overcoming dive anxiety – how being organized can help new divers stay calm
Diving is an incredible experience. The moment you drop below the surface, you're transported to a different world—a realm filled with vibrant marine life and breathtaking underwater landscapes. But if you’re like I was early in my dive career, that magical moment can be preceded by intense anxiety.
I remember the overwhelming feeling before every dive, even after I got my certification. There’s so much equipment to handle, from regulators and BCDs to weights and wetsuits. My buoyancy control was inconsistent at best, and no matter how much I reminded myself that I was certified, imposter syndrome crept in. I would think, "What do I do in an emergency? The last time I dived was a year ago—can I even remember how to do this?"
The only thing that would calm me was a strange reassurance: If a 13-year-old can do this, so can I! But once I got in the water, while the fear of danger subsided, a new worry emerged—running out of air too quickly. I never wanted to be the person who cut the dive short for everyone else.
Sound familiar?
If you’re new or still getting comfortable in the water, know that you’re not alone. Anxiety before dives is common, but it doesn’t have to hold you back. Looking back, I realized that a few key practices helped me turn the tide on my dive anxiety. And it’s those practices that I’ve built into SCUBAzen to help new and intermediate divers reduce pre-dive jitters.
Create and Follow a Checklist
One of the biggest sources of pre-dive anxiety is the worry that you’ve forgotten something. What if you leave an important piece of equipment behind? To combat this, I started creating a checklist of all my gear and reviewing it before each dive. It helped immensely. That’s why SCUBAzen includes an auto-populated and customizable checklist feature, so you never have to second-guess yourself when packing for a dive.
2. Logbook for Reference and Confidence
Keeping a detailed dive log became my go-to tool. I recorded everything—what wetsuit I wore, how much weight I needed, the conditions of the dive site. This log became my reference point for future dives, giving me the confidence that I had the right gear and knowledge for each new adventure. SCUBAzen makes logging dives easy, with a clean, intuitive interface that also lets you note calibrations, so you’ll always feel prepared.
3. Calm Your Mind, Calm Your Breath, Use Less Air
Underwater, your breathing is everything. Slow, deep breaths conserve air and help you stay relaxed. I learned that meditation techniques and controlled breathing were key to reducing my air consumption and maintaining a calm, steady rhythm. SCUBAzen centralizes everything you need to do before you go on a dive, reducing your anxiety before you get in the water.
Looking Back
Had I had these tools in the beginning, my anxiety would have significantly decreased, and I would have enjoyed my early dive experiences a lot more. My goal with SCUBAzen is to give other divers these same advantages, so they can focus less on worry and more on enjoying the dive.
Remember, the underwater world is meant to be explored with wonder, not fear. SCUBAzen is here to help you dive confidently, whether it’s your first dive or your hundredth.
