Scuba diving therapy

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Scuba diving therapy is a type of treatment that consists of different scuba diving techniques and exercises. Essential elements are increased body awareness, social bonding, and breathing techniques. The goal is to improve physical and psychological well-being.[1]

Description

social dysfunction and depression.[1][2]

Types

Recreational diving as treatment

As other recreational sports, freediving and scuba-diving can provide immersive experiences that can help to reduce stress.[3] A study of Marlinge et al. (2019) has shown that scuba diving helped to promote relaxation which can lower levels of multiple stress markers like cortisol, copeptin and ischemia - modified albunim- A (IMA) levels.[4] Additionally, researchers from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine found scuba diving to result in a significant improvement of PTSD symptoms, a reduction of muscle spasticity by an average of 15% and more.[5]

Adaptive diving

Adaptive scuba diving is scuba diving by people with disabilities using techniques modified to allow the diver to participate as independently as their abilities allow. Learners are assessed according to their ability to perform each necessary skill-set.[6] Adaptations to procedures are made during training as applicable. It is possible that an adaptive diver may be certified at the same level as an able-bodied diver, but where this is not possible they may be certified to dive with a specially-trained dive buddy or buddies who can provide necessary assistance for acceptable safety.[6]

Adaptive diving is a safe form of diving that helps people with

self confidence, emotional calm, goal and purpose.[7]

A diving service provider would generally need to provide extra diving support staff to ensure acceptable safety for an adaptive diver. A medical professional would be consulted to assess the diver's prospective abilities and suitability for training. Modified diving equipment is a common requirement.[8]

Adaptive diving equipment

The diving industry can support adaptive divers by developing specialized equipment to help manage various problems. These include access to the water, which can utilise chair lifts or wheelchair ramps, vehicle modifications for wheelchairs, and hoists or cranes similar in principle to diving stages used by commercial divers, and lifting harness similar in principle to those used by surface supplied divers.[8]

Adaptive diving equipment includes specialized personal equipment, including protection of residual limbs and scar tissue, and propulsive equipment by way of customised fins for arms and legs, and inherently stable buoyancy control systems.[8]

Area of application

Scuba diving can decrease depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans and people that are dealing with such mental illnesses.[7] Diving allows patients to achieve a feeling of liberty, due to the concentration needed for the duration of the dive. This leads to an increase in mindfulness and a decrease in depression and anxiety levels. The risks that are involved in scuba diving may also lead to a decreased urge of control in life. This helps individuals achieve acceptance of uncontrolled events.[7] Next to a decrease in stress and anxiety, veterans participating in scuba diving also reported improved levels of concentration and focus.[9]

The use of diving in therapy, specifically scuba diving, is applied to a wide range of disorders.The therapeutic properties range from psychological to physiological treatments.[10] In Norway, for example, it is applied to people who have lost their vision, suffer from multiple sclerosis or amputees. The aim is to increase their sensory awareness and promote the strengthening of confidence.[10]

Military veterans may undergo therapeutic diving, when they suffer from physiological or psychological impairments, such as traumatic brain injuries or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).[10] Scuba diving has the potential to benefit veterans with PTSD, as they respond less to conventional treatments than the non-military populations.[11]

Diving therapy is advantageous for milder types of

neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder.[13]

Therapeutic scuba programmes are delivered by local or international organisations which have an interest in supporting the rehabilitation and recovery of people with physical or mental health conditions.[14]

Diving therapy is applied in different countries, ranging from Malaysia to the Bahamas, and the UK.[10][15][16]

Effectiveness

Scuba diving has proven to help with physical, mental and social issues. For people with physical disabilities, scuba diving can help improve their self-perception.[2] Through positive experiences and mastering the partly challenging techniques that are required in scuba diving, levels of self assessment can rise and levels of depression can significantly decrease. This can be explained by the reduced weight experienced in water, that accommodates people with disabilities to participate in physical activities. This allows the feeling of the disability to be diminished since individuals are not limited under water and they are even able to enhance their movement and improve their muscle strength.[2] Diving can give individuals a feeling of accomplishment and therefore an increase in the level of contentment.[7] Studies have also shown for scuba diving therapy to help with social interactions and relationships: Participants noted that scuba diving has helped them to regulate their mood and made them less irritable in daily life.[9] For some, even just thinking back to the dive can have a calming and relaxing effect. Apart from this, scuba diving can also have physical treatment effects. For instance, training to breathe under water can heal people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by increasing the peak and endurance exercise capacities.[2]

Scuba diving can decrease depression, anxiety and PTSD in military veterans and people that are dealing with such mental illnesses.[7] Diving allows patients to achieve a feeling of liberty, due to the concentration needed for the duration of the dive. This leads to an increase in mindfulness and a decrease in depression and anxiety levels. The risks that are involved in scuba diving may also lead to a decreased urge of control in life. This helps individuals achieve acceptance of uncontrolled events.[7]

Next to a decrease in stress and anxiety, veterans participating in scuba diving also reported improved levels of concentration and focus.[9]

Limitations

Many mental or physical health issues make it unsafe for a patient to undergo scuba treatment, as it requires processes such as

medical professional should evaluate the fitness-to-dive state of the patient.[14]

Specific psychiatric medications are not compatible with diving, and scuba therapy is not recommended when they are used.[14]

Higher costs are associated with scuba dive therapy, so the therapy is limited to patients who are able to finance it. Several organizations and

charities have started fundraising to make the therapy more accessible to lower-income patients.[2]

Scuba diving requires specialized equipment to ensure safety and comfort of the divers underwater. This leads to limitations due to the availability and cost of obtaining such equipment.[14]

Trained professionals are needed to supervise therapy dives to ensure safety.[14]

Training

Training as an

Adaptive Support Diver is provided by PADI, with the claimed goal of increasing awareness of diver's varying abilities and techniques applicable when diving with a buddy with a disability. The specialty training has prerequisites of Freediver or Open Water Diver certification and current Emergency First Response Primary and secondary care certification. Adequate buoyancy control and trim skills are also recommended.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^
    S2CID 49615858. Archived
    from the original on 2024-03-02. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  2. ^
    PMID 34073170
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  3. PMID 29326628
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  4. PMID 30912280
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  5. ^ "Scuba Diving Improves Function of Body, Mind in Vets with Spinal Cord Injury - 09/17/2011". www.hopkinsmedicine.org. Archived from the original on 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  6. ^ a b "Adaptive Scuba Diving". www.adaptivesportsfund.org. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  7. ^
    S2CID 219764802. Archived
    from the original on 2023-05-29. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  8. ^ a b c Hoser, Kenneth J. (1 August 2020). "Innovations in Adaptive Diving". Diver's Alert Network. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  9. ^
    S2CID 213837957
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  10. ^ a b c d Blogger, Guest (2022-08-04). "Diving as Therapy". blog.padi.com. Archived from the original on 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  11. S2CID 240154445. Archived
    from the original on 2024-03-02. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  12. PMID 35145610. Archived
    from the original on 2024-03-02. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  13. PMID 34897600. Archived
    from the original on 2024-03-02. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  14. ^ a b c d e f "Scuba Diving in Therapy | Information for Scuba Divers". FIT TO DIVE. Archived from the original on 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  15. ^ Editorial, DIVER (2020-03-30). "Diving therapy for PTSD sufferers". DIVER magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  16. ^ Russell, Mark 'Crowley' (2018-07-17). "New study confirms therapeutic benefits of scuba diving". DIVE Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  17. ^ "Adaptive Support Diver". www.padi.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
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