Adrenaline: Friend or Foe?

I am sitting in the shade of military-grade netting that has been – carelessly but effectively – erected to protect us from the relentless midday sun. The camouflaged men and sole woman are readying their weapons. Hip Hop blares in the background; more distraction than entertainment, but it also aids in dulling the soundtrack of automatic weapons being discharged on the not-too-distant hillside.

The camaraderie surfaces gently. The tightening of gear bags and face masks, the humorous jibes at someone’s modest height or lack of prowess at Fortnite. As the time draws near, the tension gathers like a pack of hungry dogs looking for sustenance after going too long without.

This is Paintball. The diversion coveted by man-boys (and girls) of all shapes and sizes.

For about a minute I contemplated joining my then 14-year-old son and his eight friends on their four-hour excursion into battle. Then I remembered that I am a middle-aged, non-athletic, accident-prone Mom who doesn’t love guns. Which leaves me listening to spa music on my Airpods and writing in my journal. At Paintball. In Santa Maria. Did I mention that?

Armed with my favorite rollerball and a bag of Satsumas I prepare to watch the next round. My heart is pounding as I watch my first born and his troops enter the battlefield known as D-Day.

What is it that calls people to seek out games such as this? Is it the adrenaline? The need to be a part of a something bigger than normal life? The “Us Against Them” of it all? Or, is it just… fun?

Unlike real combat, Paintball has none of the potential for lethality but all of what is viewed as the upside; the thrill, the rush, the victories, and the shared defeats. It is primal.

But I still don’t get it. As someone who strives for equilibrium in life, I can’t relate to the need for the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. I say every cuss word I have ever learned on the rides at Disneyland. And not in a good way.

Why do some people crave it, and others don’t? The need for it can lead to addiction in some people – and similar to other addictions, more risk is eventually required to attain the same high.

Adrenaline is a hormone that is made by the adrenal gland. It is released when the body senses danger and prepares us for the fight or flight response.

During the 1994 Los Angeles earthquake, I felt the force of it firsthand when my roommate was pinned under a 100-pound antique dresser, and I pulled it off of her like I was The Hulk and Wonder Woman’s love child (my apologies for not only mixing metaphors but comic book franchises). I was invincible. There was a gas leak, so we had to get out fast, but I still had the presence of mind to grab my wallet, passport (clearly, in case I needed to flee the country) and keys, and to slip on a pair of shoes that were by the door. We made our way through the detritus formerly known as our belongings to the street below where emergency vehicles waited with their silent but comforting lights aglow. It was only then that I noticed that my feet were wet. 

In the panic to escape I apparently walked though ankle-deep layers of broken glass, not feeling a thing. My shoes were pooled with blood.

Get this, adrenaline not only gives you heightened awareness and super strength but dulls your pain sensors! Who knew?

So, I get why it is amazing, and how if you are in the Serengeti being chased by a leopard it can help you to survive. Yep. That’s a good thing. But to seek that feeling out? To chase it? The crash after your body regulates it is exhausting. Like having the flu, pneumonia, and morning sickness all at once. I had experienced it during a traumatic event, a need for survival. Surely my body knew this and reacted differently than it would to a game of Paintball. Or would it?

Nope. While adrenaline has evolutionary purposes, survival of the fittest and all of that, it can be released when watching a horror movie. That’s right. Freddy Krueger and a sniper attack in Kabul can trigger the same physiological response. The effect of which can last for up to an hour after the perceived threat is gone.

Long-term effects of increased adrenaline can cause anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, and heart attacks.

Even after positive events like a wedding you have been planning for months, a big family move or a work project there can be a huge emotional dump when the anticipated date has passed. Again, the parallel to addiction is staggering. Coming off any substance that quickly can cause withdrawal symptoms. Why would adrenaline be any different?

Which brings me back to my original thought. Why would some people seek this out and others not? According to Dr. Ken Carter, Professor of Psychology at Oxford College of Emory University and author of, Buzz! Inside the Minds of Thrill-Seekers, Daredevils and Adrenaline Junkies, it could be related to how much cortisol our bodies produce. Along with adrenaline, cortisol is another hormone that is produced that prepares us for our Fight or Flight response. He has found that “thrill seekers” don’t necessarily produce as much cortisol but do produce more of the “feel good hormone” – dopamine. Which for those of us listening at home means that when they face what some of us (picture my hand raised here) would view as a scary situation, they perceive the calamity as “This is fun!”

After four hours of being pelted with paint bullets, my ever-growing teen plopped down next to me, leaned his head on my shoulder and said, “Mom, can we go home now?” The crash had begun. The 45-minute car ride home, while not silent, was a lot more mellow than the drive out – the fatigued teenagers’ heads bowed together in conspiracy, low voices sharing video clips of the day and Tik Tok nonsense from the day before. The boys began sharing the alarmingly large welts that were now forming on various parts of their bodies that had been hit. Some swelling as large as tennis balls. Sore backs and exhausted shoulders from carrying the heavy guns. Surely this was a one and done deal. Who would want to feel this way again? As we were pulling into our driveway I asked, “So, would you guys do this again?” and with a resounding roar, welts and bruises already forgotten, they shouted, “Yeah!”

I had to ask why. To which my son replied, “Because it’s fun, Mom.”

There you have it. Science and overthinking aside, sometimes it’s that simple.