The underwater world is an all-encompassing sensory experience. A new diver's brain is occupied with processing the feeling of weightlessness, the visual stimulation of the underwater world, and the completely unnatural idea of breathing underwater. As a diver gains experience, he becomes accustomed to these new sensations, and can focus on his skills and techniques. This is a completely normal progression, and divers who find themselves doing silly or illogical things on their first few dives shouldn't stress.
It takes time and experience to become comfortable enough in the underwater world to perform complex tasks, or even to think clearly and logically. For divers who are ready to take their diving to the next level, I can offer some simple advice to improve mental control and clarity of thought underwater.
1. Do Only One Thing at a Time
This is simple (even obvious) advice, but it is worth stating. When scuba diving, do only one task at a time, and pay attention to what you are doing.
When a diver tries to do too many things at once, he can rarely do anything proficiently. This is known in the dive industry as task loading. Compare this to texting and driving. A driver who is attempting to simultaneously send a text message and manage a vehicle is likely to lose control of himself. Similarly, a diver who is struggling to establish buoyancy and clear a bit of water from his mask at the same time, will likely end up at the surface or on the seafloor. Take the time to perform the most important tasks first, such as establishing buoyancy, and then focus on the more minor tasks -- reading a pressure gauge or clearing a mask.
Tasks may seem urgent but they rarely are. As long as you are breathing and somewhere near neutrally buoyant, you have time to perform any other tasks one at a time, calmly, and correctly.
2. Be Methodical and Systematic
The best divers use methodical steps to systematically perform complex tasks. This requires thinking through complicated skills such as sharing air or recovering a lost regulator and breaking these skills into steps that can performed on at a time.
Using regulator recovery as an example, a diver should not hurriedly attempt to grasp a lost regulator. Instead he should acknowledge the problem, "My regulator is lost!" and then methodically work his way through the steps he has established for recovering the offending piece of dive gear. "The first step," he thinks, "is leaning to the right. The next step is touching my tank. After that, I will sweep my arm in a wide loop to the right." Breaking skills into easy steps and methodically running through the steps one at time is usually much more efficient than hurriedly attempting to reach the end goal. Divers who rush a skill or emergency procedure are likely to make mistakes that must be corrected, ultimately wasting time, energy, and breathing gas.
3. Train Yourself to Be Observant
A new diver tends to be primarily focused on himself - his breathing, his buoyancy, his experience. This is normal, not narcissistic. However, a diver who has mastered his fundamental diving skills such as buoyancy and trim should strive to shift his attention outwards and train himself to be observant, and to accept feedback from his environment, equipment, and dive buddies.
An observant diver will accept feedback from his environment. He will notice when his fin brushes the reef or if a pressure gauge bounces against a piece of coral. A diver who takes the feedback and uses it by changing his kicking technique, readjusting his position, or stowing his pressure gauge will learn better control of himself and his equipment. And of course, a diver who is in control of himself will be more comfortable and ultimately enjoy his dives more. The key is to pay attention to what is happening, and to learn from it.
"Often, taking the time to slow down, notice, identify, think through, and then solve a problem can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience and a serious situation."
A thinking diver will also learn to observe his buddies and will learn from their behavior and their reactions. A buddy who normally swims directly next to the diver, but suddenly is out of place or lagging behind may have a problem, or may have found something very interesting to look at. A buddy who is breathing heavily, swimming quickly, or acting erratically may be narced or frightened. An observant diver can help his buddy by identify problems with gear, such as leaks or danglies, and notifying or assisting his buddy when necessary. This can solve small issues before they become big problems, and lead to safer diving.
4. Never Panic
If divers have completed proper pre-dive check, are using proper breathing gas management, and have good buddy skills, there is rarely a reason to panic underwater, even when a problem presents itself. Even in an out-of-air situation, a diver should be close enough to his buddy to share air and make a safe ascent. The worst thing a diver can do is react to a problem without thinking it through. Use the advice above, slow down, think step by step, use methodical and systematic skills to solve problems calmly, and be observant. Often, taking the time to slow down, notice, identify, think through, and then solve a problem can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience and a serious situation. If you ever are in a stressful situation, remember, as long as there is an air supply, you are okay.
Training yourself to slow down, think, systematically perform skills, and be observant takes conscious effort, but it is worth it! You awareness, safety and enjoyment of dives will improve as you learn to use your brain underwater.
