I hear you loud and clear. I love getting scared, and I love extreme sports; though, I do take a little more care. I kneeboard, paintball, ATC ride/fly (yes, fly), and rockclimb (though, with ropes). I have been wishing for nightmares for 10 years. Yes, I love being scared/adreniline, your not alone out there smile.gif.

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Believe it or not, adrenaline is a hormone that's produced by your adrenal glands and gives you a rush or a feeling of elation. Some people call it the "fight or flight" instict, the rush of energy and burst of strength that you get from situations of perceived danger. There are drugs out there try to simulate or trigger the release of this hormone to give you that feeling, like speed and other uppers.
Though it's naturally produced in the body, some people get addicted because they want to have that feeling again. The problem is that the more you do things, like sky diving or base jumping, and survive, your perception of the danger involved decreases. These activities become "safe" in your mind, so your body doesn't release the same amount of adrenaline that it did before. So you try something more dangerous and more daring. And then that becomes "safe." So you're constantly searching for the next thrill which your mind has to perceive as more dangerous than the last thrill.
To be honest, drugs are only poor imitations of the real thing, and it's a slower, more painful death unless you OD. Being an adrenaline junkie by doing extreme sports is a lot more exciting. You might end up slightly injured, a paraplegic, even dead, but you could also live a long and happy life.

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I like the occasional adrenaline rush, but I don't often go out of my way for one

One thing that I want to mention, though, is the future. I have a bad knee courtesy of various sports, military service, et cetera. I walk fine, most of the time anyway, but I'm getting a bit older now and have to really think before I do too many things. If I tweak it the wrong way, well, I get to go in for another surgery.

My point is just that, if you're an active person - which is good because our bodies need exercise and adrenaline is not a bad thing in itself - that you all try to take care of yourselves as best you can. Wear protective gear, warm up and cool down...you know...the boring stuff that isn't fun at all. It sounds lame, I know, but you'll appreciate it ten years from now.

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