Everyone has heard the saying: “He who does not take risks, does not drink champagne.” And it is clear that in this context we are talking more about courage, without which it is difficult for a person to achieve super goals. There is always a chance of losing, but within reasonable limits this quality allows you to win a large jackpot. But today we will talk about people addicted to extreme sports. Hitchhiking, skydiving, rafting, cave diving, rock climbing, surfing – these and other activities carry high risk. We learned what keeps extreme sports enthusiasts balancing life and death on the brink.
Where does addiction to extreme sports come from?
The need for excitement goes hand in hand with adrenaline addiction. In general, this hormone “starts” the heart rhythm. Therefore, during a heart attack, people are given an injection of adrenaline (epinephrine) directly into the heart. It is secreted by the adrenal glands in times of danger and performs a mobilization function, that is, it “invigorates” the central nervous system, giving it the strength to fight the threat. Adrenaline not only increases your heart rate, but also increases your blood pressure and blood sugar levels. The hormone is produced not only in times of danger, but also during sports.
Adrenaline, entering the blood in moderation, strengthens the immune system, energizes and improves mood, but exceeding the norm leads to the opposite effect: drowsiness, loss of strength, depression, apathy, sudden weight loss, impaired kidney function and heart problems. Therefore, extreme sports enthusiasts who are physiologically dependent on adrenaline are increasingly in need of “strong doses” that will bring them back to a feeling of euphoria.
What kind of people take risks?
Extreme sports enthusiasts are divided into two types: those who like to win and those who enjoy the process itself. If the first strives for dominance and success, the second suffers from the lack of bright impressions in life. By the way, for the same reason, representatives of the “dark triad”: psychopaths, narcissists and Machiavellians have a high need for risk.
Many businessmen are playful by nature, so they like to “conquer peaks” and set records, which increases their self-confidence.
If an exemplary family man goes to conquer mountain peaks, most likely there is no emotional closeness between him and his wife. It is easier for such a man to gain emotions with a risky act. Among risk-prone people, of course, there are many former athletes who are accustomed to receiving certain doses of adrenaline.
What are adrenaline junkies trying to compensate?
An adrenaline junkie’s behavioral dependence on a psychoactive substance is due to psychological immaturity. Even people who seem successful and quite serious remain childish adolescents at heart. In childhood, such people lacked parental love and joyful emotions. As a rule, adults acted coldly and distantly towards the child, ignoring his feelings and disapproving of spontaneous expression of emotions.
The most difficult thing for extreme athletes is to openly express emotions and build long-term relationships with a partner. The thought of trusting someone scares them. Thus, risk allows you to compensate for the lack of love and live experience.
Source: People Talk
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
