If you’ve spent any significant length of time on Planet Earth, you know that human beings have a strong survival instinct. It has kept the modern human race safe for hundreds of thousands of years, warning us of danger and preventing us from falling from high places, drowning in deep waters, and getting eaten by creatures who perceived us to be a slow, tasty source of nutrients.
We are all familiar with the feelings this instinct gives us: our hearts speed up, our stomachs clench, and our thoughts race. We feel fear… and a strong urge to get away from the cause of the fear.
So why is it that some of us don’t run from fear but instead embrace it, seek it out, even intentionally put ourselves in dangerous situations?
These activities come in many forms. Milder forms might include bungee jumping, ziplining, and so-called “extreme” motor sports such as dirt bike racing. At the other end of the spectrum (the end that might be more appropriately called extreme), there is base jumping, skydiving, rope-free solo climbing, and Wingsuit flying, all activities that carry more than a small chance of injury and death.
We call the people who engage in these activities many things: thrill-seekers, risk-takers, daredevils. Some of us might call them less kind names.
No matter what we call them, there is no denying that some among us seem to lack the same fears the rest of us do—at least, in certain situations.
While this isn’t a new phenomenon, scientists have only recently come to an understanding of what attracts people to these activities.
When we’re afraid, our brains release chemicals to motivate us to take action. These chemicals include epinephrine (also called adrenaline), which galvanizes us to action and makes our hearts race. We also get a flood of endorphin and dopamine, which help us in other ways such as pain relief and motivation. Essentially, our bodies are getting ready for action.
Those chemicals aren’t just kept for emergencies. Epinephrine, endorphin, and dopamine are also released during pleasurable activities, such as exercise or sex.
When this rush of chemicals prepares us for action, we rely on environment cues, on context, to determine whether a particular experience is a “good” one or a “dangerous” one.
And sometimes we like using a bit of fear to give us those rushes of feeling. That’s why most of us enjoy a rollercoaster or scary movie from time to time. There’s no real danger in it, after all, and we can enjoy our brain chemical wash in relative safety.
But watching The Ring in a dark room is a far cry from leaping out of a plane strapped to a tightly packed square of polyester and nylon!
So why do some people take it to a level that puts them in very real danger?
Canadian researcher and kinesiologist Dr. Cynthia Thomson was interested in the answer to this question. She discovered that a specific gene (called DRD4), related to how dopamine functions in the brain, showed signs of existing at different levels in individuals who participated in extreme sports when compared to the general population.
The theory about this gene’s expression is that it creates a higher threshold for experiencing sensations of pleasure from our activities—that is, they would need to undertake more intense activities to experience the same amount of pleasure as other people.
This is consistent with the self-reports of individuals who engage in activities like skydiving, which is that they aren’t trying to scare themselves; they’re just seeking out new sensations.
There can be a downside to these activities beyond the expected risk to life and limb. Earlier we mentioned the release of endorphin and dopamine during experiences of fear. These chemicals are also closely associated with addiction and compulsive behaviour, and rushes of those chemicals can be triggered by many different substances. Extreme sports may provide a similar, if smaller, effect.
In addition, research has shown that the DRD4 gene difference has also been found in some individuals who struggle with substance use or excessive gambling.
A biological, genetic reason to push the envelope may exist for some people who engage in extreme sports, and this may make them less likely to self-regulate these behaviours in a healthy way. If they aren’t careful, they may find themselves pursuing ever more dangerous activities in a quest to continually chase the high they’re generating in their own brains.
That isn’t to say that everyone who jumps out of a plane (with a parachute) is addicted to adrenaline. Most people who engage in these activities manage to live healthy and balanced lives.
What they’re seeking from these experiences then is not a chemical rush but instead new and unique experiences. Engaging in activities that are literally death-defying present a novel way to be life-affirming—to face real risks and triumph, to take part in something far outside ordinary experience.
These experiences, as dangerous as they are, help people learn about themselves and enhance the meaning of their lives.
This is one reason why subcultures dedicated to extreme sports have sprung up all over the world. These groups help people engage with these adventurous activities in relative safety, allowing members to support each other and seek new and exciting sensations without the long-term consequences of substance use.
So rest assured: if you’re someone who enjoys the rush, the fear, and the life-affirming feelings you get from extreme sports, you aren’t crazy. From a biological and psychological perspective, you make sense. And if you’re interested in trying an escape from real life, all you might need to do is try jumping out of a plane.
With a parachute, of course!
