Has anyone with AS or NLD ever taken SCUBA diving lessons?

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I like snorkeling and have always wanted to take SCUBA lessons just so I could stay under longer, but still only in pretty shallow water.. I was wondering if anyone here has ever taken SCUBA diving lessons and if so, how did it go? Would this be something that someone with an ASD be be o..k. trying out or is it something that we shouldn't attempt?

***EDITED TO ADD: ALSO, there's an Important possible issue with this class-- maybe some of you with experience could tell me if this is right or wrong.. typical or atypical:

O.K., here's the situation. I've been taking this class for 2 days so far and it is a total of 4 mostly full days.. in other words, I'm half way through.. We have gone down to the deep end of the pool, practiced "buddy-breathing" and clearing our masks.. putting gear on in the pool and putting weight belt on submerged at the bottom of the pool.. and other tasks... The only problem I've had so far is when my flippers fell off, I had 15 pounds of weight in the weight-belt and couldn't find the BC inflator because it had fallen off it's velcro attachment and I didn't have my mask on. I ended up strong-arming it to the shallow end of the pool and was a bit unnerved because the weights had started to drag me under and I couldn't find the BC.. I later realized I could just breathe into the regulator even without a mask.. but I had just decided to swim to the shallow end where the others were gathering anyway.. When this happened, I had only been in the pool with scuba gear on for maybe an hour or so.. anyway, it was a tad scary... After I told the instructor what happened, he barked at me that he wouldn't certify me if I didn't know how to deal with loosing pieces of my equipment and then he said we will all have to learn to deal with those circumstances... o.k....

HERE"S THE potential problem: The instructor said that later, they would tape up our masks completely to simulate Zero visibility (there are only 3 people in the class and we all are female) and the male instructors would try to cause us to panic by turning off our tanks, and playing with us, etc.. maybe hiding the BC from me.. etc.. all under water.. The thought of 2 or 3 strange males screwing with me underwater with my mask taped over, trying to cause me to panic, not knowing where the BC is, etc.. well... and the fact that I may have already inadvertently irritated the instructor... well, all seems like a recipe for disaster... especially since I have NLD, I can sometimes get tangled up in all the tubes, etc.. This would happen at the end of the last day, the 4th day when we would have really probably only have had maybe 4-5 hours or so with the SCUBA gear actually on... most of the instruction is in a classroom..

I've read in other diving forums where they've said that they don't tape masks anymore, but this guy is some type of heavy-duty rescue guy that works for the government -- he told me he has pulled people off the bottom of a lake and that they can still be resussitated even after an HOUR!?? Anyway, ended up telling us how much more comprehensive his "recreational SCUBA diving" class is than regular classes.... I did NOT know this when I paid the $180... and I don't really want to have to be resussitated even if for him it's no big deal... you know?

All I wanted to do was just some shallow diving and be able to stay underwater at the reefs longer than while snorkeling... I had started to study SCUBA many years ago at a Community College, but had to drop out because of an ear infection.. They never mentioned anything about taping masks at that class, although I did learn how to avoid most of the dangers with scuba diving back then and just wanted to finally go about getting my certification.. Does this method of taping up masks and screwing with the student's equipment after they've only been in the water for maybe 5 hours or so, seem right to you all who have had SCUBA training? and if you went through this method, how did you deal with it?

Maybe some people who aren't on the spectrum could respond to this too? although, I think most everyone here has an ASD... I'm just really concerned and don't need to be traumatized by life anymore than I already have been, you know? If I feel to picked on, I also sometimes can
get instinctively angry from past abuse... not a good situation, you know?

I'd really appreciate input on this.. The instructor told me that they will try to unnerve us and make us panic so as to train us how to handle a real situation... I'm only going into high-visibility reefs and shallow diving, but anyway... maybe I should try and get some type of refund and go to another class altogether? I'm afraid of the day when that happens... or .. maybe he was just trying to scare us and they aren't really planning on doing that? But that is exactly what he said they would do... I'm not sure whether to believe it or not, but I'm starting to think it's true -- that they are planning on doing this to us... One of the students actually admitted from the start that she has asthma and she has gotten quite panicky already just in clearing the masks.. the other student can't seem to keep water out of her nose and has surfaced really quickly several times... Fortunately, the only problem I've had was when the cheap fins wouldn't stay on and the BC was not staying on it's velcro attachment and was falling way behind all the gear and getting tangled behind the gauge -- that's more of an equipment problem.... but I don't think I'll be dealing with the mask taping very well if that's what they really are planning to do... That's almost like sensory depravation... no vision, no hearing (not much underwater).. no smell -- the only air is coming through the tank... and having a large strange man as well as the instructor poke at me and turn my air off, etc... The instructor did teach us how to turn the air back on underwater and went around turning the tank off numerous times without our knowing... but I was expecting it then and I could see.. that was maybe after being in SCUBA gear for about 3 hours..

Anyway, sorry for the long post... but I'm wondering if this is normal and how a person with an ASD might handle the taped mask, poking, etc.. underwater... For that matter, maybe how well anyone might handle this situation, ASD or not??

L

It was fine for me. I took lessons in the Puget Sound in November, so it was pretty cold. Used a wet suit, not a dry suit. On the second dive each day I had a some pain in my ears during descent. After a few minutes at the bottom it equalized.

Are you concerned with something in particular? Part of the training is done in the deep end of a swimming pool so you'll get used to being 10+ feet down.

I honestly wouldn't have a problem with it. I caint afford the lessons, but I think it would be fun.

I think the biggest concern would be that you have to trust the instuctor guy, I'm not good at trusting people.

I've never had a problem with it. It's easy to understand because all the processes are logical and have good reasons behind them, and the communication is clear and simple - defined gestures only (unless you write on a slate, which I've done). I don't think there's any reason at all why an ASD would make a difference here.
I suppose the only issues would be if you were to have a problem (i.e., meltdown or something) underwater.

I've been diving seven years (AOW, two extra specialties, doing RD now) and I haven't had any problems - other than with equalization due to an inner ear problem.

I had no problem learning. I love the pressure of the water when I am down deep, the only issues are getting in the water and coming out for me (the change in being dry to being wet is uncomfortable) plus the heavy equipment (live in the N, need wetsuit and weights, etc, etc) and sometimes the pressure on the ears. Being underwater is like being in another world, I swear time goes faster while underwater. If you learn it, you will not regret it.

always wanted to try it. I mostly swim underwater anyway.

O.K., here's the situation. I've been taking this class for 2 days so far and it is a total of 4 mostly full days.. in other words, I'm half way through.. We have gone down to the deep end of the pool, practiced "buddy-breathing" and clearing our masks.. putting gear on in the pool and putting weight belt on submerged at the bottom of the pool.. and other tasks... The only problem I've had so far is when my flippers fell off, I had 15 pounds of weight in the weight-belt and couldn't find the BC inflator because it had fallen off it's velcro attachment and I didn't have my mask on. I ended up strong-arming it to the shallow end of the pool and was a bit unnerved when the weights started to drag me under and I couldn't find the BC, but I knew I could just breathe into the regulator even without a mask.. When this happened, I had only been in the pool with scuba gear on for maybe 1 hour.. anyway, it was a tad scary... After I told the instructor what happened, he barked at me that he wouldn't certify me if I didn't know how to deal with loosing pieces of my equipment and then he said we will all have to learn to deal with those circumstances... o.k....

HERE"S THE potential problem: The instructor said that later, they would tape up our masks completely to simulate Zero visibility (there are only 3 people in the class and we all are female) and the male instructors would try to cause us to panic by turning off our tanks, and playing with us, etc.. maybe hiding the BC from me.. etc.. all under water.. The thought of 2 or 3 strange males screwing with me underwater with my mask taped over, trying to cause me to panic, not knowing where the BC is, etc.. well... and the fact that I may have already inadvertently irritated the instructor... well, all seems like a recipe for disaster... especially since I have NLD, I can sometimes get tangled up in all the tubes, etc.. This would happen at the end of the last day, the 4th day when we would have really probably only have had maybe 4-5 hours or so with the SCUBA gear actually on... most of the instruction is in a classroom..

I've read in other diving forums where they've said that they don't tape masks anymore, but this guy is some type of heavy-duty rescue guy that works for the government and he is telling us how much more comprehensive his "recreational SCUBA diving" class is than regular classes.... I did NOT know this when I paid the $180...

All I wanted to do was just some shallow diving and be able to stay underwater at the reefs longer than while snorkeling... I had started to study SCUBA many years ago at a Community College, but had to drop out because of an ear infection.. They never mentioned anything about taping masks at that class, although I did learn how to avoid most of the dangers with scuba diving back then and just wanted to finally go about getting my certification.. Does this method of taping up masks and screwing with the student's equipment after they've only been in the water for maybe 5 hours or so, seem right to you all who have had SCUBA training? and if you went through this method, how did you deal with it?

Maybe some people who aren't on the spectrum could respond to this too? although, I think most everyone here has an ASD... I'm just really concerned and don't need to be traumatized by life anymore than I already have been, you know? If I feel to picked on, I also sometimes can
get instinctively angry from past abuse... not a good situation, you know?

I'd really appreciate input on this.. I kindof wish I had spelled this out more in my original post and hope the people who have responded and have experience here will let me know what they think of the mask-taping method and the instructors playing games with the students... The instructor told me that they will try to unnerve us and make us panic so as to train us how to handle a real situation... I'm only going into high-visibility reefs and shallow diving, but anyway... maybe I should try and get some type of refund and go to another class altogether? I'm afraid of the day when that happens... or .. maybe he was just trying to scare us and they aren't really planning on doing that? But that is exactly what he said they would do... I'm not sure whether to believe it or not, but I'm starting to think it's true -- that they are planning on doing this to us... One of the students actually admitted from the start that she has asthma and she has gotten quite panicky already just in clearing the masks.. the other student can't seem to keep water out of her nose and has surfaced really quickly several times... Fortunately, the only problem I've had was when the cheap fins wouldn't stay on and the BC was not staying on it's velcro attachment and was falling way behind all the gear and getting tangled behind the gauge -- that's more of an equipment problem.... but I don't think I'll be dealing with the mask taping very well if that's what they really are planning to do... That's almost like sensory depravation... no vision, no hearing (not much underwater).. no smell -- the only air is coming through the tank... and having a large strange man poke at me and turn my air off, etc... this sounds really creepy to me....

L

I've never taken scuba diving lessons, but I don't think I ever would, because I don't like the way my ears feel when I get more than a few feet underwater. The pressure really bothers me.

Yeah, I am a registered SCUBA diver, it is extremely fun.

I agree, I don't think that I would like 2-3 strange boys trying really hard to freak me out in a potential place for me to have a melt down. Sounds bad.

I've tried to take snorkeling lessons at various resorts, but I panic with the feeling of not being able to breathe and usually abandon all hope. I'm terrified of water since my ex tried to drown me several years ago. So, water sports are not something I enjoy. I couldn't do it. KUDOS to you that you can!

I got scuba certified out in hawaii. I had two issues, one was I couldn't get myself stabilized (I would sink or float, there was no in between). The other was that out in hawaii the water looks so clear that the bottom looks only 5 feet away, then when you get in the bottom is actually about 40 feet down. (I am afraid of hieghts).

Other than that, the wet suit felt weird pulling it off but was fine on.

Hey Kit,

I have that problem with the weights too... I think I ultimately ended up with too many weights -- over 15 pounds of them.. and if you loose your fins and can't find the BC to fill up the vest, well.. it was a bit of a struggle to stay above water (my mask was around my neck and I was having a hard time treading water and trying to put the mask on at the same time...) Anyway, I managed to get to the shallow end.. I would have ended up just breathing through the regulator otherwise, just without the mask on.. and eventually would have gotten the mask back on... but it was kindof unnerving when the weights had started to wear me down from treading water with them on...

I've not taken as many courses as I rightfully should have, but I've studied in a few different places and have never encountered the mask-taping and so on in an Open Water certification course. Yes, I've seen instructors remove part or all of the student's equipment (once your mask is off, you're essentially blind underwater anyway) and require the student to "dress" underwater - that's important. I've also seen the student required to shut off the tank as part of this exercise (though I can't remember if this was in an OW course or not) - I suppose it isn't that much of a stretch for the instructor to shut it off. But I've never heard of the mask being taped; nor of things like the tank being shut off without the student's prior knowledge. This "screwing with the student" might work in a military course or something like that - but to me, and I am definitely no expert, it sounds very strange for any recreational course - especially OW (to me, when you get your Rescue Diver, you stop being "recreational" - and while we did work unsighted in RD prep, it wasn't like you're describing).

So, in a nutshell: yes, this does seem quite unusual to me. This isn't a PADI course, is it? Because I think PADI might have something to say about those teaching methods. (But again... not an expert. Can't say for sure.)

More information in PM, if you have any questions or anything.

i know i had some issues when i got certified. in the pool, i lost my regulator (as part of the exercise) and couldn't retrieve it...panicked and shot out of the water, narrowly missing the slide that was right above me...i also had problems when i had to remove my mask and then put it back on and clear it...i panicked then and started to hyperventilate.
before doing my openwater certification, i spoke to my instructor about these issues, and lucky for me he was very understanding, and we just worked out a way for me to know i was safe and not have to panic.
first time i went diving at the lake at our cottage, though, i panicked and shot out of the water...good thing we were only about five or ten feet down. apparently i don't do weeds and logs very well. but i do love being underwater without having to come up for air. and i wish i had more time to indulge in it. it's been a few years since i have done any diving, and would probably need a refresher course at this point. and the thought of going through it all again is actually kinda scary.
as for the taping of the masks and all that you say they are planning to do, if you have serious issue with this, i would definately speak to the dive master before hand and let him know your concerns. maybe he can let you know exactly what he will be doing or even do something that doesn't involve what he originally planned. hopefully, he will be understanding. good luck!

I've always wanted to because Marine life is one of my obsessions. The local aquarium willl let you scubba dive in the shark tank if you are a certified scubba diver and the zoo is always looking for them to clean the manatee tank.