I'm Scared

[upsideout 0]

Hi all. New here so go easy . I completed my AFF last year but since then every time the weekend comes around I'm finding it ever harder to actually go to the dz. During the week I cant think about anything else but as it gets closer the excitement turns to extreme nervousness and I finally end up not going .

Performed a search of the forums and found a lot of interesting stuff on fear and dealing with such feelings, but most of that is for the ride to altitude and I can't seem to even get to that point .

I don't want fear to stop me from continuing in this sport as it is truly a wonderful thing but at the moment I can't seem to get my head around it at all.

Any wise words would be a great help.

Thanks.

[labrys 0]

Try going to the DZ without intending to jump. Talk to experienced people there about your feelings. Just hang out and enjoy the vibe. You may decide to go ahead and jump.

Do you jump at a small or large DZ? If you do decide to jump, tell manifest that you are nervous. If they have a large staff they may have a few instructors who are known to work well with people who are feeling the way you do. This is the case at my home DZ.

Owned by Remi #?

[Adriandavies 0]

It happens to a lot of people, me included. When I was doing my AFF I felt physically sick and almost talked my self out of completing the course. During the AFF I hurt my knee when landing and almost quit, but after my knee recovered (within 48 hours) I made sure that I was on the first lift of the day. I have never looked back since that moment or regretted the decision I made. I still get nervous but that is a small feeling in comparison to the enjoyment I get from jumping.

Overall though it has to be you who makes the decision to overcome the fear that you are feeling. No one will look down at you for deciding not to jump, after all you have all proved that you have the balls and the skills needed for freefall, whilst the feelings you have are also a natural reaction to taking part in an extreme sport.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do but I hope you continue to skydive.

[L.O. 0]

I am going to give you the tuff love speech. If you are not strong enough to overcome your fear and apprehension, move on. Perhaps skydiving is not for you. Bowling is awesome as long as you don't let your fear of gutter balls freak you out.

I'm just kidding, sorry. Seriously though, this is personal and you will have to overcome your fear, no one here is going to do it for you. Fear can be very dangerous in this sport, if you get to unsettled you can f-up and thats not like throwing a gutter ball. I wish you good luck in finding yourself and your inner peace. It becomes a relaxation tool. For me if I go more then a week without a jump I am noticeably agitated and unhappy. I hope you can one day reach that level. Again good luck.

HPDBs, I hate those guys.
AFB, charter member.

[FlyinseivLP2 0]

I know it is tough but make yourself jump just one more time. If it has been awhile since you jump you need to get the feel of it again. Then that jump will probably make the decision, to continue on or not, for you. Usually when I see this happen, once they get past that one jump things get alot easier.
I remember going through AFF. I was on the way to altitiude for my level 5. I was so scared I was thinking this is the dumbest thing you have done. I said to myself that one I got on the ground I would not come back. I made that jump only because I did not want to be the chicken. I went on to make 412 jumps that year. Good luck.

[Feeblemind 1]

Upside,

All will be well!! I agree with the others statements on going to the DZ and not going with the 100% I am gonna jump attitude. If you hang around the landing and packing areas an up jumper will usually spark up a conversation. Once you hang out and get the positive vibes flowing you'll want to get back in the air. I too suffered from door anxiety until jump 30 or so.

If worse comes to worse, head out to davis, Calif. and we'll take you up

Fire Safety Tip: Don't fry bacon while naked

[Dougiefresh 0]

Have you thought about doing a tandem to get back in the air? It might just remind you why you love this sport.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams

[BIGUN 1,051]

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During the week I cant think about anything else but as it gets closer the excitement turns to extreme nervousness and I finally end up not going

Well, stop thinking, over-analyzing and researching over it and get in the car and go.

If you wanna look something up, look up some stuff on desensitization therapy - now let me save you some time & money; the more you do something that causes you concern, the less apprehensive it becomes.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[jheadley 0]

I definitely know how you feel buddy. When I was on AFF, when I was driving to the dropzone, the closer and closer I got my heart would start beating faster and faster. I would usually just hang out for a few hours and get comfortable being there before I even went to manifest and ask to jump, you might want to try that.

[dharma1976 0]

dude I have the same feelings especially when I am in the last 10 miles of getting to the dropzone...its like wow I havent jumped in like a week...god my cnaopy scares me...oh my god the scary jumpers scare me...and wow malfuncitons scare me...and fucking up scares me and a lot of things scare me....

I think it is kinda healthy to have some fear about this sport...It reminds us that "this aint no book club we're all gonna die" and keeps us from becoming complacent in our safety checks and keeps us on our toes...

Then as soon as I am on the plane I am like oooohhhhh yeah this is what I needed....get out the door and relax...and when suddenly I am faced with a 180 turn right into a guy who tracked int he same direction over me I am on my toes and ready to rock and roll...

so your fear is healthy keep it own it love it and use it to keep you safe and alive and in one piece...but dont think that it is a reason to stop skydiving...

Cheers

Dave

http://www.skyjunky.com

CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing.

[only_at_120 0]

I know how you feel!! I am in the same place as you. Made 5 tandems and 8 solo's and the last jump was a little harry! Long story short, on IV, (2nd jump) my legs went to my butt and off I went, (I am very small like 95lbs) when my AFF Instructor caught me, he had to maneuver around me and he did pull my ripcord! He said I was fighting him..I don't know why. But had he not been my size and extremely good I could have gotten hurt. He saved my butt! But now I have more fear than I had before.
The door is my relief, once I'm in the door I will be alright and ready to go, but I just got to get myself back in the plane.

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

Quote

During the week I cant think about anything else but as it gets closer the excitement turns to extreme nervousness and I finally end up not going

Well, stop thinking, over-analyzing and researching over it and get in the car and go.

If you wanna look something up, look up some stuff on desensitization therapy - now let me save you some time & money; the more you do something that causes you concern, the less apprehensive it becomes.

***

Ya beat me to it Bigun...AGAIN!

Exactly what I was going to suggest...

Kinda like why the Army shoots bullets at soldiers, ya get use to it after a while.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[BIGUN 1,051]

And, there ya have it, Bro.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Trae 1]

You could try a bit of tunnel flying.

When you get bored with that you'll be itchin' for the real thing.

Otherwise
if you know you REALLY want to skydive and irrational fears are getting in the way..........................try giving yourself a REAL good bitch slap & I mean make it hurt.
If you do this you may realise that you're in charge not your fear.
Feel the pain and laugh at it.....skydiving's heaps more fun than beating yourself up.

Use this technique at your own risk

[tdog 0]

If you fill out your profile and say, "Who here lives in my city?" - you might get someone who says, "I do, lets meet at the DZ at 10 tomorrow and I will introduce you to all my friends." Maybe that person will be a coach or instructor - and you already will have a friend to help you....

Also, like someone else said... Go to the DZ to hang out - if you jump, all the more the better - but you don't have to jump until you are ready.

[tbrown 26]

I came back the sport after more than 20 years off (raising a family, etc.) and even though I really wanted to jump, I went through the whole newbie fear cycle all over again, dry mouthed on the plane, the whole bit. Being older and having some life experience gave me a chance to think about what was happening and how to deal with it.

The fear is never going to completely go away. Even when you're good with it, it's going to be there in the back of your mind. And it's going to flare up on things like your first jump of the day, especially if it's been a few weeks since the last one. The thing is to understand that your fears are natural and healthy as well, so long as they don't paralyze you into inaction.

Right now you're frustrated with yourself for not being able to jump, which you say is something you want to do. You've already made some jumps, so you know this is something you can do and that you're not dead yet.

I'd try to find a good instructor who's open to talking about the psychology of human fear and who admits that we all have it and that he has it too. Some instructors are a little way too macho and hung up on their own testosterone, but there are some humanists out there. I don't mean to sound sexist, but maybe a woman instructor might be more open to a discussion about this if you can't seem to find a guy who can talk about it.

Ultimately you might just decide this sport is not for you and that's okay too - really it is. But you don't sound like you believe that. You just need to somehow get yourself back in the air, because most of that fear evaporates the moment you go through the door and into the air. By the time you're sitting under an open canopy you'll feel better about yourself and everything else.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[micro 0]

Quote

I think it is kinda healthy to have some fear about this sport...It reminds us that "this aint no book club we're all gonna die" and keeps us from becoming complacent in our safety checks and keeps us on our toes...

Then as soon as I am on the plane I am like oooohhhhh yeah this is what I needed....get out the door and relax...

THAT, my friend, was awesome! Well spoken!

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[ixlr82 7]

I think the post suggesting the possibility of doing a tandem is valid and worth considering. It would take much of the pressure off you and get you back in the air. My wife did it when she hit an 'anxiety' brick wall back in AFF and it was just enough to allow her to continue moving forward. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

__________________________________________

[shermanator 3]

I'm not saying i dont have any fear, it still strikes me now and then.. but dang, i must really really love jumping out of planes.. cause when i am going down to the dz, I am so anxious to get htere I am swerving in and out of traffic, going as fast as i can, constantly staring at the sky, telling the one cloud i see to get the f**& out of there.

i heard once, that we are born with the fear of loud noise, and FALLING, well, this sport takes falling to the extream. I think the tandem idea is a good one, also, possibly look online for some ways to do self meditation, do one before you get in your car, another at the dz, and just relax.*** (i used to do something similar before marching band competitions) . I say, just get out there, get on the plane, and once you are out the door, you will forget those fears!

CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08
CSA #720

[JohnMitchell 14]

It's a classic "Approach-Avoidance" conflict going on, almost textbook. Grit your teeth and try to jump more often. Another dozen jumps and it should all mellow out for you. It took a few jumps for me to get there, too. Used to taxi out in the plane thinking that I could be home watching TV right then. Sounded really good at the time.

to one degree or another, what you're going through is pretty normal.

[dzjnky 0]

Upside,
If you are at all like me, you've already overcome this level of fear at least once... I know that my first jump was equal parts of incredible exhilaration and sheer terror... Overcoming that fear is one of the things that I am most proud of in making the choice to jump that first time, and to keep jumping...

Don't know if this is 100% true, but it makes a lot of sense to me, and I use this as a way to help "flip" my fear into a more useful emotion:

The body's physical response to fear and excitement is basically the same - adrenaline, increased pulse, faster breathing, hyper-awareness, etc. So what is the difference?? It is primarily in your head - do you interpret the situation in a positive or negative light? Do you anticipate a good or a bad outcome? By focusing on the positives, I can often flip my energy into excitement, rather than fear.

Having said that, a little bit of fear can be useful. Dave (dharma1976) said this about your fear: "keep it own it love it and use it ". That energy helps keep us sharp, and chases away complacency. Use it as a tool to help keep you safe.

When fear rises to a level where it starts inhibiting your actions, it has become an issue you need to deal with (but you already know that). All the suggestions earlier in this thread are great ways to work through it. I especially like the idea of heading to the DZ with no intention of jumping, just go hang out with your friends. Make up some story about having a cold that is affecting your sinuses if you want, so there is no peer pressure to jump. If the mood strikes, go jump. If not, just chill & have a good time! You can jump whenever you want to
Earlier in my skydiving, I frequently found myself wondering "what the hell am I doing?" as I drove to the DZ... but once there, I generally was able to relax, and all it took was the first jump to remind me why I love this sport so much. I hope that you are able to rediscover your love for the sport, but if you choose to turn in your altimeter, no shame in that - you've already done stuff way cooler than 99.99% of the people on this planet!

[mattyblast 0]

Perhaps you could set a date & time to bring a friend or meet a group of people there. The fact that people are expecting you will help motivate you to get to the DZ.

I guess I'm lucky in this regard. The fear doesn't get to me until we're at altitude and the door of the plane opens (WHOOSSHSSSSHSHSHHH!!!!!!). That's when the fear hits me like a bulldozer. But once I step off/dive out, almost all the fear turns into that incredible adrenaline rush that experienced skydivers tell me never goes away. Good luck!

"DOOR!!!"

[OSOK 0]

Watching people land relaxes me and gets me in the mood. It's my skydiving turn-on. Try it.

[virginflyer3 0]

OOOOhhh, skydiving porn.

I just go mad when I see skydiving on the TV and in real life, and I know that there is absolutely nothing on earth that makes me feel this excited!

I am crapping myself about it on the flip side though, and it feels great. A bit schizophrenic, but really good all the same.

I may feel different whilst going through the course, but I feel like I have gone through so many emotions over it to get this far that it is exactly that fear factor, the acomplishment of challenging it and embracing it that is what I am seeking in skydiving. Or is this abnormal?

When they open the door, snort some air, trust yourself, trust your instructors and trust your kit. Then enjoy the ride. You are either going to do it or not. Once out the door you have'nt much choice. That is my plan anyway.

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[Andy9o8 0]

When I was a novice, I used to sneak out of sight behind the hangar and barf when I arrived at the DZ.
And here I am today.
You'll be fine.