The Thrill of High Sensation Seeking

High sensation seekers derive pleasure from experiences that others find terrifying, such as skydiving or base jumping. This personality trait is not a psychological condition but exists on a spectrum. Factors like thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility play a role in high sensation seeking. High sensation seekers often experience high levels of pleasure but low levels of stress during risky activities due to the way their amygdala and hormones function. The trait tends to peak in early adolescence and may decrease over time due to biological and social factors. While there can be consequences and risks involved, high sensation seekers often feel in control during risky situations.