Like any other adventure sport, scuba diving comes with some associated risks. Nitrogen narcosis or getting 'narked' is one of them. Nitrogen narcosis, derived from the Greek word 'Narke' is loosely translated as the 'temporary decline or loss of senses and movement'. As divers, it's important that we know the symptoms, effects and contributing factors that could lead to nitrogen narcosis and the simple ways to avoid it or, if necessary, how to handle it.
What is Nitrogen Narcosis (Gas Narcosis)?
Nitrogen narcosis is related to the increased solubility of gases in body tissues due to being subjected to increased pressures at depth. Likened by many scuba divers as a similar feeling to being drunk, nitrogen narcosis is also known as 'Martini's Law', with the rough guide that it's the equivalent of drinking one martini on an empty stomach for every three meters that you descend. The effects of nitrogen narcosis normally occur at depths of around 30m and below. It's not possible to develop a tolerance to the effects, however, the symptoms are completely reversible by ascending to shallower depths.
What are the symptoms of Nitrogen Narcosis?
At depth, you may notice the effects of nitrogen narcosis through symptoms such as: loss of decision making, lack of focus, impaired judgement, overconfidence and euphoria or feeling afraid. If you've ever taken the PADI Advanced Open Water course, you may well remember being given a series of mental tests under timed conditions on land, and then underwater at depth to compare judgement.
What does nitrogen narcosis feel like?
The first thing is that you probably won't notice that your experiencing nitrogen narcosis initially if you're just enjoying a dive and floating along. However, you may begin to notice a fuzzy mind when it comes to judgment making, navigation or reasoning. You may then start to experience feelings of euphoria, like the sensation of having a drink or two. But just like that drink or two, nitrogen narcosis effects everyone differently and some divers may actually experience feelings of anxiety and fear instead.
It's when the symptoms of euphoria or anxiety are recognised that it's important to alert your dive buddy or guide because if the diver keeps descending, things get serious. If the diver keeps descending they can begin to loose physical dexterity, experience hallucinations, stupor or much more serious symptoms.
While nitrogen narcosis can be very serious, as some divers have a disregard for normal dive practices, if you know your limits, have good equipment and dive under supervision, the effects can be reversed almost immediately by ascending a little shallower.
Most divers with a decent number of deep dives under their belt will be familiar with getting 'narked' and often have funny anecdotes to recount. Tales of offering fish oxygen from the alternative air source (the spare breathing apparatus) are common, as are accounts of euphoria and uncontrollable giggles (not great for your air consumption). A personal favourite of ours here at Original Diving is a diver we know who uses depth and the effects of narcosis to write poetry on his dive slate, as he believes it is here that his mind is at its most relaxed.
