Survey regarding skydiving, mental health and addiction

[lozz 0]

Hi all! I'm conducting a survey for a project I have going on regarding mental health, addiction and skydiving and would greatly appreciate any participation whether you've just started jumping or have been for 15+ years.
Because it involves very personal subjects, the survey is completely anonymous, though bear in mind that I'll be using the data you've provided in my (public) investigation, so please don't complete the survey unless you're comfortable with that!
Even if you don't have any experience with mental illness or substance addiction, feel free to contribute! All responses are highly valued. :-)
and by mental disorder, I mean any kind of mental disorder- anxiety/stress disorders, depression, bipolar, adhd etc.
Thanks!

Link to the survey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BCCYZCG

Also; I'll post the results of the survey at the end if anyone is keen to see them.

[jimjumper 25]

Another one? I still have a copy of the results of the first one I did back in 1983. What would be an interesting project would be to collate the results of the last 50 to 100 mental health surveys done of skydivers rather than starting new ones. Or maybe using the results to show trends over the last 20-30 years.

[raftman 12]

I don't struggle with my addictions, I embrace them!

[mjosparky 4]

raftman

I don't struggle with my addictions, I embrace them!

I'am not addicted, I can quit anytime I want.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[lozz 0]

jimjumper

Another one? I still have a copy of the results of the first one I did back in 1983. What would be an interesting project would be to collate the results of the last 50 to 100 mental health surveys done of skydivers rather than starting new ones. Or maybe using the results to show trends over the last 20-30 years.

Oh, I had no idea that there were other surveys out there! I mean, I had to assume there were but I couldn't find any - the reason I'm doing it is for a school project that aims to investigate whether skydiving could be used as a legitimate tool in the aid of drug addiction / mental illness recovery (what with all of the connections between risk-takers, self-medication, mental illness and dopamine deficiency / inhibiting receptor issues).
I didn't hunt harder just because the project requires me to create my own haha, to show competence, but the whole trend thing sounds really interesting and I'd be keen to look at your results and compare them if you've got them lying around!! :-)
I'll be posting the results of this survey in a few days too if you wanted to check them out.

raftman

I don't struggle with my addictions, I embrace them!

[gowlerk 2,249]

I don't know what your results will be. But do be aware that skydiving has no redeeming social or therapeutic value whatsoever. I know because I read it in a drop zone legal waiver once.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[RopeaDope 0]

lozz

the reason I'm doing it is for a school project that aims to investigate whether skydiving could be used as a legitimate tool in the aid of drug addiction / mental illness recovery

Won't work. Actually it does the opposite of that. The longer people are in the sport the more mental they become.

[PeteW 0]

Great topic. I returned to skydiving to help deal with my anxiety and depression. It has definitely helped. But I crave it more and more. Addicted!??!?! I just feel happier when I am doing it. Partly the activity and partly the social scene. I just think it's good for the soul.

[lozz 0]

RopeaDope

Won't work. Actually it does the opposite of that. The longer people are in the sport the more mental they become.

Bummer! There goes my investigation

PeteW

Great topic. I returned to skydiving to help deal with my anxiety and depression. It has definitely helped. But I crave it more and more. Addicted!??!?! I just feel happier when I am doing it. Partly the activity and partly the social scene. I just think it's good for the soul.

Awesome to hear that it's helped you. Couldn't've put it better myself!

[riggerrob 643]

Yes, skydiving is addicting.
Yes, lots of skydivers use skydiving-induced adrenaline to self-medicate their depression, anxiety, etc.
Have you read the book "Positive Addictions?"
The basic premise is that some people have addictive personalities and they self-medicate with heroin, marathon running (runners' high dopamine), bar-room brawling or religion.
I tried self-medicating with alcohol, but it did not end gracefully.
I tried self-medicating with long-distance running until my knees wore out.
Knee surgery slowed my running and jumping for a year, but I stubbornly refuse to quit self-medicating with skydiving!

[PeteW 0]

PeteW

Great topic. I returned to skydiving to help deal with my anxiety and depression. It has definitely helped. But I crave it more and more. Addicted!??!?! I just feel happier when I am doing it. Partly the activity and partly the social scene. I just think it's good for the soul.

Awesome to hear that it's helped you. Couldn't've put it better myself!

It's been a huge help. I'm open and honest to anyone that will listen about anxiety and depression. I should also add that I have never smoked or done drugs. I drink occasionally but not very much. Drinking the last few years has really screwed me up. Even just a couple beers and I can't sleep.

[RopeaDope 0]

I don't know if I am "addicted". When I started it was something I just had to do. I watched people jumping and tried to imagine what it would be like to fly the canopy. I pretty much obsessed over what it would be like until I could finally afford to do it.

I was scared of heights, and I'm a bigger guy so the opening shock bruised my thighs and the landings hurt like hell. I had to learn to s and them up fast or it would have broken me.

I kept going because the freedom of flight was everything I had hoped it would be. The weekends at the DZ are fun, but the best part is the rest of the week, when I daydream about every little aspect of a jump. Just the thought of my next jump can carry me through weeks worth of BS and bad days.

Then again, I do have an addictive personality and go balls deep at everything I do. It kind of became a slippery slope where the more money I had invest in it, the more committed I am to it.

[Tela 0]

How will you address the fact that many DZ's become micro-communities? I've had several non-jumpers refer to the "sky-fam" as a cult. If you're studying addition/mental illness you know the about the links between the two, but your survey didn't seem to contain anything that correlated to the social environment. My home DZ is literally a second home during the season, with it's own set of social norms and rules apart from "the real world". Just something to think about as you write that conclusion.

"The lizards were a race of people practically extinct from doing things smart people don't do."

[riggerrob 643]

....... I drink occasionally but not very much. Drinking the last few years has really screwed me up. Even just a couple beers and I can't sleep.
.............

Agreed!
I finally quit drinking when I realized how alcohol aggravated my insomnia. I sleep much better sober and was able to wake up in time for the (free) sunrise load.
Bob and Judy Celaya were supportive of my sobriety and the rest of the jumpers were respectful.
Free skydives are the best incentive to change behaviour!

I am being to think that heavy drinking is a phase that most young men go through. Fortunately, their young bodies quickly recover from the damage. Sadly, a few get addicted to alcohol and continue that dangerous habit (heavy drinking) later in life, when their/our bodies heal slower or never heal from the chemical damage.

[catfishhunter 2]

done :) Simple questions. Not sure how they will correlate as they didn't really get into things that you can really quantify in my opinion but either way I completed it for you and hope it helps

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[BIGUN 1,409]

lozz

Oh, I had no idea that there were other surveys out there! I mean, I had to assume there were but I couldn't find any

Surveys since 2002

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[PeteW 0]

riggerrob

....... I drink occasionally but not very much. Drinking the last few years has really screwed me up. Even just a couple beers and I can't sleep.

.............

Agreed!
I finally quit drinking when I realized how alcohol aggravated my insomnia. I sleep much better sober and was able to wake up in time for the (free) sunrise load.
Bob and Judy Celaya were supportive of my sobriety and the rest of the jumpers were respectful.
Free skydives are the best incentive to change behaviour!

I am being to think that heavy drinking is a phase that most young men go through. Fortunately, their young bodies quickly recover from the damage. Sadly, a few get addicted to alcohol and continue that dangerous habit (heavy drinking) later in life, when their/our bodies heal slower or never heal from the chemical damage.

I was the same. I am 37 now and drank heavily from 17-21. Luckily I found it boring after that and just go for the occasional bender.

[lozz 0]

Alright, responses have seemed to com to a stop, so here are the results if anyone was keen on reading them!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-7D8HTZ
Thank you so much to everyone who contributed, every response counted. I had no idea I'd get over 50, and am stoked!! You guys are awesome.
Thanks again.

[PeteW 0]

Link goes to a survey about nurserys.

[lozz 0]

Whoops:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-7D8HTZ8S/
that should do it