Extreme sports

My name‿ is Vera. I have completed nine skydives,│ and‿ I have noticed that people│ who have never tried‿ it‿ assume‿ it‿ is‿ either‿ irrational│ or simply thrill-seeking. Both‿ assumptions‿ are wrong.

Extreme sport‿ is not‿ unregulated;│ it‿ is heavily regulated. A parachute‿ is‿ inspected‿ an(d) packed by a certified professional,│ equipmen(t) standards‿ are strict,│ an(d) you cannot jump without certification. Risk tolerance‿ is‿ a personal variable,│ an(d) what changes with‿ experience‿ is preparation,│ not fatalism. Interestingly,│ research‿ on risk compensation suggests that│ when safety improves,│ some participants simply take greater risks,│ which‿ is why the culture‿ of‿ a spor(t) matters‿ as much‿ as‿ its‿ equipment.

I have stopped doing‿ it purely for‿ adrenaline. The reason‿ I continue is the psychological benefit:│ to stay calm│ while something frightening‿ is happening‿ is‿ a skill that transfers. Since‿ I started jumping,│ problems‿ at work have stopped frightening me,│ an(d) my mother's‿ anxiety has been deal(t) with by honesty rather than concealment. The challenge‿ is the point,│ not the danger,│ and‿ anybody│ who cannot tell the difference should begin with‿ a course rather than‿ a jump.