I have teamed up with a group of sophomores working on their passion project, and freshman from their school beautification project. Our plan was to construct a well built grind box and mini ramp in the upper lot for everyone to enjoy for many years. This fun and aesthetically pleasing feature creates a more beautiful and engaging campus . As this is an ambitious undertaking, we needed the support from our community to help us bring this project to reality. We are hopeful that this venture will benefit our community in areas such as mental health, engagement, creativity, and community as we have studied in our thesis papers written earlier this year.
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TED TalkMy Ted talk is on the many mental factors that enable people to be predisposed to participating in extreme sports, and benefits to participating in such activities. While there is more attention being drawn to extreme sports in recent years, they have become a big part of society. Research has shown the correlations with the oxidation of Monoamine, the subjective experience of well-being, and why people are predisposed to participating in extreme sports. This research also exhibits that extreme sports not only clears people's minds, but actually strengthen their energy, acceptability, conscientiousness, emotional stability personality traits, alleviating depression, PTSD, and risky behavior amongst people.
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Senior thesis paper
What are the mental factors that enable people to take risks in extreme sports, and how are these factors beneficial?
Lilah Shine Gutt
Senior Project Advisor: Hannah Starbuck
Abstract:
This paper shows what the many mental factors that enable people to be predisposed to participating in extreme sports, and benefits to participating in such activities. While there is more attention being drawn to extreme sports in recent years, they have become a big part of society. Research has shown the correlations with the oxidation of Monoamine, the subjective experience of well-being, and why people are predisposed to participating in extreme sports. This research also exhibits that extreme sports not only clears people's minds, but actually strengthen their energy, acceptability, conscientiousness, emotional stability personality traits, alleviating depression, PTSD, and risky behavior amongst people.
12th Grade Humanities
Animas High School
March 5th 2018
Senior Project Advisor: Hannah Starbuck
Abstract:
This paper shows what the many mental factors that enable people to be predisposed to participating in extreme sports, and benefits to participating in such activities. While there is more attention being drawn to extreme sports in recent years, they have become a big part of society. Research has shown the correlations with the oxidation of Monoamine, the subjective experience of well-being, and why people are predisposed to participating in extreme sports. This research also exhibits that extreme sports not only clears people's minds, but actually strengthen their energy, acceptability, conscientiousness, emotional stability personality traits, alleviating depression, PTSD, and risky behavior amongst people.
12th Grade Humanities
Animas High School
March 5th 2018
Part I: Introduction
There are many mental factors that enable people to be predisposed to participating in extreme sports, as well as many benefits to participating in such activities. As extreme sport athletes jump out of planes, ski off cliffs, and surf unimaginable waves, they are misunderstood as thrill seekers or adrenaline junkies. The most common definition for extreme sports from researchers is “any sport, where one has to accept a possibility of severe injury or death as a result” (Kajtna,1). In Brymers work, a base jumper in his 30’s suggests redefining and expanding extreme sports as more than near death experiences.“People who do these activities don’t [do it for the risks]; they do it because they enjoy living.” (Brymer, 16).
As extreme sports have exponentially grown in the past years, it is very important for us to put aside our limited views about these sports and recognize the benefits to our youth and athletes. Many sources indicate that extreme sports not only clear people's minds, but actually strengthen their emotional stability, which is why it can be used to help depression, PTSD, and risky behavior amongst people. Jeremy Jones, a professional snowboarder and surfer, perfectly describes the experience of extreme sports as:
This one feeling, a love, an obsession, call it what you will, this simple dance of give
and take with gravity that feeling as a little kid where the only thing that exists is that very moment no future no past. Its funny riding still gives me the same feeling as when I was eight, but it's so much more now, it is my heartbeat, it gives me perspective, it grounds me, and allows me to fly all at once. (Jones)
In this paper I will be showing evidence on why we as a society could start to focus on the positive effects of participating in extreme sports, rather than fear and dwell in possible negative outcomes.
Part II: Historical Context
Worldwide sports such as soccer, football, basketball, etc have been more commonly participated in and viewed; but over the past twenty years, extreme sports have gained more popularity. Athletics such as freestyle skiing, skateboarding and down hill biking are being promoted through big corporation sponsors such as Thrasher, Red Bull and TGR. The biggest contributors to the popularity of extreme sports are competitions and the publicity given from social media. In 1988 Red Bull started the Dolomitenmann; an extreme sports relay race. “Since then these sports have done nothing but grow with in Red Bull” (Red Bull). This brought a bigger audience and participation within extreme sports as Red Bull became a well established household brand. “In 1995, X-Games, an extreme sport broadcasted competition, was founded” (X-Games). This has brought new tricks, and more inspiration for others to go bigger within these sports. By 1998 extreme sports such as slopestyle and freestyle skiing were added to the Olympics, and in 2020, skateboarding, BMX, and similar extreme sports will be added to the Summer Olympics (Olympic.org). While drawing the most attention from younger generations, these types of sports and their venues have become a big part of society. It is common to see people walking down the street in clothing advertising extreme sports equipment and events, as well as exposure on social media, TVs and billboards.
Part III: Research and Analysis
One of the biggest questions we ask ourselves about extreme sports, is why do people have the urge to jump off mountains soaring hundreds of feet in the air, or ski off powder covered cliffs landing a hundred feet down? Some say that these people are adrenaline junkies looking for a high. MAO is a big part of why people participate in extreme sports. According to the movie Adrenaline Rush “People who participate in extreme sports have one third less MAO than the average person. Low MAO are also linked to low anti-social behavior such as crime, drug or alcohol addiction. People with low MAO aren't always adrenaline junkies but entrepreneurs, artists, inventors, and performers.”(Adrenaline Rush)
In studies about MAO also called “Monoamine oxidase, function as a regulator, keeping neurotransmitters in balance.” (Zuckerman) It is an enzyme that breaks down monoamine activity. MA, Monoamines refer to three specific neurotransmitters dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin. These are involved in mediating a wide range of physiological and homeostatic functions, which vary with the part of the brain being examined. (Introduction to the MA) When it is released the athletes that are hurling their bodies into voids, and abysses of white powder, hard concrete, and dirt trails have longer lasting excitatory charge, prolonging heightened effects. Because of this people who participate in these sports get big dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin rushes. As it is best described in This is your brain on Adventure “...When dopamine goes huge, people go huge.” (Williams) Athletes feel more when participating in such activities, and explain why people who have less MAO are more susceptible to doing more risky activities. These three MA neurotransmitters dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin, while being released during extreme sports each have different function.
Dopamine “...is important in the regulation of movement, cognitive processes such as attention and working memory and motivational behaviour. It is the primary neurotransmitter involved in reward pathways that are considered important in mediating effects of drugs of abuse. Dopamine acts on a range of dopamine receptors located in various brain regions and the periphery.” (Introduction to the MA) This is where people get hooked on and feeling an urge to continue to pursue these sports. This suggests why people say that they feel rejuvenated afterwards, and are overall happier during and after these activities. Daisher, a base jumper describes this feeling "When you're into the 'gnar zone'" — and by that, he means gnarly, "that's when you just be, and you just forget about everything." (qtd. in Donovan) This is overall one of the biggest influences on why people continue to participate despite dangers and failures.
A second impact on the nervous system is Noradrenaline which “... is involved in mediating cardiovascular effects, arousal, concentration, attention, learning and memory” (Introduction to the MA) According to my research this is an undesirable feeling. As a male Base-jumper in his early 70’s recalls one of his scariest jumps
“When I started getting this ground rush, I cut away, I went back into free fall at four hundred feet, you know, which is a suicidal thing to do, suicidal, because I had problems with control, you know I forgot all my training, because of the adrenaline.” (Brymer,12) Although adrenaline puts you in a survival state, heightening focus and reaction time; it doesn't necessarily help in extreme sports. When you're in this state you can't think about all the training you have gone through in order to successfully execute these sports. Therefore making it possibly dangerous and certainly scary to experience adrenaline (Noradrenaline) during these activities.
Serotonin a third monoamine to be considered “is involved in a variety of physiological processes, including regulation of smooth muscle function, blood pressure regulation...In the central nervous system it is involved in complex behaviours such as mood, appetite, sleep, cognition, perception, motor activity, temperature regulation, pain control, sexual behaviour and hormone secretion” (Introduction to the MA) Serotonin regulates anxiety, resulting in a peaceful and relaxed state, often mentioned by athletes. According to National Center for Health Statistics “ from 2011 through 2014, the most recent data available, close to 13% of people 12 and older reported they took an antidepressant” (Sifferlin) By introducing extreme sports to people with PTSD, depression, and anxiety these chemicals could be naturally released instead of prescribed. By creating an environment of activity, the effect from participating in extreme sports could offer a reduction in children’s use of pharmaceutical medication.
The Big Five Personality scale is a contemporary model used to describe qualities or traits in human character. In the study Personality Traits in High-Risk Sports Athletes , Goldberg’s theory is used to break apart personality dimensions into five definitions. Energy, acceptability, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness were used as descriptors of the five personality traits. (Kajtna et al) This framework examined specific qualities, and compared which personality traits were more significantly correlated in the three variables high risk athletes, non-risk athletes and non-athletes, measured by The Big Five Observer Scale.
Energy also known as Extraversion is defined as “...energetic and dynamic activities, talkativeness and thrill, the ability to enforce one’s will, to be a front man and influence others” (Kajtna et al, 27). This means that the person who scores higher in this aspect is extroverted and outgoing, while those who score lower are more introverted and tend to be more inhibited. The study revealed extreme sports athletes scored much higher than non athletes and slightly higher than non-risk athletes. Kajta et al. suggests a result of engaging in sports creates a need to counteract their focused alone time with more sociability in their lives.
Acceptability or Agreeableness according to Personality In High-Risk Sports Athletes describe people as having “...the ability to understand and the need to help others, with the ability to engage in effective cooperation, acceptance, trust and openness.”(Kajtna et al, 27) Therefore people that score higher in this scale are more likely to get along with others while those who score lower are more hostile, and stuck in their ways. Extreme sport athletes show to be more prone to scoring high on this personality trait, they are more likely to communicate well with others or groups, and be selfless. In our modern society many sit at desks in front of a computer working long hours. We are put into this setting from a very early age and struggle to connect with others. In Resilience, Leadership and Teamwork – Taking Your Employees to Extreme Environments Lucy Bennett-Baggs talks about how taking people out of their comfort zone practically forces them to be better leaders, and team builders. “When you’re in a remote and challenging environment, titles and seniority become irrelevant and barriers are removed.” (qtd. in Agnew) Being in extreme sports puts participants in environments that... “challenge encourages resilience, leadership and teamwork, allowing employees to network and bond with one another in a non-corporate environment.” (qtd. In Agnew) While on a backcountry ski tour if you don't have the capability to listen to or understand the consequences of not listening to others concerns, the outing could end in the death of the athletes. Through learning this in extreme sports it can then grow in to other parts of life. Helping participants with social, and work communication. Although it is a challenge for people who score higher in agreeable qualities to be leaders, they tend to exhibit prosocial behavior and get along with others.
Scoring high on Conscientiousness is when one has good “...reliability, accuracy, orderliness, persistence, toughness and working habits.”(Kajtna et al, 27) therefore extreme sports athletes, who score higher than non athletes/ non-risk athletes in conscientiousness, are typically determined to be focused on making the best work they can, in a reliable state. As Smith states in Why People Participate in Extreme Sports they are being “...played, exercised or practiced in free or uncontrolled environment like base jumping and skydiving. While traditional athletes play in controlled environment like fields and gyms, extreme athletes have to operate and display their skills in a free-flowing natural environment. For this reason the aspects and understanding of laws of physics and how to apply and use them are really crucial for success.”(Smith) This contributes to having to be very aware of their surroundings and environment that they are playing in. Participants can't just go jump off a cliff at any given point, they have to take time to learn about the environment before pursuing the sport. As a Base-jumper in Risk Taking In Extreme Sports recommends
Learn everything possible about the sports; learn about the weather conditions, learn about wind, learn about what wind does in and around buildings and structures and cliffs, etc. so you know what you can and what you can’t do. (qtd. in Brymer, 11)
In contrast this type of person is so organized and want everything to go in the correct order that they often lack spontaneity.
Lastly extreme sports athletes scored highest in Emotional Stability or Neuroticism, meaning that they can “...control one’s emotions, to remain calm and balanced.” (Kajtna et al, 27) People who score higher within emotional stability have a tendency to stay positive, and not get wound up in feeling down. This is very important with in extreme sports because if something were to go wrong there is a great benefit to have an ability to stay calm and controlled rather than lose confidence. People who score low in emotional stability have the tendency to appraise emotions as negative such as anger, anxiety, or depression. This study indicates that people who participate in extreme sports are better at coping with their emotions, and staying calm in stressful situations. People who participate in extreme sports are closer to the realization that life is one hundred percent fatal, as a base jumper in his mid forties explains “... death was a certainty, the real risk was ignoring this fact, and as a result missing out on opportunities because of fear. GS went on to explain that he would not undertake BASE-jumping if he thought that he was putting his life at risk. (qtd. in Bymer, 13)
One of the biggest misconceptions I have found is that extreme sports athletes do it for the adrenaline rush as stated in the article Risk Taking in Extreme Sports a Phenomenological Perspective “From a social standpoint participants are seduced by the glamour image of adrenaline and risk to voluntarily go beyond the edge of their control.”(qtd. in Brymer, 9) Psychologist propose several reasons why athletes participate in such activities “...participants are either adrenaline seekers fulfilling a need for uncertainty, novelty, ambiguity, variety, and unpredictability or they are pathological with unhealthy narcissistic tendencies.”( qtd. in Brymer, 9) Although parts of these definitions may reveal some possible truths, much of these statements can be debated. As Lynn Hill a climber interviewed in Marilyn Olsens book Women Who Risk “Extreme to me means doing something that is dangerous and risky. And that was never my motivation as a climber. The reason I climb is more about learning about myself as well as the sense of partnership with my climbing partners within the natural environment. It has nothing to do with how dangerous it is.(Olsen, 59) Over all it seems that these athletes continue these sports more for the dopamine, than noradrenaline effect.
As stated before, the less MAO enzymes produced, the more likely for individuals to enjoy these sports due to a flooding of neurotransmitters “...meaning that daredevils' brains are more saturated with the chemical, predisposing them to keep taking risks and chasing the next high” (Park) There are more complexity to this than just seeing it as producing adrenaline junkies. In recent research it has been found that, because of the bigger feeling of happiness extreme sports can be a resource for helping depression, and PTSD. Although there's not alot of scientific research on extreme sports benefiting these areas, there is a lot of evidence supporting the hypothesis. In one research project “A community-based, sports oriented occupational therapy...may have promise for treatment of veterans with PTSD and depression who have interest in high intensity sports.(Rogers et al, 3) In this experiment they had 150 veterans participated in surfing class and end with a debrief, connecting what they learned surfing to their everyday life. The purpose of this study was to find if clients using sports-oriented therapy for five weeks reported a reduction in PTSD and depressive symptoms. Participants showed significant signs of improvement as “..Participant who stayed in the program reported of PTSD symptom severity were significantly lower after 5-wk study period.” (Rogers et al, 3) In another study David Erickson proposes that participating in extreme sports "... should transfer risky behavior into a constructive alternative, and among adolescents, physical activity decreases mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety," (qtd. in Spitzer) This hypothesis was based on his own experience and recovery from a struggle with finding exhilaration through crime. He was sentenced to three years in prison, but after being released pursued an education while also participating in extreme sports as a vice to keep him sane. He is now a therapist and started his own study, on this phenomenon. The children that are using this method to help their depression say that it helps exponentially. "I'm in the air right now and I need to focus on how my body is moving, and how I'm going to go up in the air. It's definitely, you're mindful of what's going on right in front of you, and you don't need to worry about anything else," (qtd. in Spitzer) Through this we have learned that these sports have the potential to benefit the depression and PTSD dilemma our society has, with proper usage this could be a new way to help address this issue.
Part VI: Conclusions
The factors above are important in considering what drives people towards extreme sports. Although it is hard to conclude why, there are a number of reasons worth examining. While personality aspects might open the door to trying new things, physiologically and neurologically it's more difficult to determine what comes first in the drive to pursue extreme sports. In brief, MAO, the oxidation of dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin is a noteworthy contributor. Knowing about this we can better understand a neurological aspect to why some people persevere in such sports.
What we have concluded is that extreme sports athletes aren't in fact addicted to adrenaline in the sense that most people believe, rather they are scared of this physiological effects because it puts them at risk of death. Reaffirming the tendency for risk taking athletes to better moderate their emotions. It has been shown in many ways that extreme sports are an effective tool for people who struggling with engaging in risky behaviors, and helping them to overcome depression and PTSD. As Well as the fact that extreme sports athletes correlate with these benefits, the strongest researched reveals personality associations with energy, acceptability, conscientiousness and emotional stability. When participating in such activity it does help strengthen these qualities, which can then be used in daily events. There is not a lot of solid scientific data to prove this, which could greatly benefit our society. This is why more research should continue to expand the scientific understanding in these aspects. This may open conversations to start asking more question on how this could be replacing the drugs we give our kids, and how it could strengthen people's overall social behaviors. Linking the research of the benefits and using this to design research models might contribute to a more solid understanding of the effects on human behavior.
Many of the younger generations lives are surrounded by these sports nowadays, as extreme sports become a bigger part of our society. It is also a generally accepted impression that modern society is negatively impacted by stress. More research could reveal how important these activities could be for helping society's ills, and how we could potentially use this as a benefits with some of the more prominent struggles like depression, anxiety and personality disorders. Continuing research on this topic and clarifying the potential benefits will also remove biases and the labeling that these athletes as being adrenaline junkies. A focus on how this is helping people who participate and how to make this type of activity available for many would do more positive than continuing to pursue the why individuals want to engage in the risk. Some do these sports out of the love of feeling free while others may do it out of reckless nature. We can't change that people love extreme sports, but we can change how these sports are viewed and used to help society benefit.
Works Cited
Adrenaline rush : the science of risk, Productions Sky High Courage, Inc. for Sky High
Entertainment ; produced by Carl Samson ; written and directed by Marc Fafard. --, (videorecording DVD)
Agnew, Mark. “Resilience, Leadership and Teamwork – Taking Your Employees to Extreme
Environments.” Scmp, 10 Oct. 2017, www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2114644/resilience-leadership-and-teamwork-taking-your.
Brymer, Eric (2010) Risk taking in Extreme Sports: A phenomenological perspective. Annals of
Leisure Research, 13(1/2), pp. 218-239.
Britt, Michael, director. Extreme Sports: Why Do People Do It? YouTube, YouTube, 30 Sept.
2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVgUnl0wu2c.
Donovan, Jonn. “Extreme Sports Athletes Crave the Reward, Not the Risk.” HowStuffWorks, 19
May 2017, adventure.howstuffworks.com/extreme-sports-athletes-crave-reward-not-risk.htm.
“Introduction to the Monoamine System.” The Department of Health, Apr. 2004
www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/drugtreat-pubs-modpsy-toc~drugtreat-pubs-modpsy-2~drugtreat-pubs-modpsy-2-3~drugtreat-pubs-modpsy-2-3-intr.
Kajtna, Tanja, et al. "Personality in High-Risk Sports Athletes." Kinesiology, vol. 36, no. 1, June
2004, pp. 24-34. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=14000096.
“Milestones 1987.” Milestones :: Energy Drink :: Red Bull USA, Red Bull,
energydrink-us.redbull.com/en/red-bull-history.
Park, Alice. “Why We Take Risks It's the Dopamine.” Time, Time Inc., 30 Dec. 2008,
content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1869106,00.html.
Rogers, Carly M, et al. High-Intensity Sports for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression.
Research, Teton Gravity, director. TGR's New Film, Jeremy Jones' 'Life of Glide'. Teton Gravity
Research, www.tetongravity.com/video/snowboard/jeremy-jones-life-of-glide.
Spitzer, Gabriel. “Therapist Uses Extreme Sports To Treat Mental Illness.” Knkx, 20 Aug. 2013,
knkx.org/post/therapist-uses-extreme-sports-treat-mental-illness.
Sifferlin, Alexandra. “13% Of Americans Take Antidepressants.” TIME, 15 Aug. 2017,
time.com/4900248/antidepressants-depression-more-common/.
Smith, Alvin. “Why Do People Enjoy Extreme Sports?” SelfGrowth.com,
www.selfgrowth.com/articles/why_do_people_enjoy_extreme_sports.
“Snowboard Equipment and History - Olympic Sport History.” International Olympic
Committee, 4 Feb. 2018, www.olympic.org/snowboard-equipment-and-history.
Williams, Florence. “This Is Your Brain on Adventure.” Outside Online, 23 May 2017,
www.outsideonline.com/1896581/your-brain-adventure.
Women Who Risk: Profiles of Women in Extreme SportsPaperback – March 7, 2003 by Marilyn
Olsen
“X Games and Action Sports Videos, Photos, Athletes, Events, Original Series, News and
More.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, xgames.espn.com/xgames/.
Zuckerman, Marvin. “Are You a Risk Taker?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 1 Nov.
2000, www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200011/are-you-risk-taker.
There are many mental factors that enable people to be predisposed to participating in extreme sports, as well as many benefits to participating in such activities. As extreme sport athletes jump out of planes, ski off cliffs, and surf unimaginable waves, they are misunderstood as thrill seekers or adrenaline junkies. The most common definition for extreme sports from researchers is “any sport, where one has to accept a possibility of severe injury or death as a result” (Kajtna,1). In Brymers work, a base jumper in his 30’s suggests redefining and expanding extreme sports as more than near death experiences.“People who do these activities don’t [do it for the risks]; they do it because they enjoy living.” (Brymer, 16).
As extreme sports have exponentially grown in the past years, it is very important for us to put aside our limited views about these sports and recognize the benefits to our youth and athletes. Many sources indicate that extreme sports not only clear people's minds, but actually strengthen their emotional stability, which is why it can be used to help depression, PTSD, and risky behavior amongst people. Jeremy Jones, a professional snowboarder and surfer, perfectly describes the experience of extreme sports as:
This one feeling, a love, an obsession, call it what you will, this simple dance of give
and take with gravity that feeling as a little kid where the only thing that exists is that very moment no future no past. Its funny riding still gives me the same feeling as when I was eight, but it's so much more now, it is my heartbeat, it gives me perspective, it grounds me, and allows me to fly all at once. (Jones)
In this paper I will be showing evidence on why we as a society could start to focus on the positive effects of participating in extreme sports, rather than fear and dwell in possible negative outcomes.
Part II: Historical Context
Worldwide sports such as soccer, football, basketball, etc have been more commonly participated in and viewed; but over the past twenty years, extreme sports have gained more popularity. Athletics such as freestyle skiing, skateboarding and down hill biking are being promoted through big corporation sponsors such as Thrasher, Red Bull and TGR. The biggest contributors to the popularity of extreme sports are competitions and the publicity given from social media. In 1988 Red Bull started the Dolomitenmann; an extreme sports relay race. “Since then these sports have done nothing but grow with in Red Bull” (Red Bull). This brought a bigger audience and participation within extreme sports as Red Bull became a well established household brand. “In 1995, X-Games, an extreme sport broadcasted competition, was founded” (X-Games). This has brought new tricks, and more inspiration for others to go bigger within these sports. By 1998 extreme sports such as slopestyle and freestyle skiing were added to the Olympics, and in 2020, skateboarding, BMX, and similar extreme sports will be added to the Summer Olympics (Olympic.org). While drawing the most attention from younger generations, these types of sports and their venues have become a big part of society. It is common to see people walking down the street in clothing advertising extreme sports equipment and events, as well as exposure on social media, TVs and billboards.
Part III: Research and Analysis
One of the biggest questions we ask ourselves about extreme sports, is why do people have the urge to jump off mountains soaring hundreds of feet in the air, or ski off powder covered cliffs landing a hundred feet down? Some say that these people are adrenaline junkies looking for a high. MAO is a big part of why people participate in extreme sports. According to the movie Adrenaline Rush “People who participate in extreme sports have one third less MAO than the average person. Low MAO are also linked to low anti-social behavior such as crime, drug or alcohol addiction. People with low MAO aren't always adrenaline junkies but entrepreneurs, artists, inventors, and performers.”(Adrenaline Rush)
In studies about MAO also called “Monoamine oxidase, function as a regulator, keeping neurotransmitters in balance.” (Zuckerman) It is an enzyme that breaks down monoamine activity. MA, Monoamines refer to three specific neurotransmitters dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin. These are involved in mediating a wide range of physiological and homeostatic functions, which vary with the part of the brain being examined. (Introduction to the MA) When it is released the athletes that are hurling their bodies into voids, and abysses of white powder, hard concrete, and dirt trails have longer lasting excitatory charge, prolonging heightened effects. Because of this people who participate in these sports get big dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin rushes. As it is best described in This is your brain on Adventure “...When dopamine goes huge, people go huge.” (Williams) Athletes feel more when participating in such activities, and explain why people who have less MAO are more susceptible to doing more risky activities. These three MA neurotransmitters dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin, while being released during extreme sports each have different function.
Dopamine “...is important in the regulation of movement, cognitive processes such as attention and working memory and motivational behaviour. It is the primary neurotransmitter involved in reward pathways that are considered important in mediating effects of drugs of abuse. Dopamine acts on a range of dopamine receptors located in various brain regions and the periphery.” (Introduction to the MA) This is where people get hooked on and feeling an urge to continue to pursue these sports. This suggests why people say that they feel rejuvenated afterwards, and are overall happier during and after these activities. Daisher, a base jumper describes this feeling "When you're into the 'gnar zone'" — and by that, he means gnarly, "that's when you just be, and you just forget about everything." (qtd. in Donovan) This is overall one of the biggest influences on why people continue to participate despite dangers and failures.
A second impact on the nervous system is Noradrenaline which “... is involved in mediating cardiovascular effects, arousal, concentration, attention, learning and memory” (Introduction to the MA) According to my research this is an undesirable feeling. As a male Base-jumper in his early 70’s recalls one of his scariest jumps
“When I started getting this ground rush, I cut away, I went back into free fall at four hundred feet, you know, which is a suicidal thing to do, suicidal, because I had problems with control, you know I forgot all my training, because of the adrenaline.” (Brymer,12) Although adrenaline puts you in a survival state, heightening focus and reaction time; it doesn't necessarily help in extreme sports. When you're in this state you can't think about all the training you have gone through in order to successfully execute these sports. Therefore making it possibly dangerous and certainly scary to experience adrenaline (Noradrenaline) during these activities.
Serotonin a third monoamine to be considered “is involved in a variety of physiological processes, including regulation of smooth muscle function, blood pressure regulation...In the central nervous system it is involved in complex behaviours such as mood, appetite, sleep, cognition, perception, motor activity, temperature regulation, pain control, sexual behaviour and hormone secretion” (Introduction to the MA) Serotonin regulates anxiety, resulting in a peaceful and relaxed state, often mentioned by athletes. According to National Center for Health Statistics “ from 2011 through 2014, the most recent data available, close to 13% of people 12 and older reported they took an antidepressant” (Sifferlin) By introducing extreme sports to people with PTSD, depression, and anxiety these chemicals could be naturally released instead of prescribed. By creating an environment of activity, the effect from participating in extreme sports could offer a reduction in children’s use of pharmaceutical medication.
The Big Five Personality scale is a contemporary model used to describe qualities or traits in human character. In the study Personality Traits in High-Risk Sports Athletes , Goldberg’s theory is used to break apart personality dimensions into five definitions. Energy, acceptability, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness were used as descriptors of the five personality traits. (Kajtna et al) This framework examined specific qualities, and compared which personality traits were more significantly correlated in the three variables high risk athletes, non-risk athletes and non-athletes, measured by The Big Five Observer Scale.
Energy also known as Extraversion is defined as “...energetic and dynamic activities, talkativeness and thrill, the ability to enforce one’s will, to be a front man and influence others” (Kajtna et al, 27). This means that the person who scores higher in this aspect is extroverted and outgoing, while those who score lower are more introverted and tend to be more inhibited. The study revealed extreme sports athletes scored much higher than non athletes and slightly higher than non-risk athletes. Kajta et al. suggests a result of engaging in sports creates a need to counteract their focused alone time with more sociability in their lives.
Acceptability or Agreeableness according to Personality In High-Risk Sports Athletes describe people as having “...the ability to understand and the need to help others, with the ability to engage in effective cooperation, acceptance, trust and openness.”(Kajtna et al, 27) Therefore people that score higher in this scale are more likely to get along with others while those who score lower are more hostile, and stuck in their ways. Extreme sport athletes show to be more prone to scoring high on this personality trait, they are more likely to communicate well with others or groups, and be selfless. In our modern society many sit at desks in front of a computer working long hours. We are put into this setting from a very early age and struggle to connect with others. In Resilience, Leadership and Teamwork – Taking Your Employees to Extreme Environments Lucy Bennett-Baggs talks about how taking people out of their comfort zone practically forces them to be better leaders, and team builders. “When you’re in a remote and challenging environment, titles and seniority become irrelevant and barriers are removed.” (qtd. in Agnew) Being in extreme sports puts participants in environments that... “challenge encourages resilience, leadership and teamwork, allowing employees to network and bond with one another in a non-corporate environment.” (qtd. In Agnew) While on a backcountry ski tour if you don't have the capability to listen to or understand the consequences of not listening to others concerns, the outing could end in the death of the athletes. Through learning this in extreme sports it can then grow in to other parts of life. Helping participants with social, and work communication. Although it is a challenge for people who score higher in agreeable qualities to be leaders, they tend to exhibit prosocial behavior and get along with others.
Scoring high on Conscientiousness is when one has good “...reliability, accuracy, orderliness, persistence, toughness and working habits.”(Kajtna et al, 27) therefore extreme sports athletes, who score higher than non athletes/ non-risk athletes in conscientiousness, are typically determined to be focused on making the best work they can, in a reliable state. As Smith states in Why People Participate in Extreme Sports they are being “...played, exercised or practiced in free or uncontrolled environment like base jumping and skydiving. While traditional athletes play in controlled environment like fields and gyms, extreme athletes have to operate and display their skills in a free-flowing natural environment. For this reason the aspects and understanding of laws of physics and how to apply and use them are really crucial for success.”(Smith) This contributes to having to be very aware of their surroundings and environment that they are playing in. Participants can't just go jump off a cliff at any given point, they have to take time to learn about the environment before pursuing the sport. As a Base-jumper in Risk Taking In Extreme Sports recommends
Learn everything possible about the sports; learn about the weather conditions, learn about wind, learn about what wind does in and around buildings and structures and cliffs, etc. so you know what you can and what you can’t do. (qtd. in Brymer, 11)
In contrast this type of person is so organized and want everything to go in the correct order that they often lack spontaneity.
Lastly extreme sports athletes scored highest in Emotional Stability or Neuroticism, meaning that they can “...control one’s emotions, to remain calm and balanced.” (Kajtna et al, 27) People who score higher within emotional stability have a tendency to stay positive, and not get wound up in feeling down. This is very important with in extreme sports because if something were to go wrong there is a great benefit to have an ability to stay calm and controlled rather than lose confidence. People who score low in emotional stability have the tendency to appraise emotions as negative such as anger, anxiety, or depression. This study indicates that people who participate in extreme sports are better at coping with their emotions, and staying calm in stressful situations. People who participate in extreme sports are closer to the realization that life is one hundred percent fatal, as a base jumper in his mid forties explains “... death was a certainty, the real risk was ignoring this fact, and as a result missing out on opportunities because of fear. GS went on to explain that he would not undertake BASE-jumping if he thought that he was putting his life at risk. (qtd. in Bymer, 13)
One of the biggest misconceptions I have found is that extreme sports athletes do it for the adrenaline rush as stated in the article Risk Taking in Extreme Sports a Phenomenological Perspective “From a social standpoint participants are seduced by the glamour image of adrenaline and risk to voluntarily go beyond the edge of their control.”(qtd. in Brymer, 9) Psychologist propose several reasons why athletes participate in such activities “...participants are either adrenaline seekers fulfilling a need for uncertainty, novelty, ambiguity, variety, and unpredictability or they are pathological with unhealthy narcissistic tendencies.”( qtd. in Brymer, 9) Although parts of these definitions may reveal some possible truths, much of these statements can be debated. As Lynn Hill a climber interviewed in Marilyn Olsens book Women Who Risk “Extreme to me means doing something that is dangerous and risky. And that was never my motivation as a climber. The reason I climb is more about learning about myself as well as the sense of partnership with my climbing partners within the natural environment. It has nothing to do with how dangerous it is.(Olsen, 59) Over all it seems that these athletes continue these sports more for the dopamine, than noradrenaline effect.
As stated before, the less MAO enzymes produced, the more likely for individuals to enjoy these sports due to a flooding of neurotransmitters “...meaning that daredevils' brains are more saturated with the chemical, predisposing them to keep taking risks and chasing the next high” (Park) There are more complexity to this than just seeing it as producing adrenaline junkies. In recent research it has been found that, because of the bigger feeling of happiness extreme sports can be a resource for helping depression, and PTSD. Although there's not alot of scientific research on extreme sports benefiting these areas, there is a lot of evidence supporting the hypothesis. In one research project “A community-based, sports oriented occupational therapy...may have promise for treatment of veterans with PTSD and depression who have interest in high intensity sports.(Rogers et al, 3) In this experiment they had 150 veterans participated in surfing class and end with a debrief, connecting what they learned surfing to their everyday life. The purpose of this study was to find if clients using sports-oriented therapy for five weeks reported a reduction in PTSD and depressive symptoms. Participants showed significant signs of improvement as “..Participant who stayed in the program reported of PTSD symptom severity were significantly lower after 5-wk study period.” (Rogers et al, 3) In another study David Erickson proposes that participating in extreme sports "... should transfer risky behavior into a constructive alternative, and among adolescents, physical activity decreases mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety," (qtd. in Spitzer) This hypothesis was based on his own experience and recovery from a struggle with finding exhilaration through crime. He was sentenced to three years in prison, but after being released pursued an education while also participating in extreme sports as a vice to keep him sane. He is now a therapist and started his own study, on this phenomenon. The children that are using this method to help their depression say that it helps exponentially. "I'm in the air right now and I need to focus on how my body is moving, and how I'm going to go up in the air. It's definitely, you're mindful of what's going on right in front of you, and you don't need to worry about anything else," (qtd. in Spitzer) Through this we have learned that these sports have the potential to benefit the depression and PTSD dilemma our society has, with proper usage this could be a new way to help address this issue.
Part VI: Conclusions
The factors above are important in considering what drives people towards extreme sports. Although it is hard to conclude why, there are a number of reasons worth examining. While personality aspects might open the door to trying new things, physiologically and neurologically it's more difficult to determine what comes first in the drive to pursue extreme sports. In brief, MAO, the oxidation of dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin is a noteworthy contributor. Knowing about this we can better understand a neurological aspect to why some people persevere in such sports.
What we have concluded is that extreme sports athletes aren't in fact addicted to adrenaline in the sense that most people believe, rather they are scared of this physiological effects because it puts them at risk of death. Reaffirming the tendency for risk taking athletes to better moderate their emotions. It has been shown in many ways that extreme sports are an effective tool for people who struggling with engaging in risky behaviors, and helping them to overcome depression and PTSD. As Well as the fact that extreme sports athletes correlate with these benefits, the strongest researched reveals personality associations with energy, acceptability, conscientiousness and emotional stability. When participating in such activity it does help strengthen these qualities, which can then be used in daily events. There is not a lot of solid scientific data to prove this, which could greatly benefit our society. This is why more research should continue to expand the scientific understanding in these aspects. This may open conversations to start asking more question on how this could be replacing the drugs we give our kids, and how it could strengthen people's overall social behaviors. Linking the research of the benefits and using this to design research models might contribute to a more solid understanding of the effects on human behavior.
Many of the younger generations lives are surrounded by these sports nowadays, as extreme sports become a bigger part of our society. It is also a generally accepted impression that modern society is negatively impacted by stress. More research could reveal how important these activities could be for helping society's ills, and how we could potentially use this as a benefits with some of the more prominent struggles like depression, anxiety and personality disorders. Continuing research on this topic and clarifying the potential benefits will also remove biases and the labeling that these athletes as being adrenaline junkies. A focus on how this is helping people who participate and how to make this type of activity available for many would do more positive than continuing to pursue the why individuals want to engage in the risk. Some do these sports out of the love of feeling free while others may do it out of reckless nature. We can't change that people love extreme sports, but we can change how these sports are viewed and used to help society benefit.
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