Open water swimming when panic strikes
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- Опубліковано 30 чер 2024
- You are not alone! Many swimmers experience a panic attack in open water at one time or another. Here I consider who does it affect? What are the triggers? Why do we have panic attacks when swimming in open water? What are the symptoms of a panic attack? What to do if panic strikes?
Panic attacks can be triggered by many things such as feeling vertigo in deep clear water, the intense cold of the water, a sudden feeling of isolation and just about anything else that you can think of. The important thing is to recognise a panic attack for what it is and to take steps to regain control.
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I have experienced a panic attack few days ago.Basically, I was swimming in rough sea , and after few meters I felt exhausted and I began panicking when the waves starts pulling me away .This triggered my Irritable bowel which made it worst causing me to throw up ,Thankfully my friend was nearby and I had to borrow his fins and I managed to go back as quick as possible.Know I learned that swimming is 90 % mental no matter how good u are in swimming.Thank you
+Fathi wow, I hope you’re feeling better and that it hasn’t totally put you off. Glad you were with someone and could ease the situation quickly. Swim safe x
Agree same happen with me
Thank you! I panic at times and wonder why that happened? It's mental! True true true👍🏻
I needed this video. NEEDED IT. I've only just started open water swimming, I've been twice... it always starts ok, but the first time I get a mouth of salt water instead of air, the panic starts. I breast stroke more than I should, while I can NEVER get my breathing under control... and watch other swimmers make it look effortless. I've been feeling like a real loser. So thank you, THANK YOOOU
Hang on in there Lorna, there's so much going on - cooler whole body sensations, what lies beneath, a gobful of water. It's easy to feel out of sorts. Swim for yourself, when you get worried, hang out looking at the sky and listen as your breathing calms down - look for shapes in the clouds or watch the a bird circling, you'll regain your composure and have the confidence that you know how to. Everyone has a panicky moment every once in a while. I occasionally become concerned that the water is too deep, even though I'm floating on the surface, I just have to call it out for what it is - irrational - and chill out by taking in what's around me. Thanks for watching my video 🏊😃
UPDATE! I've been swimming A LOT and training with a local group - next month I will make the swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco! I've been doing much better, thanks to some great UA-cam advice. Thanks, again! ❤️❤️❤️
@@lornaj3310 how exciting! What an iconic swim! Well done for getting this far! 🏊♀️😀
Glad to hear I'm not alone! I had one recently due to over-exerting myself in the cold but managed to 'talk' myself out of it with lots of deep breaths treading water. It soon passed thank goodness, I think you've just got to stay positive and smile, it works!
Like I say, it's a really common occurrence. Enjoy the water!
Helen McNeil Smile! That’s a great tip - “fake it ‘til you make it” sort of thing. i am smiling therefore I am enjoying this 😀😉
Open water + active imagination = panic
You're so right, it's about taking in what's actually there, rather than adding extras with your imagination! It can be a bit of a fight at times! Enjoy the water!
Thank you for being honest about panic attacks being more common.I had started to have second thoughts about me practicing swimming regularly. I am taking my time and this video is such a encouragement. 🙏🏻 Thank you!
Hi Gita, I'm thrilled to hear that this video helped. Take it steady getting back in and start with low expectations of the time you can stay in. 🏊😃
@@EverydayAthleteRach You are Awesome. 🙏🏻
I had a full on panic attack during the initial 500 yards of my first Ironman (140.6) in November. I was having a very hard time breathing. I directed my attention just to swim to the next buoy. Then eased time into that next buoy, finally my anxiety disappeared, and I was off....great video! Cheers
Great news that you were able to continue. It can be pretty frightening! Thanks for watching.
Oh wow, I’ve just come across this video whilst scrolling, and am so glad I did! It’s really reassuring to know that panicky moments happen to even the most experienced swimmers as I’ve been wondering if I’ll ever get over mine and should just stop... It’s something I’m working hard on, the result of being caught by a rip tide off the coast of Mozambique years and years ago. Being out of my depth and terrified that I won’t have the strength to swim back is what sets me off - not every time I swim, but enough times that I’m super cautious and risk-adverse. I fear I’m missing out on some of the joys of sea swimming as a result, so am working mind-and-body to conquer this! Thanks for your wisdom and advice! x
Hi Auri I'm pleased this video had something to reassure you in it. We can all get a bit of a scare sometimes, but it's how we deal with it that will set us up for next time. Keep going, you've got this x 🏊♀️😀
Woow, thank you so much.
Once had a panic attack on a lake as I got cramps and pain in my back as I realised I was further from shore than I expected. Tried to float on my back but got dizzy and disorientated, then just decided to rush to shore and got hyperventilated, and then started to laugh in panic (at that point it seemed funny to drawn like just 200meters from shore) which was a terrible experience.
The only think that saved my was to put my face in water and breathe slowly and count strokes in 10s towards the shore, as I could get in control of breath and reassured myself that I could get out.
Some feeling of panic kept returning occasionally even year after that, then I bought a tow float like one in the video and it was a game changer.
It is surprising how comforting a 25L bag of air can be if you have a wobble in the water. So pleased to hear that it has been a positive purchase. Keep on enjoying the water!
This happened to me twice in the last 12 months after decades of problem free sea swimming. Arms went weak 3/4 of the way around a mile and half island swim in Ireland. Started to hyperventilate and wetsuit felt like it was crushing me and restricting my breathing. The swell was increasing to 3ft waves at the roughest part of island. Felt close to drowning, but composed myself by floating on my back and letting the waves push me onto the flatter rocks on the island. Climbed onto the rocks on my hands and knees telling myself you are ok and safe now, felt huge relief. Was completely drained from it and I know I would not have made it any further . I have always noted exit routes on several swims around the island. I had a tow float, gloves and boots which saved me from getting cut on the rocks. The main take away from this, was that it can happen to anyone and being composed while very frightened and shocked probably saved my life. Having an exit strategy in my mind from other swims, a plan to float on my back and compose myself was crucial. It was a humbling experience for someone who always felt at home in the sea.
Wow! Thanks for sharing your experience. It's so frightening when you think you've lost control and panic sets in. It's happened to me on one or two occasions, which is why, like you, I always have an exit strategy and that is a comfort and a practical aid when panic strikes. Happy swimming!
I joined a sea swimming group at uni - they said they weren't competitive, just fun and having quick dip followed by hot chocolate, but the reality was someone blew a whistle and they all charged into the October sea, whilst I tried to keep up. I got into the sea faster than I ever have before and weirdly that wasn't the problem. I quickly found myself out of my depth, again not a problem, but it was the fact that I only took a couple of strokes and then turned around to find myself much further away from the shore than I'd imagined and that made me panic, especially when my fingers and feet stopped working so well. Being typically English I didn't want to cause a scene or embarrass myself, so I just had to have a stern talk with myself and tread water for a minute to calm down then kept my eye on the shore as I made my way back. It was terrifying in the moment and in hindsight I should have ignored the group who said wetsuits are for sissies. I feel the cold and think that a wetsuit, gloves and shoes would have been much better to start off with rather than a bikini!
Absolutley, wear what makes you feel comfortable and helps you to enjoy being in the water. Competition is motivational for some, but not so for others. Have another look for a local group, there'll definitly find one with likeminded swim friends waiting to welcome you. Well done for facing down the panic - it does take quite some focus to do so.
Such a useful video, thank you!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching. Panic happens to us all at one point or another. 😜🏊♀️
Thanks so much for making this. It's good to feel that Im not alone, and feeling alone definitely triggered mine. Worse, all the good ideas I had for how id handle one went out the window as my fight / flight kicked in. If it happens again, the encouragement from the video and comments below that it can be managed will see me thru!
You got this Daniel! Call out the panic and fear, relax and float and know you can sort the situation out. Take it one gentle breath at a time. Float, look at the sky, ease the breathing and restart swimming with your head up. Good luck 🏊😃
This video is so helpful to know I’m not alone in this. I’m quite an experienced open water swimmer (albeit breaststroke) and up until recently had never experienced panic in the water. 2 years ago I was swimming out quite far in the lake on a gorgeous sunny evening, but I was tired and a bit rundown before going. I looked behind me and saw that my tow float had unexpectedly deflated and wouldn’t re-inflate. For some reason this triggered a panic attack. It wasn’t logical, my friend had a tow float I could use and I was definitely perfectly capable of swimming back the distance to the shore. Ever since then I have experienced a mild fluttery panic feeling at least at one point in nearly every swim. I love swimming outdoors so I’m determined to not let it win but videos like this really help.
Hey Rachel I hope you're making progress against the frequent mini-panics. Sometime something just triggers us and away we panic, I'm sure with the support of your swim buddy and an inflated tow float the frequency will reduce. Enjoy the water x
Thank you for sharing this, I have found this helpful and informative. I find it really bizarre (having swum open water for about 50 years, how sometimes the panic just comes, it is reassuring to hear that it hapoens to us all. ,🤗
It’s funny that it just creeps up when you’re not expecting it. Had it once so far this year, but the next one could be just around the corner! Recognising it and calling it out for the irrational feeling that it is works best for me, once I’ve regained my composure! 🏊♀️😀
Thank you for all these wonderful and helpful tips, great videos, many more to watch. I just found you and have happily subscribed. Happy swimming 🏊♀️
You are so welcome Lena! Thank you for subscribing. Which are of the world are you in? 🏊😄
Great! Thank you!
I hope it’s given you a few ideas to be going on with. Enjoy the water 🏊♀️😀
Like your tips immensely, they are really down to water, practical and bring out into the open what still seems kind of taboo, never addressed before in such detail. Thank you very much.
Thank you for your lovely comment Brigitt, nice to have you along. I like to encourage people to make sensible decisions to get involved with outdoor swimming 😀🏊♀️
Excellent and practical
Thank you for watching. Enjoy the water
I did my first open water "swim" yesterday. I was really excited and thought that I would like it, but damn that turned out differently. The water was pretty cold (13 C°), so I wore a wetsuit and neopreen cap and felt good when I walked in. I did some acclimatisation standing on my feet and then as soon as I went horizontally and tried to start my stroke the panic kicked in. I forgot how to breath, and all swimming technic was out of the window. In the end I only went in 2 times but I couldn't get my breathing and technic under control. Im a bit surprised because I did a lot of scuba dives so I thought I wouldn't be scared by the vastness and darkness of the water. I'll wait for the water to get a bit warmer and try again. I experienced kind of brainfreeze and felt a reflex of holding my breath as soon as I put my face in the water. Maybe it is the cold.
ooph! It is cold to bet straight in and putting your face in. Don't give up, like you say, wait a little and then try again when it's a bit warmer. Start with some heads up breast stroke to acclimatise then just a stroke or two with your face in, before gradually building up to front crawl. You'll get there. 🏊😃
Thank you so much😊❤️
You’re welcome 😊 🏊😄
Love this, thank you! Really helped 💙
Hi @EllieMarieTV I’m pleased to hear that it helped. Swim easy and bravely, you’ve got this 🏊♀️😀
U have great tips here! New subscriber
Hey Margrette welcome along. Thanks for joining me I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the video 🏊♀️😀
Great video. Gotta understand the open water regardless of swimming ability
Absolutely. That’s why I always spend my first minute noting what is going on and what, if any, current there is. Thanks for watching, and for the comment, much appreciated 🏊♀️😀
Thanks a lot
Most welcome 🏊😃
Hi Rachel,
I was pleased I had watched this video when I had a bit of a panic today. I am on holiday in Suffolk and went for a swim at Walberswick. There was a lot of surf and there were plenty of people in the water. I suddenly realised that because of the offshore wind I was positioned a bit further from shore than I expected. I felt anxious and uncomfortable. I remembered that you had advised to swim on your back, and I did this, taking some deep breaths, and tried to calm myself. I had a swim float another of your recommendations and I think I was clinging on to it quite tightly while I kicked with my legs to propel myself towards the shore. No harm done, and for many it may have not appeared that I was in any danger but it was a really good lesson for me today, that the sea always has the upper hand and must be respected!
Thanks for getting in contact.I'm really pleased to hear that you found the video helpful and even remembered some of the tips when it came to it. Great that you were able to bring yourself back in safely and that the strategies worked. Enjoy the water!
Awesome informative encouraging video 👌👌
Thanks a lot, I hope it encourages people to give it a go and that panic will pass 🏊😃
Thank you for this video. I’ve been having panic attacks over the last few days whilst swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. I’ve been swimming all summer open water with my tri-club in Kent. And feel very strong and confident swimming. When my first panic attack happened. I had just swam around a mile very fast and stopped in deep water with nothing to hold onto. My arms felt floppy and I became very fearful that something dreadful was about to happen. I immediately got onto my back but still felt vulnerable although this basically felt that it was saving my life. I began breathing In rhythms and told myself I would be ok. I looked around and saw other swimmers relaxed which at the time I wanted to call to but felt unable to. I begun breast stroke and gently moving towards base (pontoon) and felt I was moving backwards. This made me feel panicky so I got back on my back until I relaxed. I managed to shrug it off nearer to pontoon and swam extremely strong again. The next day I got back into the sea and around 300 metres out it happened again. I did the same drill as day before and got out of the sea. Today I entered the sea swam around 20 metres out and begun doing lengths in cordoned area. After around 10 mins I had another panic attack (they are an awful feeling) I did my drill and exited. I ended up doing my workout in the hotel swimming pool. Tomorrow I want to swim in the sea and I am going to!! I will do my drill if I have a panic attack and then carry on swimming once I’ve gained control. I’m determined to get my love of the ocean back. It’s soo painful to experience this but on the other hand I’m learning a life lesson here and will embrace this 🙌
Thank you for this video as I felt that my ocean swimming is finished for good 😞 and that something is wrong with me!!
Hi Jason I'm sorry to hear that you experienced panic on your Med swims. How did the next day's ocean swim go? I think you are doing just the right thing, calling out the feeling and knowing it is just a trick of the mind. Are you swimming with a tow float? They can provide some comfort and a way to make yourself seen, if you do need to get some help. Consider swimming close to the beach, and along the beach so that at any point you are not far from being able to put your feet down, or get out if you're not feeling it. If I get a bit panicky I like to roll on to my back and look at the sky, take some deep breaths and think about what I like about swimming outdoors. Then I do a bit of breaststroke and gradually get back into front crawl. If you find you are not making ground towards your target, you may well not be, so swim sideways and you'll cut across any current that could be affecting you. Swim safe and be kind to yourself Jason 🏊😃
Thanks for this. Really helpful. I’ve only been outdoor swimming for a year, and a bit of a fair weather swimmer at that. I absolutely love it, love the rush of the cold and love being with nature and the elements but sometimes I panic about suddenly feeling stranded in the middle of water and my chest feels tight and I start panic. Most recently in the London docks and I started to feel sick due to panic when I was at the furthest most point . I told myself I just had to get back to the start and I would be fine and as soon as I got closer I was. But feeling nervous about going back in as I worry it will happen again. However hearing you say it won’t happen every time is helpful, plus tactics so I can carry on a bit further next time. Thank you
Hi Jessica, how did you get on over the summer? I'm sorry I forgot to reply to your comment.
I had a panic attach about 2 summers ago, I haven't been back swimming in open water since, and after that, I had some attacks in the swimming pool as well.However, now I am able to be in control. Need to test open water again, but the tips and technics are great. Thanks,
thank you :)
Hope it gives you some ideas 🏊♀️😀
I got stuck coming back as the current changes in that area, and had always swum in calm water to that point. I was too far out, and seemed to be going backwards, out to sea. It was a real struggle getting back, and as a result, I've not gone that way on my own again. Horrible moments.
Sounds like a really frightening experience. Good
I have been caught out a couple of times but i tell myself not to panic, take it nice and easy and to not try to rush back to the shore.
Good tip! It's good to collect yourself and work out what to do to get out of the situation than thrash about and make things feel worse! 🏊😄
My son encouraged me to swim out to the large buoy while we were at the beach and I became really tired before we even reached the buoy. I knew it was a bad idea shortly after I started but I was stupid and kept going. I was exhausted on the way back and honestly thought I was going to drown. Normally I can float on my back for long periods of time with little effort but I think because I was panicking and out of breath, I wasn’t able to calm down. I managed to eventually get to where I could touch the bottom. I keep replaying this episode in my mind and feel like I want to recreate the scenario in order to overcome this. Any advice ?
Hi John, that sounds like a frightening experience, there is no point in replicating it through. I always swim parallel to the beach so that if I get tired or something I can always get out. There is nothing to prove about swimming to a buoy and everything to lose. As the temperature drops, remember to reduce your time in the water too. Enjoy the water!
I swam across a wide length at dawn alone and this time did not have a panic attack at any point although it has happened to me in the past when I am far from land...it happened to me swimming far from the coast in Thailand...I thought of your video and it helped reassure me....I didn't feel alone....thank you very much....I stopped swimming let my body sink to the vertical position and even let my head dip under the surface then popped back up and took deep breaths.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m so pleased to hear you were able to take a moment or two out and just ‘be’ before completing your swim. The fear can strike any of us at any time. Well done for getting through it safely 🏊♀️😀
@@EverydayAthleteRach thanks a lot...I have struggled with panic attacks most of my life and overcoming my fear by swimming is very therapeutic for me I think....something makes me want to go out in open water and challenge or transcend my fears but this also leads me to do over ambitious swims of 7 or 5 kms alone at age 60 in rivers with strong currents at seas or crossing lakes...it is a s if there is a part of my which is playing Russian roulette with fate or perhaps it is something transcendental....hard to say. I am a strong swimmer as were my father and grandfather. Does anyone else struggle with apparently ambivalent drives: saftey vs adventure and braving danger?
Had to search for this. I swam out to rocks easily with the waves in my favour. However on the way back, the shore seemed so far away and the tide was against me. I panicked. It was utterly terrifying. I headed towards rocks and was getting smashed against the rocks. However I climbed over them and back into the water on the other side where I was totally calm again. It was a terrifying experience. I imagine this is how people drown
That sounds like you had a terrible time. Are you over it now, and can get back in again? I like to swim parallel to the beach, there is coastal traffic in this area, but it also means that I'm never that far from being able to get out. I hope some of the strategies in the video will be in the back of your mind should panic strike again 🏊😄
I often have a moment when I'm starting to swim crawl in rivers. Absolutely fine in the sea, but rivers something in my brain has a little moment.
I do need to get my crawl back on point though.
Oh, and sometimes if I run out of cake 🍰
Shayne Taylor I hear you on the cake front! I’m generally more at ease in the sea too.
New subscriber from South Korea. 🌍🌍🌍
Welcome along! Hope you enjoy the content. Thanks for subbing! 🏊😄
Which part of South Korea are you from?
@@EverydayAthleteRach Masan city. sothern area of the peninsula.
I haven’t been to Masan City but I fleetingly visited Pusan on my way to a week’s holiday in Jeju Island a long time ago. It was beautiful.
@@EverydayAthleteRach 40min away from Pusan. Thank you for your warm reply.
I have a huge fear of what is beneath me in the sea, plus when I put my face in the water, I am going to see a big shadow below me. I know it sounds stupid. Most people laugh when I mention this, but it really does haunt me when out of my depth. Does anyone have any tips? All the best.
Perhaps start swimming outdoors on overcast days, there'll be no shadow.. 🏊😃
I already had panick attack in water - wearing liife jacket… that’s the reason why I will never learn to swim…
even if I could swim, I would be horrified to know that I am at the mercy of a mass of water surging beneath me that could swallow me at any moment
That's a horrible feeling, but learning to swim would give you confidence to know what to do if it happened again. Being in the water is such a wonderful and liberating feeling, I hope you can learn to swim or float in water that you can stand up in.
How to deal with floating poop if it touches your face/mouth?
+dindoonuttin wazzenme keep your mouth shut I reckon n have a shower when u get out. Didn’t see any floating excrement on this swim thankfully 🏊♀️😀
+dindoonuttin wazzenme I haven’t seen any floating poop, but if I did, I would swim around it
Yes but how can i float like that while there are like 2 meters waves hitting me and pushing me further from the beach?. Also, i had like a "trauma", where i was in a beach with my dad and brother. We got very far from the coast, and we couldnt touch the floor. There was very high waves, and my dad and brother were like 4 mts away from me. The panic wouldnt let me do anything. I was like " hel-" and the water was like covering me and i couldnt scream. Its like panic doesnt let u do anything. All u think is "im going to die, thats it". Since that time, i never touched the water. And when i see my dad and mom or brother on the water, im scared.
+Juancho VP that sounds like a very frightening experience. If you want to it might be worth having an introductory outdoor swimming session with a coach to help you gain confidence. Having a towfloat can help although it is not a lifesaving piece of equipment. Starting off by getting in when the sea is calm and staying within your depth can also help x
@@EverydayAthleteRach Thanks!
I should add it was torrential rain so perhaps that’s didn’t help!
Torrential rain can be a bit disorientating because it reduces visibility so you can feel more remote than you are. I'm sure that clearer weather will be easier. Good luck x
if i am alone i feel like something is going to eat me suddenly,,and there i take the decision of fight or flight mode,,why is that so heppening,,if i am just in water not deep but only as my feet but if i cant see what is goin in there still the same thing heppen,,i donno from where that monkey rises,,,but suddenly ill throw what ever in my hand and fly,,but if i have some one near me,,no problrm,,,can even go to 30meteres without a single stress,,,,,
Just take things steady Azim. Try swimming with your head-up to start with, when you get scared, notice that it is just a feeling, float and take in your surroundings, get your breathing back to normal and carry on. It is always nice to swim with someone else too, have you thought about joinoing or starting a group? 🏊😄
They wouldn’t have to be afraid if there wasn’t so many attacks
I’m lucky to live in the UK where the most likely ‘attack’ will be a sting from a jellyfish. Or a staring seal.