SDI Open Water Scuba Diver Practice Exam 2025 - Free Scuba Diver Practice Questions and Study Guide

When a diver experiences a panic attack underwater, the first and most crucial action is to remain calm. This is important because your calm demeanor can help soothe the panicking diver, reducing their anxiety and helping them regain control of the situation. Signaling for help is also essential as it ensures that additional support can reach you and the diver in distress, enhancing safety for all involved.

Assisting the diver to the surface, if it is safe to do so, can be a key step to addressing the panic attack. Breaching the surface may help the diver feel more secure and alleviate their immediate concerns. This approach emphasizes safety, control, and support, which are fundamental in a panic situation.

The other choices do not promote safety or effective assistance. Leaving the diver and surfacing for help puts them at greater risk, while diving deeper or encouraging quicker breathing are counterproductive and could exacerbate the panic, leading to a more dangerous situation.