Although it has been years since he suffered a shark attack, survivor Dave Pearson still struggles with the mental scars from his attack. He was attacked in Australia in 2011, being bitten by a bull shark.
Speaking with People, he said, "I guess the PTSD will always be with me, in some way or another." Still, that hasn't stopped him. He said, "I still try and surf as much as I can, but there are times when things do not feel right, and I am too uncomfortable to stay in the ocean, especially if I see a shark."
He said that he suffers from anxiety attacks, reflecting on his shark encounter. Dave said, "There are still times, particularly after there has been a serious attack. The closer to home, the more affect it can have."
Shark Attack Survivor
To help deal with some of this mental baggage, he started his own support group online for shark attack victims. He calls the Facebook group Bite club, ironically.
"Bite Club helps us, because when you are with others who have been affected by the shark. We all know how it feels, and it normalizes the experience, because everyone has had that experience," he told the outlet. "There is no judgment when we discuss the issues we deal with, because most of us have had, or are having, similar issues."
He also said that he helps other victims deal with their own hangups.
"There are times when we conduct community engagement, or I reach out to families, after serious or fatal attacks," he explained. "I quite often speak with witnesses who are still in shock and dealing with trauma, trying to come to terms with what they witnessed. These conversations can be very tough and can take me a few days to settle afterward."
He said that sometimes people will come to him for advice and his own guidance.
"Many people come to me for advice, so I would like to be able to give them the best advice, or at least point them in the direction to find the best advice," he explained.
