Insight on Diving Psychology and Mental Health: Q&A with a Clinical Psychologist.
Dr Laura Walton is a PADI Master Instructor and experienced Clinical Psychologist who specialises in working with divers. We caught up with Dr Walton to ask her some frequent questions and to gain her insights into diving psychology.
This blog is the final installment in a three-part series covering:
1. Keeping calm underwater
2. Psychology research of divers
3. Psychology as you progress through your diving career.

You have been diving recreationally and now thinking of doing saturation diving. What psychological challenges to commercial diver’s face?
Commercial diving is a demanding profession that poses several mental challenges. The first is the issue of isolation. Divers often work in remote locations, away from their families and friends for extended periods of time. This isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression.
Commercial divers face elevated levels of stress due to the high-risk nature of their work. They must be ready to deal with the threat of equipment failure, decompression sickness, and other underwater hazards. This chronic stress can lead to anxiety disorders and other mental health issues.
The physical demands of diving can also have mental health implications. Long hours, strenuous work, and exposure to cold temperatures can lead to fatigue, which can affect a diver's cognitive function and mental resilience. There is also the challenge of maintaining focus and concentration. Divers must remain alert to their surroundings and any changes in their physical condition. This constant need for vigilance can be mentally exhausting.
It is often noted that after a shift, there can be a lot of stored tension. This can arise from events that occurred during dives as well as the pressures of the working environment. Saturation divers are living and working in teams for extended periods. Their actions are continuously monitored and directed from the surface, under the authority of the dive supervisor. The proximity, depersonalisation, lack of privacy, and power dynamics can all have an impact.
There is a lot that can be done, at a systemic level, to increase the physical and psychological safety of diving teams. I would strongly recommend looking up the Human Diver, which addresses human factors in diving.
When faced with the impact of stress after work, many divers are understandably reluctant to take these issues home. Fears about gaining jobs and professional reputation also tend to drive people to "bottle-up" reactions, use harmful coping strategies, and avoid talking. However, there does seem to be an increasing recognition of the need to support the mental health of commercial divers to address burnout and trauma.

How do you know if you will be able to keep mentally fit in this environment?
To determine your psychological readiness for such an environment, consider the following 5 factors:
1. Firstly, assess your comfort level with isolation and confinement. Saturation divers live in small, closed spaces for weeks at a time, often with limited contact with the outside world. While also living in close proximity to colleagues and without the option to leave! Oddly, this requires the ability to be isolated and, in some way, requires comfort with solitude, at the same time as the ability to tolerate and have a good relationship with other people. Also, if you are prone to feelings of claustrophobia or have difficulty being away from loved ones for extended periods, this could pose a significant challenge. The nature of the work means it is not likely to be possible to try out these living conditions in advance of training. Instead, reflect on the most similar experiences that you have. How do you usually react to small, confined spaces, extended periods with small groups, and sitting alone?
2. Secondly, evaluate your stress management skills. The nature of saturation diving means that you will be exposed to high-pressure situations, both literally and figuratively. Being able to stay calm under pressure, make quick decisions, and manage stress effectively are crucial skills for saturation divers. Think about other times in your life that you have been in stressful situations. What did you learn about yourself? The commercial diving schools do offer "aptitude days." While a single day cannot replicate the extended living conditions, it can offer a taste of the sort of tasks involved and conversations with working divers to reflect on whether the career is really for you.
3. Consider reading and watching documentaries. Check out the quotes from divers in this study describing the challenges, and this subjective evaluation of commercial diver experience.
4. Consider your physical health. While this is not related to your psychological readiness, your physical health can significantly impact your mental well-being. Ensure you are in good health and have the physical stamina to withstand the demands of saturation diving. Although this is of course a pre-requisite and can feel obligatory and a bit of a stress, engaging in physical activities and exercise is also a potential way to take action and build a sense of being in control of physical and mental health.
5. It may be beneficial to consider how you may want to address any current mental health concerns. In talking to saturation divers, I have arrived at an educated opinion that the two key issues that lead to mental health concerns in divers are rooted in self-worth and trauma. Trauma in diving, I have already described; what I did not yet mention is that trauma sticks to earlier experiences of unprocessed trauma. For example, in scuba diving training, I regularly see students who have trouble with mask skills realise that they had a drowning experience in childhood that was never addressed. That can be treated before the person goes on to have additional trauma underwater! With self-worth, there is a particular pressure in saturation diving because, while the diver's skills and ability to do the job are of high monetary value, they may perceive that, as an individual person, they do not matter. Prior self-worth issues can also be put under pressure by the shift pattern and extended periods away from friends and family. Being aware of these potential issues and ways to address them can help. I'd recommend looking up "Combat Journal". This was developed by a saturation diver as a way to process experience by writing about it. This is a portable and relatively discreet strategy that can be used while on shift.
Many divers find their work rewarding and appreciate the unique experiences that the work offers. It is possible to develop coping mechanisms to deal with the mental demands of the job while maintaining a strong support network.
Where can I go for more information or support?
For scuba divers who have been affected by adverse events in diving, I have developed a self-help resource, which is available on FitToDive.org. You can also check out the blog, free e-guides, and the courses I create on topics such as panic and trauma. The Divers Alert Network and DAN Europe also have information about mental and psychological health in recreational diving. If you are looking for support after a diving-related trauma or want to address anxiety or phobias that affect your diving, then I offer a private psychology service that specialises in supporting divers.
If you are experiencing wider issues with mental health, then, in the UK, it would be advised to consult your doctor, who can assess and refer. In a mental health emergency, contact your GP or (in life-threatening situations) emergency services at 999. If you need to talk anonymously, contact the Samaritans or Breathing Space (Scotland).
If you are a working diver, then occupational health is an option. I know that the Health and Safety Executive in the UK is encouraging employers to take mental health and work-related stress seriously. However, I also understand the concerns I hear from divers and their reluctance to talk to employers. Some people may prefer private therapy, and it is useful to note that this is an option. Consider raising discussions about stress at work and support for psychological resilience as a general matter and connect with people in the industry who care about divers' mental health.

You can learn more about Dr Walton and her work here: https://blog.padi.com/diving-careers-interview-padi-staff-instructor-clinical-psychologist-laura-walton/
If you would like to hear more from Dr Walton, her clinical psychology services, or courses, please visit www.fittodive.org
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