A silent, serene paradise -- that's the usual picture of the watery world of scuba diving. But is there terror in paradise?
Yes, according to a new study that suggests episodes of panic or near-panic may explain many recreational diving accidents and deaths. In a national survey, more than half of divers reported experiencing at least one panic or near-panic behavior, says William Morgan, director of the Sport Psychology Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the principal author of the study.

image courtesy of UW Sea Grant Institute, photo credit UW-Madison News Service.

The panic attack was often spurred by something that a non-diver would deem serious -- entanglement, an equipment malfunction or the sight of a shark. But the attacks don't make things better, Morgan says -- they can lead to irrational and dangerous behavior. If divers and instructors knew more about the phenomenon, Morgan adds, they could screen out people who might be susceptible to life-threatening panic attacks.

What to learn more about panic underwater?