While taking a substance abuse class during training as a prison guard I was shocked by my instructor’s words “Adrenalin is the most abused substance.” Whether this still holds true today or not, I do not know.

I remember the rush but not the pain

The first time I recollect experiencing an adrenalin rush was when I was a young teen returning from the Laundromat with my mother on a nasty, icy day and the truck she was driving careened into a telephone pole and turned end over end three times. I still bear a scar in the palm of my left hand from where the pencil I was holding carved into my flesh. I don’t remember the pain, but have a lasting impression of the fear and the incredibly unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. I felt too shook up to do much but lay on the couch for the rest of the evening.

Dash into danger

The last time I remember this feeling was while working in the prison. I did a visual round with my eyes, as I had just returned to my podium, and saw through the glass wall of the day room a strapping inmate pick up another man about the size of a child and hurl him across the floor. The man was built like a line backer and not known for his social skills. I ran from my spot bounding up the steps to the day room, yelling for back up and pressing my panic button at the same time. Upon my arrival, he was bent over the bleeding man getting ready to scoop him up and throw him again.

Go to your bunk now

I shouted in what I hoped was my best authoritative voice “This is a direct order; Go to your bunk now!” As he turned around and I saw the rage etched on his face I carefully tried not to show fear, and for me that is and has always been one of the most difficult things to do. My face displays everything. I quickly dispersed all of the spectators to their rooms also. The yard crew came bursting into the unit and secured the area, safely escorting the assailant to segregation.

Throw up or cry?

Now I was left to write up my paperwork. Unfortunately, I had not got to see the whole fight, nor could I take a moment to gather myself, this paperwork had to be filed immediately, and then I had to go back to watching my unit of 100 inmates.

Often paperwork is done standing at the podium, in between rounds (physical walks around the area) and filling out passes and various other duties. The mind must be intact. Mine kept replaying this horrible seen, which I can still see in my mind’s eye today.

This causes me to wonder why someone would seek an adrenalin rush. My experience with adrenalin rushes was anything but pleasant. I hated the terrible shaky and unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach, which I was taught was an adrenalin rush. I was not sure if I wanted to vomit or cry, or perhaps both.

Thrill seekers

A group of fellow officers routinely participated in bungee jumping and were trying to talk me into joining. They found it exhilarating. There was a group that were always trying new things and seeking thrills. Was it the adrenaline rush they craved? I found an online source that boasts bungee cord jumping thrills for all who are interested:

“Bloukrans is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as being the World’s Highest Commercial Bungee Jump at a whooping 216 m high! A proud record for South Africa and particularly, the Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route” http://faceadrenalin.com

Watch as this daring individual rides across incredible open spaces in a ride he calls “The Most Extreme Flying Fox” With his video views at over 12,000 and counting, I would say that he may not be the only one who enjoys the adrenalin rush.

The job of the adrenal glands

Brett Ellis, a grad student in Parasitology at Tulane University wrote a wonderful explanation of adrenalin in the MadSci Network, dated Aug. 1, 1999. In his letter to a student he explains about the body being made up of a variety of different systems with the endocrine being only one of them. Its job is to release hormonal substances to regulate different reactions within our bodies.

We have two adrenal glands, one near both kidneys and they assist in the regulation of our muscles and our heart. If we get scared or nervous it may make our hearts beat faster, breath come quicker, and cause us to sweat. We may even get goose bumps, vomit or lose control of our body functions. The blood pressure increases, as the body faces the “fight or flight” mode. Do I stay here and fight, or do I flee to safety? Sugar is quickly added to our blood stream enabling more energy. Everything is happening within seconds in an attempt to enable us to perform within a crisis situation.

Adrenalin can save your life

I believe this is why our instructor advised that adrenalin is the most abused substance. It has been created to help us function in an emergency situation, and there are those who choose to live on the edge daily for the thrill of it all. Is that what nature intended or will they pay for it in the long run?

I’ve read of mothers who with a burst of energy lifted cars of their children, to lift them to safety; something I am sure they did not do in daily life, or animals who have dragged their unconscious owners to safety. It’s miraculous the way that God provides us with unknown strength and energy in times of stress, but should we be pushing our bodies daily in the name of excitement? Is it healthy?