See also: micromort Extreme sports may be perceived as extremely dangerous, conducive to fatalities, near-fatalities and other serious injuries. The perceived risk in an extreme sport has been considered a somewhat necessary part of its appeal,[26] which is partially a result of pressure for athletes to make more money and provide maximum entertainment.[27] While attempting a forward loop in overpowered storm conditions off the coast of Cantabria, Spain, a windsurfer jumping waves gets catapulted into a high double flip.
Extreme sports is a sub-category of sports that are described as any kind of sport "of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average".[28] These kinds of sports often carry out the potential risk of serious and permanent physical injury and even death.[29] However, these sports also have the potential to produce drastic benefits on mental and physical health and provide opportunity for individuals to engage fully with life.[21] Extreme sports trigger the release of the hormone adrenaline, which can facilitate performance of stunts.[30] It is believed that the implementation of extreme sports on mental health patients improves their perspective and recognition of aspects of life.[29] In outdoor adventure sports, participants get to experience the emotion of intense thrill, usually associated with the extreme sports.[31] Even though some extreme sports present a higher level of risk, people still choose to embark in the experience of extreme sports for the sake of the adrenaline. According to Sigmund Freud, we have an instinctual 'death wish', which is a subconscious inbuilt desire to destroy ourselves, proving that in the seek for the thrill, danger is considered pleasurable.[32]
