Adrenaline is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands during high stress or exciting situations. This powerful hormone is part of the human body’s acute stress response system, also called the “fight or flight” response. It stimulates heart rate, contracts blood vessels and dilates air passages, all of which work to increase oxygen and blood flow to the muscles and lungs. When flooded with adrenaline, people experience a powerful sense of aliveness, focus and a fully in-the-moment presence. The ways in which people experience this sort of high, however, varies among people and according to age.

Risk taking also can be motivated by a need for recognition. For instance, You-Tube allows teens, and others, to post videos of their high risk exploits. There are many examples, for instance see “Ghost Ridding” http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=9hR2XDLRqGA&feature=related and “Coke Rockets” http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=Ixlj9mCfbG8&feature=related .

A lack of novelty or stimulation in everyday life promotes in some a desire for an adrenaline rush event and the peer recognition that event may bring. The quest for the rush and for the recognition may conspire to have teenagers take reckless, mindless risks. Some teenagers may find confidence or self-assuredness in being able to demonstrate their reckless courage. The goal should be to help would be risk takers learn how to realistically assess the consequences of taking on too much risk. Good assessment skill is also a defense against the peer pressure entailed in the double-dare
Healthy risk taking is a normal part of adolescent development that helps teens to develop their own identity and separate from parents. In addition, life is full of risk, as teens encounter risk and healthfully navigate to relative safety and avoid panic, judgment and confidence mature. Turn teens’ tendencies toward unhealthy risk behavior to healthy through channeling this drive into achievement, sports, creative endeavors and new outlets for friendship.

It is important to note that people who have been exposed to stressful environments over a long period of time are more inclined to do risky things. In addition, teenagers who have a lack of stimulation or challenge in their life may be more vulnerable to acting out reckless risk in order to feel a sense of aliveness and validation from their peers. Help teens to develop contentment with the familiarity and routine that life naturally bring.

Adults are not immune from the lure of the adrenaline rush and of received recognition. But, the hallmark of an emotionally mature adult who takes risks is the way those risks are undertaken in the context of a careful calculation. So skydiving involves risk, but people train for it, safety steps have been long established, the parameters of what is safe are well known. Teens benefit when they are given an opportunity to understand the difference between mindless risk taking and structured risk taking.

Accomplishing a goal feels great, but it is also important to not overlook the positive effects working toward a goal offers. Working toward something meaningful to you is a buffer toward anxiety and down mood. People feel better, and develop increased self-confidence when working toward something that is fulfilling and engaging.

If you struggle with finding a goal, it can be helpful to get in touch with your interests through remembering what you enjoyed doing in your childhood. Additionally consider what you imagined as a child you would be doing professionally in adulthood. As you reflect, come up with ways to actualize these childhood ideas as an adult. Then make a general list of what needs to occur to meet this goal, followed up by more specific day-to-day tasks.

Symptoms

• Down mood begins in fall or early winter
• Afternoon slumps with decreased energy and concentration
• Decreased interest in work or other activities
• Social Isolation or withdrawal
• Increased appetite and weight gain
• Increased need for sleep
• Lack of energy
• Lack of motivation and sluggishness
• Social withdrawal

Treatment

What to do? Consider getting a bright light therapy box that simulates outdoor sunlight. Walk or exercise outside each day, even when it is cold outside, and spend time looking at the sun. Also, consider talking with a psychologist or psychiatrist about psychotherapy and/or antidepressant medication. SAD is often less intense than major depressive disorder, but it important to monitor and treat so as to prevent from intensifying.

It is a well known but often hard to remember fact that the human psyche works in such a way so as to divert attention from what is real to that which is unreal. The psyche wants to protect us, or as we call it in psychology ‘defend,’ against issues that we deem too painful to dwell in. As a result, you may find yourself obsessively thinking about something that feels quite important to you, but in actuality is a diversion from the underlying issue that may be generating your distress.

Imagine you buy a new home and the foundation is cracked, but instead of fixing the crack you focus on picking the nicest interiors possible. The reality is, even with the chicest of décor, without addressing the failing foundation the house will experience increasingly severe problems over time. This is often the case with the stress and turmoil we face in our lives. Although there may be something very real and hurtful occurring, such as a difficult relationship, unresolved grief, a need to draw a boundary, or an unresolved issue within yourself, you may instead find yourself focusing on things that are actually inconsequential to your fulfillment, (i.e. making more money, plastic surgery, over scheduling yourself, your weight, or working to make your child more perfect).

Ask yourself: Is this what I need to focus on to be happy or is this a Red Herring, that serves to distract me from what is actually holding me back? As you focus on what it is that truly ails you, although this may be painful, you will find that it becomes easier to build an enduring sense of happiness.