High Anxiety - your thoughts please

[beemertec 0]

No biggie man. I still get nervous on my jumps. I only have 36 jumps and I had not jumped since before Christmas. My DZO was joking with me all the way to the top to help relax me. I had a lump in my throat when they called door, but when I did a cannonball out the door everything came back and I had a great dive. Bottom line: Just get back in the air and have some fun

Blue Skies
Steve
Ok, so it's pink, but I'm secure in my manhood, and I still look cool coming in under it!

[howardwhite 5]

Adam

Your home DZ, Jumptown, Orange MA

www.jumptown.com

has what you need. The first weekend in April is recurrency weekend. You pay only for your jumps (and gear rental, I guess). But experienced instructors are donating their time to get you back in the air. They'll understand your jitters and you'll be among friends..

If you are interested in signing up for the recurrency training or have questions about the training, contact John Goetsch at [email protected].

HW

[A12 0]

If you want to fly, get out of the plane!

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[Yoshi 0]

I didnt get butterflies until my 3rd jump...then I was really nervous... once I had my licence I even get that way after taking a month off... the door opens and I think to myself "what am I doing" then once out in the air I remember what it is all about and it all goes away... my brother had it so bad before he did his first jump he came up with reasons weekend after weekend not to go to the dz.. then one weekend we went out and had a blast (it seemed as if everything just clicked and he was so ready to go)

dont rush, but keep pressure on yourself if this is what you want to do... it never hurts to stay on the ground for a day (lor longer) until you get your head streight...
-yoshi

be safe!:)

_________________________________________
this space for rent.

[oldnewbie 0]

HI I couldn't breathe, i was so scared. I didn't understand this, since i didn't think i was scared of heights (i'm a pilot). This feeling got better after i did a few solos. Then after this, I had an instructor/coach for 9? jumps. He realized that i was scared, and he somehow put me at ease. He joked, made me smile (yes, smiling helps) and by the time i jumped the first jump with him, i actually enjoyed this.. By the timethe last few jumps rolled around, i was actually laughing, joking around, and enjoying this. Even trying to catch him while we were tracking. Now when i start to get nervous, i just start to smile, and it really helps. I'm not SCARED anymore, just cautiously nervous!!!Have fun!

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[KenKnight 0]

I always have a few butterflies the first jump or two of the weekend. Usually they go away as soon as the door opens and I get ready to exit. The only time I remember being really nervous was the first time I jumped a canopy I packed all by myself. Much more so than even my first AFF.

_______________
D28695 PoPs #9237
"Mix ignorance with arrogance at low altitude and the results are almost guaranteed to be spectacular"
— Bruce Landsberg

[GroundRush1 0]

I need to put my input here because I can identify with this. This anxiety youre feeling is mood dependant, like its there now but will probably go away in the near future.

I go rock climbing from 2000 ft every weekend, balance myself on the very tip of a rock at the edge of a cliff, for relaxation. Ill stay up in that position for 30 minutes at a time, it was no big deal. Then, one weekend, I tried rock climbing and felt extremely insecure, really got nervous and started sweating, cant explain it.

When youre dealing with heights, its something that seems to come and go. Its the heights thing thats getting to you, not skydiving. Do some more instructor assisted jumps until you feel like youre ready, and youll know when youre ready.

I used to get real nervous on static line jumps for some reason, got nervous last time at the DZ, on the way up I wanted to abort, but when I got outside of the plane, there was no problem at all and I was looking forward to a good exit, nervousness went away. After exiting, I arched hard, had a great exit, and started thinking "big deal"

Anyway, its the heights that are getting to you, after you jump you are on your way down so you worry about it less because youre comming down. Works the same way with high altitude mountain climbing, nervous on the way up, but everything trivial on the way down.

Dont try to explain it, its acrophobia and thats the way acrophobia works. What always helped me in severe mountain situations is to tell myself, "this is no big deal, so what?" and it usually goes away. And these are situations that are sure to scare the awful crap out of anyone, acrophobia or not.

[lawrocket 3]

I hear you on that one. Before my first solo, those numerous trips to the restroom weren't all for nervous pees. I have never been that scared in my life. Stark terror. Let me suggest something that helped me immensely.

I asked the people on this board what I should do for the first jump, without stating my terror. Lolie, God bless her, gave an idea that was perfect - I hired a guy to video the jump.

That helped a number of ways. I could jump solo, doing my own thing with my own dive flow, and yet still have someone else in the air with me.

The main help was that I was too busy geeking to the camera to keep being nervous. I better smile and look relaxed. Looking and acting relaxed helped me relax. The fear, though still present, was not as well manifested.

Finally, I saw how ate up my body position was when I watched the video, and it gave me plenty to work on on the solos.

One way or another, the fear is there. I still have it, though it gets easier a little bit at a time. But let me also add, don't jump until you are ready. Get a refresher and then jump solo. Work on your relaxation and visualization.

Let us know how it goes. I know my first solo was my favorite jump, until my last couple of jumps.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[staticnewbie 0]

Hehe - I know about "the fear". Mine stems from being dropped by a belayer 12 feet above the ground when rock climbing as a kid. Ever since then, looking straight down from anything higher than 10 feet has me feeling dizzy, but as with everyone here, I enjoy hurling myself from what I presume to be a reasonably good aircraft, as well as rock climbing when weather is bad for jumping.

The only advice I have for overcoming nerves/shakes/shits/whatever is to find out as much about the gear you are using as possible. If you are using rental, learn to pack it. When you costantly see how the fabric is folded in such a way as to come out again nicely, it makes you more confident about your own chances with it (although if you're jumping at Peterlee in the UK, there's a certain name you should avoid on the packing tab !!!).

My other tip is to hang out with a girl who started jumping after you, but is progressing more quickly. If you're a bit of a chauvinist like me this will force you never to admit to fear and just get on with the job!!!!! Of course, I do tend to keep worrying about how cool I look for so long that I forget to flare.....

Nick

This username sucks, so I'm BBKid now instead. Replies, insults, sexual favours and death threats to be sent there from now on.

[Katzeye 0]

I have the exact same symptoms. Stomach ache, numerous trips to the bathroom. I even get what I call "kennel cough" a nervous cough.

I'll never forget what helped me: walking to the plane for my level 6, with Beautiful Bonnie I turned to her and asked "Will I always feel this way?"

She turned to me "feel what way?"

"All these butterflied in my stomach, I feel sick."

"Oh yeah, that's normal. You'll just learn to love butterflies."

And she was right. I only have 175 jumps, and have been out of the sport for a year (hopefully going back this Friday, winds permitting), I STILL eat some tums before getting on that damn plane!

Hang in there, it WILL get better. But watch out, if you ever lose that feeling completely, it's time to stop.

my $0.02

Blue skies, deep waters,

LA*

Is a chicken omelette redundant?

[rickfri59 0]

Yikes, I can vividly remember the day I was cleared to jump on my own after AFF. I was so looking forward to that day, to get on the plane on my own, and jump on my own just like the "big boys and girls". Damn, today's the big day and I'm scared shit to the point where I'm making excuses not to go up. I convinced myself I was too tired that day. A few days later I drove an hour to the DZ wondering the whole way about everything I could possibly do that would result in my burning in. What if, what if... I got to the DZ, the flags were blowing slightly and I decided it was too windy (6 - 8 mph). Stood there for hours watching, waiting. Oops, too bad, now it's too late to jump. Better go home. I really beat myself up that night. Next time out to the DZ I knew I had to overcome. So I grabbed the rental gear, checked it over a zillion times, got placed on a load, geared up and checked things another zillion times, five zillion PRCP's and SOS touches on the ground, climb in the Otter mock-up and practice exit position several times. Manifest announces it's time to board the bus and I'm ready to piss my (rental) suit. Get out to the boarding area and ask two separate jumpers for a full front/back gear check. Tell the organizer I'm doing a solo belly jump and got my place in the exit order. I couldn't take the anxiety anymore so I walked over to a bunch of the fun jumpers and said this was my first time out alone and I'm scared shit. Two of them told me to stick with them. They'd have me sit on the floor by the door with them even though neither they or I were close to being first out. At altitude and red light one of the guys says "open the door we'll check the spot together" I'm thinking I'll probably fall out the door (big deal. I'm wearing a parachute). We agree on the spot, green light goes on, and half the load gets out before us. The guy says "you first" gives me a rap on the helmet and one of those funky sliding half hand shakes and says "take a deep breath, RELAX and do it dude!" A few seconds later I'm watching the Otter fly away..... Yea, I did it. Finally. I couldn't get up and down quick enough the rest of the day. I guess I just needed that little bit of baby sitting to get over the hump. I'm glad I swallowed my pride and made a plea for help, but more importantly I'm glad someone else saw how rattled I was took the time to take me "under their wing".

[rocketdog 0]

awwww.... i know what you're saying! i thought i was gonna have a heart-attack my 12th jump.... It's a lot to remember, but in the same light all you have to REALLY remember to do is pull = )
Skydiving is supposed to be fun!!!! And the closer you get to getting your A-License, the closer you are to becoming completely free! GoOd LuCk!

see the world! http://gorocketdog.blogspot.com

[jumpgod 0]

breathing is the key....take deep breaths and, well, once you're out the door, it doesn't matter anyway....

jg

"dude, where's my main?"

[miniFly 0]

Hey A12,

Actually I just got signed over to solos myself last weekend.

My first solo jump made me nervous, I kept doing checks of 3's the whole way up over and over, then I jumped and didn't do anything, just stayed in a relaxed arch the whole way and for the first time my skydive felt like it took hours, I just chilled, looked around and took some deep breaths, I came down from that jump and went right up for another one but this time around I was practicing 360's backflips and tracking, much, much better...

I still get anxiety, but it's interesting how the second you get out that door it just goes away as the adrenaline kicks in :)

[Deleted 0]

Hi. Just wanted to give some feedback here about anxiety. I feel this same kind of anxiety at the DZ for no apparent reason. Even the smell of diesel fuel does it to me.

Now what is this anxiety? Let me move a step furthur. Im pretty much a surfer and have a lot of time and money in getting up to par as a shortboarder. Anyway, on the waves, I noticed the same exact type of anxiety as what I experience on the DZ, especially right before I go out. As a matter of fact, its a lot worse on the waves than it is in the air. I dont know why.

But I can tell you this, it isnt "skydiving" thats giving you the anxiety, its the fact that you are involved with an extreme sport. So if you decide to give this up for something else, dont expect to feel any better, because believe me when I say you wont.

You may just be in a bad phase, like I was this entire weekend, can happen anytime for any reason, but it does go away with time.

[dreamsville 0]

The nervousness WILL abate, but you will still have healthy caution (or should), and that's good. There may be good psychological reasons why I should not suggest a jump number when the nervousness will subside, but I can tell you that I was very nervous for a while.

My main reason for replying is to advise CURRENCY, CURRENCY! The more jumps in a given time period (of course, quality counts), the more relaxed and competent you'll feel. If you are at a northern DZ, TRY TO JUMP IN THE WINTER if it's available. It does help, though some people think I'm nuts on this last point.
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I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.

Harry, FB #4143

[basiaaa 0]

I'm so happy to be reading these posts! I haven't jumped in a year and a half, this weekend I have recurrency (I finished AFF but don't have an A license yet), and I'm really nervous! And I can't talk about that to my husband (he has 2300 jumps), he can't relate, and for some reason gets annoyed at me when I try to bring up my anxiety. Thinks that if I'm scared, then I shouldn't do it at all. But I want to do it! And so I've been repressing the fear, and it's soooo nice to know that what I feel is perfectly normal!!! I feel less scared and more excited about jumping already.

Basia

[bch7773 0]

yeah man, I have felt the same way. Back when I was a student, I stopped jumping for like 5 months. Everytime I would start to drive to the DZ, i would come up with excuses not to. But trust me, on the next nice weather day, just head out there, and don't look back. Once you jump again, the nervousness goes away.

and btw, I disagree with someone who posted earlier that skydiving nervousness is caused by fear of heights. I've read somewhere that the human eye can't focus on things more than like 4000 feet away. Thats why you don't get ground rush until its pull time. So technically, your eyes can't even trully see how high above the ground you are.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[vmsfreaky1 0]

Hey, i know just how you feel!

When i was about to do my first solo after AFF , i actually did puke! in the can not in the plane.

The best quote i've heard that made me feel instantly at ease was ..."it's just air"

I still get nervous but thats good, it'll keep me alert and alive.

Only other thing i can say is it gets easier, usually pretty quickly...for me neway.

[epepepep 0]

I feel your pain. It really started to hit me once I was done the AFF levels. No longer did I have an instructor telling me what to do and my jumps were no longer planned out ad naseum before hand. It used to hit me before every jump. Once I was in the air, it was all good.

Nowadays, it hits me about a mile before getting to the DZ. Every once in a while I catch myself wishing for cloudy weather so I don't have to deal with the anxiety.

It will get better with time and experience, I'm sure.

Blue Skies!
ep