Stress
signs can be subtle or overt,
and they can be confused
with other behaviors
that have nothing to do
with stress, so both steps
are important. For example,
suppose you see a diver
standing with folded arms
before a dive. You check
for cold (physical stress)
by noting what clothing
the diver wears, whether
he's shivering. What you
see may confirm or refute
your suspicion, but the
surest action is simply
to ask the diver, "Are
you cold?"
Psychological stress sings
often appear as behavior
changes; for example, a
talkative diver may become
quiet and withdrawn, while
a quiet diver may start
chattering and asking many
questions. A diver experiencing
psychological stress predive
may laugh, be angry, or
procrastinate and delay
the dive. Underwater, look
for changes in normal abilities,
rapid breathing, equipment
complications and unnecessary
hand or fin sculling. A
diver who is near panic
and has perceptual narrowing
may not respond to signals,
may have wide, unseeing
eyes, and may keep repeating
an incorrect or ineffective
response to a problem. At
the surface, a highly stressed
diver may release his regulator
and push off his mask (equipment
rejection), and tread high
in the water with an empty
BCD and weights still in
place; such a diver is on
the verge of complete panic.
