Sensation-seeking, also called thrill-seeking or excitement-

seeking, is the tendency to pursue new and different

sensations, feelings, and experiences. The trait describes
people who chase novel, complex, and intense sensations,
who love experience for its own sake, and who may take
risks to pursue those experiences.
Understanding Thrill-Seeking
Thrill-seekers aren’t motivated by danger. They’re driven to
conquer new challenges and soak up every experience life
has to offer—and they simply don’t let danger dissuade
them. Therefore, they may not fear the risks that
accompany activities like mountaineering, cliff diving,
gambling, or experimenting with drugs.
Despite the hazards of certain behaviors, risk-taking has
value and serves an important evolutionary purpose.
Without the courage to advance into unknown, potentially
dangerous territory, human beings may not have found
new mates, populated the globe, or flourished as a
species.
What is sensation-seeking?
Sensation-seeking encompasses the drive for new, exotic,
and intense experiences. As pioneering psychologist
Marvin Zuckerman summarized it, “sensation seeking is
a personality trait defined by the search for experiences and
feelings that are varied, novel, complex, and intense, and
by the readiness to take physical, social, legal, and
financial risks for the sake of such experiences.”
What are examples of sensation-seeking behavior?
Sensation-seeking can occur through adrenaline-filled
extreme sports, like skydiving, mountain climbing, or
paratrooping. But it can also be an activity that allows the
person to try something completely new, like joining a
dance team, or conquer a challenge, like running an
ultramarathon.

What Is an "Adrenaline Junkie?"

"Adrenaline junkie" is a term used to refer to someone
who favors high-risk activities for the rush that
accompanies them. The term was first popularly used in
the 1991 movie "Point Break." Related to this
phenomenon, many people seek out high-sensation
experiences for the neurophysiological effects.

Physiological mechanisms underlying temperament lead

people to seek what feels to them like just the right
amount of stimulation in a given situation. This
experience of "just the right amount" of stimulation or
sensation is deeply interconnected with psychological
mechanisms of motivation and varies across people with
different personality traits.

In fact, a 2016 study of parachute jumpers found that

personality is the greatest predictor of whether a person is
likely to undertake risky behavior. High anxiety sensation
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seeking may characterize the so-called "adrenaline

junkie."
When dependence on these experiences is positioned as a
way of managing stressful situations, however, it might be
time to seek treatment.

The Science Behind the Need for Stimulation in

Adrenaline Junkies
Capacity for cognitive control is impaired or enhanced
depending on whether a given task requires suppression of
or attention to various motivational cues, according to a
2010 study.2

The neurobiology behind these processes is complicated

and many brain areas are implicated. Activation of the
stress response is thought to drive compulsive behavior
through negative reinforcement mechanisms.

Release of norepinephrine in the amygdala, the area of the

brain activated during the stress response, may represent
a key component of the transition to dependence,
according to a 2009 study. Meanwhile, another study
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focused on the avoidance-type behaviors often found in

PTSD. In this 2018 animal study, researchers found that
amygdala stimulation leads to decreased avoidance
behaviors.

The term "adrenaline junkie" may have you thinking that

the noradrenergic system alone is implicated in sensation-
seeking behavior. A 2017 review explores how the
neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin also greatly
impact the ability to regulate impulsivity and risk-
taking. The review also examines how the systems that
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involve these neurotransmitters are dysregulated in

people with substance use disorders.
Meanwhile, a 2016 study of so-called adrenaline junkies
such as rock climbers found that regular climbers
experienced frequent and intense craving states and
negative effect when they stopped climbing, similar to
individuals with substance use disorders. 5

Everyday Sensation-Seeking
You don’t have to be a bank robber, skydiver, or another
obvious type of danger-seeker to be hooked on the rush
that comes from a little stress. In fact, you could be
somewhat hooked on stimulation in your everyday life and
not realize it.

An unconscious need for stimulation may influence the

way you manage your schedule, the people you spend time
with, and even the way you approach a deadline.

A 2010 study suggests that neurotic individuals may create

drama and crises in their lives to trigger the body’s stress
response, get the rush that comes with the excitement,
and reduce their negative mood. Extroverted individuals
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may take risks to reinforce positive experiences.

Addiction to stimulation is not currently classified as a

disorder in the DSM, however, impulsivity risk-taking
behavior is relevant to a number of mental health
conditions that may warrant additional treatment, such
as ADHD, PTSD, and substance use disorder. Behavioral
addictions are also newly becoming recognized as valid
psychiatric disorders, with pathological gambling earning
a spot in the DSM-5-TR, as explored by a 2015 journal
article.
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Management for Adrenaline Junkies

While leading an exciting life in and of itself isn’t a
problem, unwittingly creating crises for yourself or
becoming needlessly engulfed in stressful situations can
take its toll. If you tend to create more drama in your life
than is necessary, the benefit of becoming aware of it is
twofold:

1. You can begin to keep things exciting but take the

"crisis edge" off, paring down unnecessarily stressful
activities. You can also try distinguishing the subtle
difference between a true crisis and a somewhat
overblown situation.
2. You can practice relaxation techniques to reverse your
body’s stress response when you find yourself
overwhelmed so you don’t experience the full negative
effects of chronic stress.

If your risk-taking behavior is getting out of control,

causing distress, or causing you not to fulfill your
responsibilities, consider seeking professional help. A
mental health professional can help you explore ways to
manage your behavior in healthier, more adaptive ways.