[1] Scuba diving is generally considered to be a high performance adventurous recreational activity that requires a multitude of safety precautions.
Scuba diving has shown effectiveness as a therapeutic and rehabilitation process for veterans who had acquired traumatic physical and/or psychological injuries.
[1] Scuba diving was shown to be a therapeutic process that can help people with various disabilities to reconnect with such activities while simultaneously focusing on the clear goal of coping with their impairment.
[4] Additionally, researchers from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine found scuba diving to result in a significant improvement of PTSD symptoms, with a reduction of muscle spasticity by an average of 15%.
[8] The diving industry can support adaptive divers by developing specialized equipment to help manage various problems.
These include access to the water, which can utilise chair lifts or wheelchair ramps, vehicle modifications for wheelchairs, hoists or cranes similar in principle to diving stages used by commercial divers, and lifting harness similar in principle to those used by surface supplied divers.
[8] Scuba diving can decrease depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans and people who are dealing with similar mental illnesses.
[7] Next to a decrease in stress and anxiety, veterans participating in scuba diving also reported improved levels of concentration and focus.
[10] Scuba diving has the potential to benefit veterans with PTSD, as they respond less to conventional treatments than the non-military populations.
[11] Diving therapy is advantageous for milder types of anxiety and chronic stress disorders, by increasing mindfulness and a sense of relaxation.
For instance, training to breathe under water can heal people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by increasing the peak and endurance exercise capacities.
[2] Scuba diving can decrease depression, anxiety and PTSD in military veterans and people that are dealing with such mental illnesses.
[7] Next to a decrease in stress and anxiety, veterans participating in scuba diving also reported improved levels of concentration and focus.
[9] Many mental or physical health issues make it unsafe for a patient to undergo scuba treatment, as it requires processes such as thinking, concentration, or problem-solving.