As a result, mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety seem to be becoming more commonplace with each year, despite the fact that, objectively, the quality of life in most countries is gradually improving. There are many possible reasons as to why that may be the case. One is that, with the higher quality of life, people also have greater expectations for what their personal lives should look like. Another one is that life nowadays is a lot more competitive because everyone can, at least in theory, get ahead in life, which fuels an endless rat race to a non-existent finish line. And then there’s also the problem with hyperconnectivity as the result of the rapid advancement of technology. Nowadays, a person is pretty much expected to be available 24/7, which can blur the line between work and personal life, between being with one’s family and one’s friends, or between spending time with people and having your “alone time”. The result of this is that, mentally, we are always in a dozen different places, playing out dozens of different scenarios in our minds, and we are never in the here and now. This creates stress in our minds that we aren’t prepared to handle, leading to conditions, such as depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and other common mental health problems that many people struggle with nowadays.
Based on a survey, extreme sports participation in the United States in 2022 showed that 11% of respondents aged 18-29 expressed their love for extreme sports. This significant interest in extreme sports among the younger demographic highlights a growing trend towards seeking exhilarating and unconventional activities for recreation and fitness. The appeal of extreme sports lies in their ability to provide a thrilling escape from routine, fostering a sense of adventure and pushing boundaries both physically and mentally.
Texas, for example, renowned for its expansive landscapes and outdoor enthusiasts, plays a significant role in the realm of extreme sports participation. According to the data from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for the 2022-23 school year, Texas had a total of 506,798 boys and girls engaged in high school athletics. This robust engagement in physical activities sets a strong foundation for exploring unconventional methods like extreme sports as a means of enhancing mental well-being. With a vibrant sports culture and a growing interest in outdoor pursuits, Texans are uniquely positioned to leverage the benefits of extreme sports for mental health regulation.
But if these conditions are so prevalent in the modern world, what are the ways to fight and overcome them? Well, the usual ones you probably already know – therapy, support groups, hobbies, meditation, spending time outside, physical activity, and, in more extreme cases, certain medications to regulate one’s mental state. However, one possible way to reclaim your inner peace and mental stability you’ve probably not thought about is practicing an extreme sport.
The effects of extreme sports on a person’s mental well-being
Most regular people see the practitioners of extreme sports as people who are either a bit crazy or so confident in themselves and their abilities that they are okay with putting themselves in immediate physical danger of injury or even death. While some people who practice extreme sports like base jumping, mountain biking, skydiving, rock climbing, paragliding, and others, may indeed fit either (or both) of these descriptions, it’s ignorant to assume that one would take part in an extreme sport simply because they have a few loose screws or because they are overly-confident. Instead, the reason is much deeper and understanding it may help find a creative and unusual way to effectively manage one’s negative emotions, if the more conventional methods may have failed.
In fact, there are many studies that have concluded that extreme sports have a number of strong beneficial psychological effects on the people who practice them and serve an important mental-regulation purpose. Some of the most pronounced of these effects will briefly be outlined in the next lines.
Boosted self-esteem and confidence
A very obvious effect of practicing an extreme sport is a heightened sense of confidence that comes from one’s ability to overcome their fears and doubts, put themselves in immediate physical danger, and still be able to perform with focus, calmness, and mastery. The mental effect here is that the person practicing the extreme sport will feel greater confidence when facing regular everyday challenges, knowing that they’ve already overcome a task that’s significantly more difficult and dangerous.
A sense of being in control
Researchers have found that many extreme sports practitioners are actually people who struggle with a sense of loss of control in their everyday lives, and engaging in their preferred extreme sport is their way of reclaiming that control. This may sound contradictory, but really isn’t. The logic behind it is that, if a person is able to perform the dangerous, and mentally and physically demanding activities required in an extreme sport, and still be okay after that, this means that they have more control over their lives than what it may seem at times in their day-to-day life. In other words, it’s a way of showing one’s self that the person is more capable and has greater agency than they may sometimes think when overwhelmed by the daily stresses of life.
Emotional regulation and improved mental resilience
Of course, there’s also the element of becoming accustomed to higher degrees of stress and becoming better at handling them with a calm and clear mind. Extreme sports force you to stay collected and focused even when under a lot of stress, which trains your mind and heightens its resilience, so that, once you return to your day-to-day life, you are better prepared to handle its less intense stressors. In many cases, this could mean that the person will be less likely to become anxious, depressed, or even angry at everyday things.
Of course, it should be noted that extreme sports aren’t the end-all-be-all treatment for conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, and anger disorders. If you, or someone you know, is struggling with such conditions, it’s always worth to first explore more conventional approaches. For instance, if you have anger problems, it’s still better to first talk to a specialist or take up an anger management class. However, if those don’t work for you, or you feel like practicing an extreme sport is alleviating your stress with greater effect, you can certainly explore this as a valid option for managing your mental state.
Heightened focus and mindfulness
And now we arrive at probably one of the most important, yet least acknowledged, beneficial effects of practicing an extreme sport in the world of today. As mentioned earlier, our minds are so scattered all the time between different gadgets, people, and sources of mostly useless and distracting information, that we are never really mentally whole and in one place. And the worst part about this is that it can be really difficult to escape this maze of chaotic information and distraction if you remain stuck in your routine. In fact, it often takes a big jolt of strong and focused mental and/or physical stimulation to bring back together the scattered pieces of one’s mind, which is exactly the effect that practicing an extreme sport can have on a person. Because, when you are hurtling down a steep mountain trail on a bicycle, gliding through the air on a paraplane, or bungee-jumping off a 400-feet bridge, your instincts will force your mind to come together. You will be focused on that exact moment, with no thoughts about the future, the past, the ton of work you have to take care of on Monday, or the bills you forgot to pay last week. And that is very often what a person needs to mentally restart and view life from a different, more freeing perspective.
A word of caution
Ultimately, every person is different and if you are someone who can benefit mentally from practicing an extreme sport, it’s okay to use this as a way to unwind and reset. However, as with all things, extreme sports, too, should be done in moderation. Furthermore, as intoxicating as the adrenaline and dopamine spikes triggered by extreme sports can be, you must remember to always first take the necessary safety precautions and avoid taking unnecessary risks. The feeling of risking your physical well-being in such an extreme way might be addictive to some people and have a positive effect on their mental state, but getting yourself injured, or worse, is simply not worth it. Therefore, you should carefully pick the specific type of extreme sport you choose to practice on a regular basis, and also always do it with responsibility and care.
