How To Stay Safe In a Cave 

I've persuaded quite a few claustrophobics to give caving a try and so far every single one has loved it.I find the trick is to keep them moving and busy so they don't have time to dwell on their fears. I also talk to them (which helps distract them) and try to keep an upbeat, positive mood e.g telling silly anecdotes, singing etc. Sometimes a bit of gallows humour helps too! If everyone around them is relaxed and having fun it rubs off on them and helps make them realise their fears are irrational. One of my friends who was extremely claustrophobic and had sworn we'd never get him down a cave, but we eventually persuaded him to give it a go. He enjoyed it so much he rushed out and bought his own caving gear, went on every avialable trip and within a year went on a 5 week caving expedition to Vietnam. He still got pangs of claustrophobia from time to time, but his love of caving proved stronger.

Does that mean Tom is now "born again"? ;-p

Holy crap, completely unrelated but I've been trying to find this book for so long! I read it as a kid, and always assumed it was The Hobbit and I was mis-remembering due to not really understanding, but this comment triggered a thought, and having looked up The Weirdstone it's definitely this! Thanks, random guy, for solving this mystery!

@@GwresYnKernow You are welcome! I re-read it maybe five years ago, still very, very, claustrophobic.

that's so awesome to hear. Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed.

> it is generally agreed that your more likely to get in an automobile on the way to the cave than you are to get in any sort of accident within the cave. True! You are very likely to get in an automobile on the way to the cave 😉😉

Fixed. Like a neutered dog.

thank you so much

In the UK our rescue teams for things like caving and mountaineering are often run by volunteers, and afaik there's generally no charge for being rescued (just like there's no charge for being picked up by an ambulance)

@@bingbangbong5055 If only the same could be said of ambulances in the United States.

Hey! I gave it a big think and took my time to reply, because you ask an important question. I think I've been able to sum it up quite nicely in my newest video, finally: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lQCTxwFw4bE.html Thank you for asking this, I've actually thought about your comment quite a bit and it's nice that I finally managed to put it into words somehow. X

@@EliseFreshwaterBlizzard Thank you for your response. I didn't know my simple question would generate such a profound answer. I am in awe.

How can you be my "Evil Overlord" if you don't like a deep, dark lair? ;-p