Beware of the Skydiving Addiction

Have you been told that once you make a tandem skydive, you’ll be hooked? Well, whoever you heard that from is telling the truth! 

Jumping out of a plane can be extremely addicting. Why is skydiving so addictive? From the feel-good chemicals your body releases and the beautiful views, to the friends you’ll meet once you’re immersed in the skydiving community, there are many reasons why people catch the skydiving bug! Regardless of whether you plan on one-and-done tandem skydiving vs skydiving to achieve your license to fly solo, it is tough (maybe impossible!) to get that feeling of freefall out of your head. 

Here are just some of the reasons why it’s so easy to get addicted to skydiving. 

Addicted to the Thrill

Jumping out of planes is super exciting for everyone and scary for most, and that means it comes with a huge adrenaline rush. This adrenaline rush can trigger responses in the body like increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, rapid breathing, and a heightening of the senses. A key part of the “fight-or-flight response,” adrenaline is essential to our ability to survive in dangerous situations. And even though it wasn’t intended to be, the rush can be really addicting. 

Being addicted to adrenaline is common enough that there are even names for the people who just can’t get enough of it. Ever heard of adrenaline junkies, thrill-seekers, or daredevils? Yeah, those are the people who feel a natural high from taking part in adventurous and risky activities and, no surprise, there’s a good amount of them in skydiving!

Addicted to the Challenge

As a choose-your-own-adventure endeavor, skydiving has endless goals to strive for! 

On the first rung of the ladder is the first-time skydiver who musters the courage to actually make the leap. Further up is the AFF student or newly licensed jumper who is working on critical foundational skills, including landing the parachute with accuracy while standing up. As you progress in skydiving, you can work towards specific jump numbers and new ratings. Overcoming adversity to meet your goals is supremely empowering, and that feeling is one that’s mega easy to get hooked on. 

Skydiving is a unique sport in that it constantly presents new challenges to the athlete, regardless of their skill level, competency and achievement. There is no skydiver at the top – because there is no top! Just when you think the sport is whole, innovative ideas bust through the box and push the field forward. There are always new maneuvers to master, techniques to try, people to jump with, and disciplines to learn. 

Addicted to the Lifestyle

The lifestyle and community that surrounds skydiving is arguably the most addictive part of all of the whole thing! 

Being a skydiver provides opportunities to travel to dropzones all over the country and even the world, and means meeting people you would otherwise never meet. Skydiving has a way of shrinking the globe so that, no matter where you go, you’ll always know someone who knows someone. Everyone at the DZ shares a common passion, which creates instant and special bonds that transcend any differences. Even when skydiving isn’t happening, you can still find bonfires, potlucks, parties, and nonstop shenanigans to get into across the dropzone.

The way of life that accompanies serious sport jumpers, competitors and pros is often nomadic, shifting as seasons change but always revolving around freedom, friendship, love for life, and having a great time. 

Being a skydiver means being a part of a really amazing community of people filled with extraordinary adventures, and what could be more addicting than that?

I’m Addicted … Now What?

For most people, the skydive addiction begins with a tandem skydive. Usually you can tell if you’re going to love the sport or not by the second tandem which, by the way, we require at Oklahoma Skydiving as the first step of learning to skydive. 

In order to learn to jump by yourself, you first need to take a 6-hour ground school that will prepare you for your skydives. Once you’ve done your two tandem skydives, then you get to make your first non-tandem jump! We use a 7-level course called Accelerated Freefall (AFF) where each level has its own specific learning objectives that you must be able to complete to continue progressing. You do have instructors with you on these jumps, but you’ve got your own parachute on your back so you’re ultimately responsible for the skydive. When you’ve completed the 7th level, you’re then cleared for solos and can continue working toward your A-license. The A-license is the first of four licenses you can get in skydiving, and it’s just the beginning of an amazing adventure!

Is skydiving fun? Oh yes! Is skydiving addicting? Most definitely! But it’s an addicition that will let you stretch, grow, and soar into your best self. Come out to the dropzone and catch the bug!