A study on pathological gambling as an addiction

A bailiwick on diseased manoeuvre as an dependanceIt has been found that between 70 to ninety percent of adults essay at some point in their life. (Ladoucer, 1991). These figures are from Canada but raft be genralised to most developed civilisations. According to the DSM criteria morbid period of play is am impulsion control disorder, which is displayed by a persistent and uncontrolled gambling, failure to stop gambling, feeling withdrawal symptoms and uneasiness when not aloud to take part in a gambling activity and finally increased gambling. (ref). The increased availability of gambling opportunities often makes this a hard condition to recover from, as strong as increasing the amount of people suffering from pathological gambling(ref). Pathological gambling scores the obvious financial conundrums (ref), but like any other addiction it causes social problems as well (ref). Along with this pathological gambling has been linked in some cases to higher rates of suicide att empts (ref).Pathological gambling is sort out as a behavioural addiction, quite than a chemical addiction. Although seemingly different these both manifest in the same way, that is the enduring eng eonment in uncontrolled self-destructive behaviour, despite its negative consequences (ref).There are many different theories of behavioural addiction, in particular pathological gambling and how it should be treated, which go out be critically reviewed and considered.It would seem that in the seemingly distant past psychodynamic approaches such as those put forward by Freud and Bergler were prevalent. Since then many approaches and theories to the causes of pathological gambling use up been found, these models include the medical model, some behavioural models, psychological models, cognitive behavioural approaches and of coarse biological, physiological and models of personality. Some of these models are reviewed and considered in greater depth.To start with psychodynamic approach es will be looked at. As is commonly known amongst academic community, these approaches are relatively old, mostly carried out in the early 1900s. Due to the age of these theories and the pace at which theories are changed these psychodynamic approaches may seem quite irrelevant. It is meaning(a) to gain an understanding of this area as some theories take a foundation garment from psychodynamic approaches. According to the psychodynamic approach, gambling is a way of expressing feelings connected with the pre-genital psychosexual stages (Greenson). In true psychodynamic style pathological gamblers often feel that they have been denied the attention and be intimate they deserved from their parents and as a result need erotic satisfaction, which in tern seems to create a need for excitement and pleasure, as well as a promise of gain. According to psychodynamic theories gambling caters for these needs (Simmel 1920). So in a nut shell gambling is a substitute for feelings of subcons cious sexual conflicts. arguably the founder of psychodynamics, Freud (1928), reported that gamblers do not play to win m one and only(a)y, quite the opposite. In fact Freud states that gamblers gamble to loose in order to provide a self-inflicted punishment for the guilt carried with an over compulsion to masturbate, which throw out be related to an Oedipal conflict. This idea put forward by Freud seems quite masochistic, in the way that that the gambler is actually taking part to loose and there for punish themselves. Bergler (1967) agreed with Freud in the respect that a gambler unconsciously desires to lose. Bergler had a different reliance on why compulsive gamblers get addicted. This is that in their unconscious they dislike authority figures, who during childhood, made them consider the reality pleasure instead of the pleasure principle. These could be parental figures or teachers. This unconscious feeling causes them to try and almost rebel against the people who support t he reality principle as well as he principle its self, this in turn causes a need to punish themselves as a bi-product of having too much built up unconscious aggression.So utmost only the very surface of the psychodynamic approach towards pathological gambling has been looked at. In summary according to the psychodynamic approach there seems to be three ideas to explain pathological gambling an unconscious substitute for pre-genital libidinal and aggressive outlets associated with Oedipal conflicts, a desire for punishment in reaction to the guilt, and a means for recurrent re-enactments, but not resolutions, of the conflict (Allcock, 1986, p. 262). So these being the main ideas a give-and-take plan can be called upon.Treatments of pathological gamblers offered by the psychodynamic approach are concerned with the vain personality and the related characteristics. Psychoanalysis has been used in an attempt to try and help pathological gamblers, but in most cases have failed. Bergle rs (1957) study is one of the more classic studies and showed a 75% rate of success. This though was only establish on 30% of the overall group looking for treatment, meaning that it was in fact a lot lower than 75%. Another issue is the lack of follow up treatment given, with no information given about possible relapses. This is not the only study where this is the case. In a review Greenberg (1980) stated Effectiveness rates of gamblers treated psychoanalytically have ranked from poor to guarded optimism. This simply means that results are not very good or are shadowed by other factors, such as selection predetermine and lack of follow ups. It would seem that a lot of the studies and journals available to view for the psychodynamic approach deal with small sample sizes and do not have important experimental factors, such as control groups. This causes problems with generalisability and also shows why the psychodynamic approach was disregarded as a treatment for behavioural cond itions, this coupled with their lack of reflexion for social factors.The next theory that will be looked at is the disease or medical model. This is often seen as a very black and clean model (Blume, 1987), meaning that its ether on or off, someone either has a condition or they dont, there is no in-between. Every condition is viewed as a disease. So in terms of pathological gambling, the gambler is pathological or quite simply is not. The disease model, as the tell purposes, views pathological gambling as a disease and so the cause is physiological, and pathological gamblers are often predisposed. According to Blume, being a disease, addictive conditions, such as gambling, manifests through and through stages of development, has signs characteristic to the condition and has symptoms, much like a disease. This is all out of the persons conscious control, not so different to the psychodynamic ideas.This concept of a disease suggest that the condition worsens, which will eventuall y require treatment in order to prevent worsening. It is thought that the physiological underpinning means that there is no out overcompensate cure and that it is irreversible. This means that according to the disease model that the most appropriate treatment is abstinence, convertible to that of alcohol (ref). This seems like an odd treatment, as it would suggests that there is in fact no real way of recovering, just a treatment.This model is not used so much now(refbig paper), but is more of a halfway house with other theories, such as the biological explanations of pathological gambling.The biological approach to pathological gambling is, in relative terms a rather new theory. It is made up of many components to try and explain different aspects of pathological gambling. These all make the same assumption that a physiological cause is behind addiction, much like both the psychodynamic and the disease model.The first aspect with in the biological approach to be considered is th at of hemispheric dysregulation (Goldstein et al, 1985). By comparing electroencephalogram patterns of recovered pathological gamblers, Goldstein observe that pathological gamblers EEG readings where similar to those of patients suffering with ADHD (Carlton and Goldstein, 1987). This means that they had a shorter attention span, frontal lobe lesions. This is also very similar to findings of alcoholism which have also led to more reported symptoms of ADHD symptoms with in the population of problem gamblers (Rugle and Melamed, 1993). This all seems very convincing, but the original 1985 study by Goldstein was only carried out on eight participants, such a small study provides problems with generalisability.Other suggestions are that it is connected to faults in the neurotransmitter systems (Blanco et al, 2000). This includes the Serotoneric system, which as the name suggests holds the function of serotonin release. If this is not functioning, to a healthy level, then psychiatric synd romes, such as impaired impulse control, can become present. This has been linked with pathological gambling (Blanco et al, 1996). Later research by Berg et al (1997) failed to support these findings, stating in the following wel used quote, risk-taking does not have a unitary neurochemical correlate. If risk-taking is a form of loss of control over impulse, it follows that impulse control is not merely a simple function of the neural serotonin systems. (p.475).Links have also be found in DNA, supporting the biological idea Perez de Castro (1999). According to Brunner et al (1993) these is a link between genetic deficit cryptography and impulsivity, possibly providing a good explanation.The increased release of Dopamine has also been linked to pathological gambling (Berg et al 2007), this is much like a demonstrable reinforcement. It can though also be linked to a negative inforcment, with more gambling causing a withdrawal, which creates the release of more dopamine, not imperti nent that of an opiate withdrawal (Berg, 1997).The evidence for the biological approach seems quite strong. There is a few outstanding issues that need to be looked at. For example almost all of the in a higher place studies use male participants. This creates an issue as whether they can be used with women. The samples are also very small in most cases. The main problem that can be observed in all the studies in this area is whether the biological processes cause the addiction of the addiction its self, causes these biological processes.So as can be seen the medical/disease model and the biological model are both very similar but can be separated in the way that the biological model believes that pathological gambling can be treated with certain drugs.So far all models, with the exception of psychodynamic, have been based on biological internal processes. The cognitive social learning and behavioural theories are based on external and behavioural processes. The learning theories s uggest that gambling is a learned behaviour that has resulted from both operant and classical conditioning. According to the behavioural view point there are a mixture of different positive reinforcement these are, the amount of money that is won (Moran, 1979), excitement gained (Brown, 1986). Obviously there are also negative reinforcement, namely the escapism that gambling can produce (Diskin, 1997). Some how though theses models dont seem complete. They can not explain punishments, like the cost of gambling, as discouraging to the gambler, which using a classic behavioural model it would be.Despite this, studies into using behavioural theories of addiction as treatment have been very successful.Behavioral treatment studies have, however, provided some of the most comprehensive treatment literature on PG. Treatments based on learning principles (i.e., behavior modification) have involved aversion therapy using physical or imaginal stimuli (Barker Barker and Goorney), controlled ga mbling/behavioral counseling (Dickerson Weeks, 1979), positive reinforcement of gambling abstinence, paradoxical intention (Victor Krug, 1967), covert sensitization (Bannister and Cotler), and imaginal desensitization (McConaghy, Armstrong, Blaszczynski, Allcock, 1983). These have been administered singularly or in combination. However, due to methodological shortcomings in such studies, it is difficult to assess how effective these treatments are. Most of these treatment studies have small sample sizes and limited follow-up periods. They have unspecified or poorly operationalized dependent variables/criteria for successful outcome or treatment objectives (Allcock, 1986). Also, there is usually a lack of controlled comparisons of one treatment with another or with a placebo procedure, or combinations of several techniques are used concurrently so that identification of the active component is impossible (Blaszczynski Silove, 1995).

Creativity In The Early Years

Creativity In The Early YearsCreativity in an early years conniption is difficult to define, although definitions have been provided on the basis of the attempting to define the process of creativity, the product of a persons creativity or the personal attributes that contribute to creativity. Creativity has, for example, been defined as, a novel and appropriate response to an open-ended problem (Amabile and Hennessey, 1992) or as very much a processoften with no clearly specifiable outcomes or product(allowing children the scope) to explore new possibilities and create new and exciting connections between people, places and thingsto discover meanings in their world (Department for Children, School and Families, 2007).I believe, from my personal speckle of view, that creativity is actually a mixture of all three of these perspectives people who have certain attributes are more likely to be able to think, and respond, originally to certain situations and tasks, via certain proces ses than people who lack these attributes. Creativity, however, is more than the possession of certain attributes and is certainly not linked to intelligence it is a factor that individuals quite a little pay off to all aspects of their lives, in terms of solving problems in all aspects of their lives in terms of nestleing tasks in a imaginative manner in determine to find creative solutions to these tasks, be these artistic endeavors or tasks related to music, mathematics or science. As the Department for Children, School and Families (2007) explain, creativity can transform spirit by fostering critical thinking, allowing children to review, reinvent and make new meanings for themselves.Creativity thus understood defines all aspects of a childs school life, not only traditionally artistic endeavors but also all other disciplines such as mathematics and the sciences creatively thinking about numbers, for example, can lead children to understand the smash of mathematics and t he fascinating world of physics, which can open their minds to new worlds and new possibilities. Teaching mathematics by rote, seeking only the right answers to set questions give only lead children to hate mathematics classes and to view mathematics as an abstracted idea that is not useful to them, practically, in their lives.Creativity, in this sense, then, can be fostered by encouraging children to explore their surroundings, allowing them to seek their own questions about their surroundings and helping them to arrive at interesting answers for their questions, where interesting answers can be understood as answers that will satisfy them and lead them to further questions. Guiding childrens learning in this manner can encourage creative thinking, giving power to childrens ideas and thoughts, allowing them to creatively solve problems. Allowing children to enjoy the process of thinking, of learning, of researching, can embody creativity in them, in terms of allowing them to devel op their own creative responses to their learning experiences and their own creative ways of understanding the world around them.As Amabile and Hennessey (1992) argue, people will be near creative when they feel motivated primarily by the interest, enjoyment, merriment and challenges of the work itself rather than by external pressures with such self-directed motivation leading to higher incidences of creativity and self-determined competence. Self-determination, as Amabile and Hennessey (1992) argue, is central to the development of meaningful creativity, i.e., creative thinking that can have real meaning in the lives of children, allowing them to produce creative solutions to all problems they encounter. Creativity can only be fostered, and used in practice to develop meaningful ways of thinking, when three components are typify domain-relevant skills (such as knowledge, experience and talent in a particular domain) creativity-relevant skills (such as independent, flexible, ri sk-oriented thinking) and task motivation (with intrinsic, not extrinsic motivation being more likely to lead to creative thinking) (Amabile and Hennessey, 1992).As Duffy (2006) argues, the promotion of open-ended thinking, via the use of open-ended activities, can encourage creativity in young children, encouraging the development of creative solutions via experimentation, exploration, discovery and invention. This encouragement of open-ended thinking, argues Duffy (2006) makes learning more meaningful to young children, allowing them, as it does, the scope to develop their own thoughts about themselves, their environment and their relationships, allowing them to develop their own creative responses to the questions that arise for them, from this understanding. Creativity can, thus, argues Duffy (2006) be encouraged and can, through this encouragement, be learned, with its ramifications, as Craft (2002) argues, being lifewide, equipping young children with the tools they need to de velop and maintain a positive, open-minded approach to learning.As Prentice (2000) argues, it can be difficult, indoors the structure of early years education, with its curriculum and its goals that have to be attained, to encourage such creative thinking, in terms of not having the space to foster the conditions most likely to promote creative thought and action. In my experience, classrooms are often not conducive to the fostering of creative thinking, rather being geared towards the achievement of curriculum goals, and right answer dominated thinking, i.e., teaching, and learning, aimed solely at getting the right answer, not at teaching, or, rather, engendering, creative thinking processes.My personal view of the proposition is that creativity is a fundamentally important skill to teach to young children in an early years setting, in terms of equipping children with the tools they need to approach all of their subsequent learning and to move in to the world, in order to deal, not only with their academic work, but with all the situations that their life might present to them. Creative thinking, the creative invention of solutions to problems, can better help children to face not only their academic work but also their lives, allowing them to deal creatively with problems they might encounter, equipping them with the tools they need to move positively through their lives.ConclusionCreativity is fundamentally important in the early years setting, equipping children with a whole way of viewing, exploring and understanding their world, allowing them to explore new possibilities in the ways in which they learn. The importance of creativity in the early years setting cannot be underestimated and, in my personal view, more should be done to foster creativity in young children. Although the Early Years Foundation curriculum highlights that childrens creativity mustiness be extended by the provision of support for their curiosity, exploration and playand (child ren) must be provided with opportunities to explore and share their thoughts, creativity, ideas and feelings (Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2009), recent research, as highlighted in this try on has shown that the forging lifelong, lifewide, creativity in children is a more intrinsic, more involved, more holistic process than simply providing children the opportunity to learn through play.

Toni Morrison and Emily Dickinson Poetic Description :: Poetry Poem

Toni Morrison and Emily Dickinson use poetic description to engage the reader into the moment. Poetry is a language with different elements. Some say that poetry has to fork over literary elements such as metaphors and similes. Others stress rhythm and rhyme as the most important part of poetry. Personally, poetry can be about anything and nurture no clear definition to it. Emily Dickinsons verse form Success is Counted Sweetest has rhythm and rhyme, metaphors and similes. In Morrisons novel genus Sula, the scene where Hannah dies also has poetic elements.In the poem Success is Counted Sweetest the verbalizer states that those who neer succeed (2) place the highest value on success they count it sweetest. In order to understand the richness of this, the speaker states one must feel sorest need. (4). Dickinson states that the members of the victorious army The purple host/Who took the flag today (5-6) are not able to label victory as well as the defeated or dying man who hears fro m a distance the music of the victors. People tend to desire things more intensely when they do not live them. This poem goes to show that Dickinson is pretty aware of the complicated truths of human desire. Dickinson switches roles and speaks on behalf of the dying man, who hears the victorious celebrating. To the dying man, defeat meant that he had disordered everything. This poem causes the reader to think about what success and failure are truly about. To the dying man on the field of battle, barely living would have been a priceless success. Instead, the men celebrating victory are those who won the war. Dickinson uses each verse to relate a different perspective of success and need. In the first, she introduces how those who massive for something they never have achieve a greater thrill of achievement than somebody who had the same thing the deprived sought for all along. In the countenance verse, Dickinson discusses the victorious soldiers who acquired something apparentl y neither here nor there to their existence. This thought is associated in the final verse when the tragedy and yearning of the wounded is revealed. In Morrisons Sula the death of Hannah is very poetic. To begin with, Hannah takes a nap and dreams of a red bridal gown. She tells Eva about it, but Eva is too distracted by Sulas adolescent behavior to think much about it.

Cerebellar Lesions and the Neurologist :: Brain Neurology Cerebellum Essays

Cerebellar Lesions and the NeurologistWhat is a Neurologist?A brain doctor is a medical doctor trained in the diagnosis and treatment of nervous system disorders including diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles (www.neurologychannel.com). Common nervous system diseases hard-boiled by neurologists include multiple sclerosis, Alzheimers disease, headaches, stroke or injury to the nervous system. The types of diagnostic tests employed by neurologists to detect neurological problems include the hombre (computed axial tomography) scan the MRI/MRA (magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic response angiography) lumbar puncture (or spinal tap) EEG (electroencephalography) and the EMG/NCV (electromyography/nerve conduction velocity). (www. Neurologychannel.com) A neurologist can also prescribe medications to treat diseases or may refer a person to a neurological surgeon if surgical treatment is needed. (www.my.webmd.com)Most of their patients are referred to them by oth er doctors who suspect their patients problem/s are neurologically related. Unsure as to exactly what neurological problem their patients are struck with, neurologists act as a kind of medical detective and work to figure out what the neurological problem is, what brain structure is implicated in the problem, where in that brain structure the problem is based, the severity of the problem, its future implications, and how the problem can be treated (Ph hotshot interview conducted with Licensed Nurse Practitioner and neurologic Specialist Douglas Lucas 4/05). This detective work is done through a careful screening process. A neurological examination includes a series of questions and tests that submit crucial information about the nervous system. For the most part, it is an inexpensive, non-invasive way to determine what might be wrong. The neurological examination is divided into several components, each counselling on a different part of the nervous system. These components include testing patients mental status, cranial nerves, motor system, sensory system, the deep tendon reflexes, coordination and the cerebellum, and gait. (www.neurologychannel.com) Testing for coordination and cerebellum, for example, is intentional to provide clues conditions that affect the cerebellum. For example, the neurologist may ask patients to move their finger from their nose to the neurologists finger, going back and forth from nose to finger, trace the tip of each. Patients also may be asked to tap their fingers together quickly in a coordinated fashion or move their hands one on top of the other, back and forth, as smoothly as they can. Coordination in

Michelangelos David :: Arts Paintings Art History

Michelangelos DavidMichelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) was a Florentine Sculptor,painter, poet, and architect. Based in Florence he started out aspainter at the get on of thirteen, apprenticed to Domenico Ghirlandaio,the leading fresco wall painter in Florence. But eventually hisambitions led to sculpture. Michelangelo had an ideal based on thephysical expressiveness of the male nude.1Michelangelo sculpture in a Naturalistic style, its main characteristicbeing the depiction of subjects in a realistic manner. His sculptures,like David, often depict the mastery of figure of speech this can be shown bythe structure of every muscle and sinew in the sculptures. For David,Michelangelo had taken up the theme Donatello and Andrea delVerrocchio had used successfully in their David sculpturesMichelangelos version was from a political point of view.2David is the largest free standing marble statue since classicaltimes. The narrative derived about this sculpture speaks of theshepherd boy who defeated the monster Goliath. Michelangelo hastransformed David into an ancient hero of unrivaled grace and beauty.Interestingly Davids sling is barely visible which may tell us hisstrength is derived from his clean courage. The hands of David alsoare shown exceptionally large signifying a sense of power. David stoodas a symbol of Florences supremacy. 3David was constructed in 1501 but not spotless until 1504, andtowered over the people at the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio. Now itstands at the Galleria dell Accademia, Florence. This sculpture wasan influence to other sculptors of the Renaissance because of howMichelangelo pushed the boundaries and elegant ideals of hisgeneration to their physical and stylistic extremes.David is a large sculpture, measuring 13 5 high, and is a sculptureof marble. Michelangelos sculptures were often larger than life.4---------------------------------------------------------------------1 Alison Cole.

Waterford Meadows, Waterford, Michigan :: Free Descriptive Essay About A Place

I grew up in a Waterford Michigan in a neighborhood called Waterford Meadows. The neighborhood consisted of middle-working correct citizens, almost entirely Caucasian Americans, nuclear family households (domestic unit consisting of parents and their unmarried children), and the men were the breadwinners while the women homemakers. Today Waterford is a growing township commercial buildings on each corner, new subdivisions, bigger roads, and high class dining restaurants. When I was a child, in the early eighties, Waterford was not as populated as it is today. Many who lived in that respect where elderly people living in much older homes.Waterford doesnt turn over a down town area were people can take a Sunday stroll but it does have an abundance of beautiful lakes. Hence thats where the name comes from. With every road thats traveled there is a lake to be seen or one near by. Often the lakes are taken for granted by people who live here. We often forget there beauty and how rare it is to have so many surrounding us. Summers and winters tend to never be boring around Waterford. A trait that most of us who live here figure is how to travel at a young age. It is vary rare to find a person who doesnt know how to swim in Waterford. There are unendingly lakes to ski on, jet ski, or tube in for some summer fun and always lakes to ice-skate on in the winter.Waterfords only other landmark would be the Waterford Wave Pool. This roam is a big attraction in both the summertime and wintertime. People of all ages and from different areas come and join the fun at the Wave Pool. It is basically a small water theme park located in Waterford. In the summertime there is a gigantic consortium where more then 200 people can swim in and every 10 minutes a bell rings and waves start to form. To the left field of the big pool is a kiddies pool where the young ones swim. Towards the back are two gigantic water- slides. There are places to eat, a playground, and plenty of water to swim in. In the wintertime a gigantic toboggan run is made, its nickname is the Fridge. There are also many Ice Skating rinks. It is a place to relax while having fun with family and friends during the changing of the seasons.A unique feature of Waterford is the fact that 4 townships neighbor it West Bloomfield, White Lake, Walled Lake, and Union Lake.

We Should Skydive To Work :: essays research papers

Standing in the doorway of the plane I still entangle grounded. The equipment weighed heavily on my back, the floor press against my feet, and the straps pulled on my legs and shoulders. Looking down the only thing I saw was the world in a montage of colored dots as I make sure I spotted my target for landing. My phobia of heights and flying suddenly hit me like a railroad train. I could feel my center field beat from all told parts of my body. Gradually, my fears turned into excitement as I longed for the freedom of flight, I leapt. Touching energy but air I felt the exhilarating rush of adrenaline as I soared through the sky at 120 miles per hour. I was in control. My every nerve tingled with excitement. That smooth collage of color miles below may be where I lived but this was where I was most alive For sixty seconds of timelessness I was completely free of all worldly concerns it was just me and the sky. Skydiving is an activity and sport in which hatful jump out of an a ircraft, al hotshot or in groups, and land by using a parachute. Because of the sensation of leaping into the air and free-falling some distance before opening their parachutes, skydivers usually experience a rush of adrenaline and then a peaceful sense of well-being. This feeling of compose lasts long after they land on the ground. Before feeling that calm however, my mind was like many peoples out there, and I could not understand why I had convinced myself to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I fictive that only reckless stuntmen skydive, and that it was the most dangerous thing a person could experience. Now that I have rattling jumped out of a plane, I atomic number 50 easily disagree with the doubts of non-skydivers. Although sky dive may be seen as dangerous or even careless, it is actually one of the safest extreme sports, even researched to be safer than hotheaded a car.Why do people see skydiving as particularly dangerous? First of all, be honest Its not bowling . A skydiver, after all is jumping out of an airplane and hurtling 12,000 feet towards the ground at 120 miles per hour. The most common lawsuit why people see skydiving as so dangerous is because it is a popular phobia among people. Acrophobia, or the fear of heights, is one of the top phobias in the world.We Should Skydive To Work essays research papers Standing in the doorway of the plane I still felt grounded. The equipment weighed heavily on my back, the floor pressed against my feet, and the straps pulled on my legs and shoulders. Looking down the only thing I saw was the world in a collage of colored dots as I made sure I spotted my target for landing. My phobia of heights and flying suddenly hit me like a railroad train. I could feel my heart beat from all parts of my body. Gradually, my fears turned into excitement as I longed for the freedom of flight, I leapt. Touching nothing but air I felt the exhilarating rush of adrenaline as I soared through the sky at 120 miles per hour. I was in control. My every nerve tingled with excitement. That smooth collage of color miles below may be where I lived but this was where I was most alive For sixty seconds of eternity I was completely free of all worldly concerns it was just me and the sky. Skydiving is an activity and sport in which people jump out of an aircraft, alone or in groups, and land by using a parachute. Because of the sensation of leaping into the air and free-falling some distance before opening their parachutes, skydivers usually experience a rush of adrenaline and then a peaceful sense of well-being. This feeling of calm lasts long after they land on the ground. Before feeling that calm however, my mind was like many peoples out there, and I could not understand why I had convinced myself to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I assumed that only reckless stuntmen skydive, and that it was the most dangerous thing a person could experience. Now that I have actually jumped out of a plane, I can easily disagree with the doubts of non-skydivers. Although skydiving may be seen as dangerous or even careless, it is actually one of the safest extreme sports, even researched to be safer than driving a car.Why do people see skydiving as particularly dangerous? First of all, be honest Its not bowling. A skydiver, after all is jumping out of an airplane and hurtling 12,000 feet towards the ground at 120 miles per hour. The most common reason why people see skydiving as so dangerous is because it is a popular phobia among people. Acrophobia, or the fear of heights, is one of the top phobias in the world.