Safety and risk taking

People who are in pursuit of fame and glory often take risks to fulfill their mission and are at times are concerned very little about their own safety. Personal ambition to them is of greater importance than their own safety. They are willing to go to extreme lengths for attaining their goal. Such people are mentally tough and are hesitant to put their life at stake in their pursuit of wealth or pleasure.

This behavior is particularly true of mountaineers, gamblers and drug addicts to mention a few. Though the need for safety in pursuing these activities is of paramount importance yet it is commonly not given much precedence. This sort of behavior is construed by many as illogical or is regarded as signs of mental illness. But it has been observed that people are eager to take risks due to their psychological inclinations and the kind of situation that they have to deal with.

Sensation seekers

• It has been observed that people who get involved in a variety of high risk behaviors are in reality sensation seekers.
• Individuals who are not averse to risks without caring much for safety do so with the purpose of gaining thrilling, unique and powerful new experiences.
• It is an acknowledged fact that men are more prone to taking risks in comparison to women who generally shy away from activities that have elements of risks attached to them and can harm their safety

It should be borne in mind that as individuals become mature they usually tend to refrain from activities that are fraught with risks and are more concerned about their own safety than they would have done in their prime of youth. A large number of people who hesitate little in taking potentially fatal risks are young men. But one should not forget that there are many women who do not shy away from taking risks to accomplish their objective in life. This is evident from the increasing involvement of women in high risk sports. There are certain women who compete on equal terms with their male counterparts in taking health risks for example smoking and binge drinking.

Individuals who subject themselves to health risks do not hesitate to take both social and physical risks suggestive of the fact that they are eager to violate existing social norms and risk their physical safety in the process. People who are not averse to taking risks combine their heightened sensation seeking requirements with their general tolerance of risk and motivate them to attempt a range of hazardous health liked behaviors that may be unlawful or damaging to themselves and to others. Health risk takers are guided by the principal that in order to gain the ultimate high one should be prepared to pay the ultimate price even if it means a threat to one’s safety.