD never was a problem with diving for me. I certainly recognize that if you are on medication that might warp your judgement, that is a real issue, but if you can avoid that sort of medication, I say go for the diving. Certainly I would start with an easy local dive with no stress, maybe even a refresher pool course, and see how you react, then build up from there.

I can’t help thinking that with all PC things we deal with, this has become highly over rated. You develop conditioned responses to serious situations. That is just natural. When people are trying to kill you in ambushes in certain terrains, you damn well will be leary of that same terrain for a very long time. That’s not being ’sick’, that’s being smart!

Thanks for your service, I hope you have a very long and happy life diving.

Tom Reese