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…
More episodes of Counter-Errorism in Diving: Applying Human Factors to Diving
- SH273: What story gets told? What words are used? Who gets to the tell the multiple stories?
- SH272: Seeing what is ‘unseen’: applying human factors to citizen science
- SH271: When the Story Hurts Too Much to Change
- SH270: Safe diving starts from the system. Not from the human.
- SH269: What Is the Purpose of an Investigation in Diving?
- SH268: The Hidden Cost of "Never Show Weakness": Why Hiding Instructor Errors Undermines Dive Safety
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