Now, as you mention claustrophobia ... for over 20 years ago when
I  took my "Open Water Diver" license, there was a girl of around
27-30  years who was with me in the training (Sweden). We were in
a  lake  at  around  -  3  mts  and, suddenly, she started with a
panik-claustrophobia  attack; she attempted, desperately, to take
off  all  of  the  equipment  (included a dry suit); I took her a
couple to the shore and told her: "no problem, you are safe" and,
in a matter of seconds, she was "normal" again. It was an amazing
situation:  the  panic took over and released her in seconds. She
would have been at risk if she did her first dive (as we all did)
to - 20 mts with free ascent from - 12 mts.

Some  human  ecologists have speculated that we have an intrinsic
fear  for  closed  spaces  and  water,  as  well,  due to natural
selection   from   the  time homnids lived on tree tops ... there
are  only  2  species of apes (one in japan, the other in Africa)
which go into the water ... the attraction for the ocean/water is
assumed  to  be part of a learning process in our childhood. What
do you think about this ?

Cheers,

       aldo


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DS> I can still recall - when I used to teach - people stating as
DS> their  reason for wanting to learn to dive, " 'cause I suffer
DS> from claustrophobia and have a fear of the water. Learning to
DS> dive will help me overcome those problems!" :-)