A serious thought for a sec... Skydiving and Cocaine - Surprisingly similar

[ntrprnr 0]

Actually, I don't know if "surprisingly" is the right word - I've always thought it was. Follow my rantings with me for a sec on this.

OK. In my life, I've tried Coke once or twice. Never really held any massive appeal for me - but I do remember one specific feeling each time - The feeling of "wow - I'm so focused right now. I should totally write this down - email friends - whatever - this is a great feeling. I could totally work/focus/get tons of stuff done for the next hour or two or five... blah, blah, blah."

OK. That said.

As it's been discussed, I'm also massively ADHD. I've never taken meds for it (although I've always considered it) prefering to self-medicate by jumping/running, etc - i.e., raising my dopamine and balancing my seratonin levels through non-medicinal means.

Logical, again.

So here's where it gets interesting...

Came down from my first jump yesterday since X-mas/Z-Hills. So about a month. I landed, dropped my rig, and was going to grab a soda. Took a deep breath, and thought to myself... Wait for it...

"wow - I'm so focused right now. I should totally write this down - email friends - whatever - this is a great feeling. I could totally work/focus/get tons of stuff done for the next hour or two or five... blah, blah, blah."

See a resembalance? I've always thought that skydiving/running/etc., is similar to Cocaine, as it's the massive push of the same chemicals that a line of coke would release - difference being that skydiving/running/etc. is natural - so there's no crash while the brain trys to rebalance. It just goes away naturally, without any depression or sadness or panic or fear or whatever. But the "high" feelings are shockingly similar.

Yesterday was the first time I've ever actually felt it in a virtually 100% identical feeling - that "rush" of dopamine, of adrenalin, of seratonin balance, not from any drug, but from a jump. Normally the jump/run/bike ride/boxing match gives me a boost - but nothing like yesterday.

Guess the point of the post - makes perfect sense to me now why people do cocaine or similar drugs - NOT ADVOCATING IT - but I understand it now - the rush is killer.

Perhaps those of us with more means, or perhaps even more smarts - see that there's a better way to get that same rush - and choose jumping/base/running/kayaking/any adventure sport or adrenalin-inducing activity to achieve that same high.

Discovery Channel once had a "Understanding" show on "risk takers." Some psychologist was on there saying that there are two types of adrenalin junkies/risk takers - he called them "type T+, the kind who take "good" risks to get high - jumping/running, etc, and T-, the kind who take "bad" risks to get high - stealing, drugs, violence, etc.

I never realized how true all of that is until I walked towards the food-area yesterday at Sebastian and had that "rush."

Wow.

Very, very interesting. There's GOT to be more research on this, right? I'd LOVE to learn more.

Any thoughts? Would love to hear comments from both sides - those more experienced in skydiving, and those more experienced in drug use.

-Peter (sore as hell from the Miami-half marathon in the pouring RAIN. That was NOT a fun endorphin high.)

_______________
"Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?"
"Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

[ACMESkydiver 0]

I haven't ever tried cocaine (what can I say? I was poor! )

Now that I am out of skydiving gear, mebbe I should grab a razor and a line?




Nahhhh....

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[Samurai136 0]

BODHI
Pure adrenalin, right?! The
ultimate rush. Other guys snort for
it, jab a vein for it -- all you
gotta do is jump.


Congrats on having a good time.

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[stayhigh 2]

if you can remember the coke trip in that much detail and all the right effects of coke,, you haven't done it once or twice,,,
it must been more like once or twice every hour...

it is not similar, coke is cheaper,,, high lasts longer..

but skydiving has alot more cool factor to it....
i only do cool things,, and coke ain't one of them..

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[SkyProdigy 0]

Quote

i
i only do cool things,, and coke ain't one of them..

is getting stoned cool? your a poster child for pot on this forum

[stitch 0]

Not at all similar.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[nubain1 0]

Both act to release dopamine to stimulate the pleasure centers in the brain.

[SansSuit 1]

Big difference: There are no 12-step programs for skydivers.

Peace,
-Dawson.
http://www.SansSuit.com
The Society for the Advancement of Naked Skydiving

[matt1215 0]

I've never done coke, so I really can't relate there.

As one who's massively ADD/ADHD and suffers from major depression, the release of feel-good chemicals are a huge part of why I skydive. For me, it's one of several means to constructively self-medicate.

[PilotLevi 0]

cocaine is rich man drug, ill stick to my weed.


lol yeah i can see what you're saying, even though i dont smoke weed or have never done coke.

[ntrprnr 0]

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if you can remember the coke trip in that much detail and all the right effects of coke,, you haven't done it once or twice,,,
it must been more like once or twice every hour...

it is not similar, coke is cheaper,,, high lasts longer..

but skydiving has alot more cool factor to it....
i only do cool things,, and coke ain't one of them..

Wow - Thanks for the clarity! I forgot you weren't only there ,but inside my brain, recording every action and reaction I had.

Oh, wait. You weren't. You were just conjecturing about me when you know absolutely nothing about me. That's helpful. Extremely.

The fact is, I've done it once or twice. And I remember that feeling specifically. I don't need to have done it "once or twice an hour" to have a specific memory about something.

So thanks for trying to tell me what I'm thinking. Despite being wrong.

_______________
"Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?"
"Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

[ntrprnr 0]

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Both act to release dopamine to stimulate the pleasure centers in the brain.

EXACTLY MY POINT!! It's just truly amazing to me how similar they are in terms of the action they both take.

_______________
"Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?"
"Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

[labrys 0]

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EXACTLY MY POINT!! It's just truly amazing to me how similar they are in terms of the action they both take.

With the exception being that the coke still in your system prevents the dopamine from being reabsorbed by your brain/body and the fun juice is destroyed....leaving you feeling flat and depressed and, eventually, unable to produce more dopamine.

When you jump the dopamine is reabsorbed instead of destroyed and you stay happier and healthier!

Owned by Remi #?

[ntrprnr 0]

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EXACTLY MY POINT!! It's just truly amazing to me how similar they are in terms of the action they both take.

With the exception being that the coke still in your system prevents the dopamine from being reabsorbed by your brain/body and the fun juice is destroyed....leaving you feeling flat and depressed and, eventually, unable to produce more dopamine.

When you jump the dopamine is reabsorbed instead of destroyed and you stay happier and healthier!

Agreed again!! I said that in my original post, albeit not as eloquently as you - that the dopamine occurance on a jump/run is natural. According to what I've read, the production when using drugs is forced, resulting in the crash.

_______________
"Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?"
"Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

[Shotgun 1]

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I've always thought that skydiving/running/etc., is similar to Cocaine, as it's the massive push of the same chemicals that a line of coke would release - difference being that skydiving/running/etc. is natural - so there's no crash while the brain trys to rebalance. It just goes away naturally, without any depression or sadness or panic or fear or whatever.

This is just my non-expert guess, but I would imagine that some people do feel a crash after getting a skydiving "high"... probably depends on the person and the situation - how their body reacts to adrenaline and such, and whether they are prone to mood disorders.

But yeah, it's interesting how the two are similar.

[reinhart36 0]

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This is just my non-expert guess, but I would imagine that some people do feel a crash after getting a skydiving "high"... probably depends on the person and the situation - how their body reacts to adrenaline and such, and whether they are prone to mood disorders.

But yeah, it's interesting how the two are similar.

I feel a bit of a crash after, but it's not bad. I just feel a little numb to everything for the rest of the day. It's nothing like a drug crash though (not that I would know).