SH267: “Diver's depression” It's time to tackle stigma and taboos

About this episode

This episode discusses the importance of addressing mental health issues within the diving community and the role of trust and communication in ensuring safety underwater.

This episode explores the link between diving, mental health, and trust, showing that anxiety, depression, and therapy are common parts of normal life and are also present in the diving community. Many divers hide mental health challenges or medication use because they fear judgment, exclusion, or losing opportunities, which actually makes diving less safe. The key message is that safety underwater depends more on trust between people than on equipment, and that honesty and psychological safety in a dive team allow divers to support each other properly. The episode explains that common treatments like antidepressants are not the real risk — the real danger comes from silence, stigma, and poor communication. It also highlights how diving can improve mental wellbeing, helping people feel calm, focused, and connected. Overall, the message is simple: openness about mental health is not weakness — it’s responsibility, professionalism, and an important part of keeping each other safe underwater. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/post/diver-s-depression-it-s-time-to-tackle-stigma-and-taboos Sources St Leger Dowse, M. et al. (2019) – Diving and mental health: The potential…

People in this episode

Host: Gareth Lock

Topics covered

• mental health
• diving
• trust
• anxiety
• depression
• communication
• safety

Keywords

• diver's depression
• mental health
• diving community
• anxiety
• therapy
• stigma
• communication

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Human Diver, St Leger Dowse, M. et al.

Books & works: Diving and mental health: The potential benefits and risks from a survey of recreational scuba divers

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