Excessive Risk-Taking: Adult Danger Blindness?

[Gracey]

... I keep doing risky things that really don't seem risky at all at the time...

This is what I’m struggling with @Gritches.
When did you (or others) decide ‘it’was risky?

Initially did you have the self belief to succeed in your chosen action?

Did you have the experience and confidence to imagine a positive outcome?

Only in hindsight, after the fact, realising possible risks?

I can’t quite understand what constitutes a ‘risk’

 

[Crossbreed]

I can’t quite understand what constitutes a ‘risk’

When one considers the possible outcomes of a choice to be made (particularly if it is uncommon), they can be beneficial, benign and/or undesirable.

When the possible outcome is strongly and/or likely to be undesirable, it is considered to be a risky choice.

 

[Progster]

I never experimented (much) with drugs, (except alcohol, coffee) and one time I had pizza with magic mushrooms, this doesn't appeal to me at all. I don't like what they do to people, the lack of control, not being or feeling yourself and not having control of your mind or body, not to mention all the potential side effects - I don't like this idea at all. Whatever one might gain from it, it just isn't worth it IMO. I do drink alcohol, but hate the feeling of being drunk.

 

[Gracey]

Thanks @Crossbreed. Much appreciated.

... still don’t get it :/

How do I know if I can actually do what I imagine I’m capable of if I don’t try?


Am I misunderstanding the type of risk intended by this thread?
- who decides whether or not the possible outcome is strongly and or likely to be undesirable? And to whom? Self? Others?

Or perhaps my failure to grasp the definition of risk is exactly what this thread is suggesting?

 

[Gracey]

I never experimented (much) with drugs, (except alcohol, coffee) and one time I had pizza with magic mushrooms, this doesn't appeal to me at all. I don't like what they do to people, the lack of control, not being or feeling yourself and not having control of your mind or body, not to mention all the potential side effects - I don't like this idea at all. Whatever one might gain from it, it just isn't worth it IMO. I do drink alcohol, but hate the feeling of being drunk.

If you don’t mind @Progster -
I suspect you’d read some literature and research about the possible dangers and risks involved with LSD at the time you were curious enough to feel its effects.

Could that situation be considered a calculated risk? Or a risk with the potential of an undesirable outcome but you took it anyway?

Or were the risks unthought of when curiosity took over?

I too tried magic mushrooms as a teenager.
I was hanging around with a gang that was led by an older lad who had us picking the mushrooms from a playing field, stewed them up into cups of coffee and four out of the nine of us drank the coffees. (I was one of the four)

I was curious. The coffee was right there in front of me.
My thoughts were ‘what effects will LSD have on me?

At no time did I consider anything else (possible negative/ undesirable outcomes)
Still don’t.

Is that the sort of risk being mentioned in the thread?

 

[Progster]

If you don’t mind @Progster -
I suspect you’d read some literature and research about the possible dangers and risks involved with LSD at the time you were curious enough to feel its effects.

Could that situation be considered a calculated risk? Or a risk with the potential of an undesirable outcome but you took it anyway?

Or were the risks unthought of when curiosity took over?

I too tried magic mushrooms as a teenager.
I was hanging around with a gang that was led by an older lad who had us picking the mushrooms from a playing field, stewed them up into cups of coffee and four out of the nine of us drank the coffees. (I was one of the four)

I was curious. The coffee was right there in front of me.
My thoughts were ‘what effects will LSD have on me?

At no time did I consider anything else (possible negative/ undesirable outcomes)
Still don’t.

Is that the sort of risk being mentioned in the thread?

When I tried the magic mushrooms, I didn't equate then with LSD, I assumed they were two different drugs with different strengths and effects.
I definitely thought about the risks, I was curious and asked a lot of questions and discussed it at length (in the days before internet), is it addictive? How long is the effect? What are the side effects? Is it dangerous, how dangerous is it? I was curious to know what the effect would be but it actually took a lot of courage, and I didn't do it again for the reasons mentioned above. My biggest fear was taking a substance that might be addictive - and that applies to prescription drugs, too. It was indeed a risk, but a calculated one.

 

[Crossbreed]

... still don’t get it :/

An undesirable outcome can range anywhere from losing a competition to death (yours or somebody else undeserving) depending on the situation.

- who decides whether or not the possible outcome is strongly and or likely to be undesirable? And to whom? Self? Others?

When you are considering an action or a choice, you should ask yourself three questions,

1. What is the best possible result?
2. What is the worst possible result?
3. What is the most likely result, given my current condition?

If #2 is the loss of an unimportant competition or a nominal amount of money, the risk is minimal.

If #2 is the loss of life, limb or a phenomenal amount of money, it is high risk and you should ask yourself if #1 is worth it. And consider #3 at that point.

 

[Fino]

LSD and shrooms are in the same class of drugs (psychedelics) and are similar but are entirely different drugs. For one, shrooms are natural and LSD is synthetic.

 

[Judge]

Am I misunderstanding the type of risk intended by this thread?
- who decides whether or not the possible outcome is strongly and or likely to be undesirable? And to whom? Self? Others?

Or perhaps my failure to grasp the definition of risk is exactly what this thread is suggesting?

Fair question. After all, risk can cover a very broad spectrum of considerations.

"Risk versus reward". Yet not all risks have sophisticated, quantifiable metrics like financial investments. Where many of the simplest things may well boil down to an assessment of common sense. With a nebulous 50-50 margin for error.

Would you choose to, or not give any thought to walking through a crosswalk on a busy street while keeping your eyes on your mobile device?

Many people risk such things every day, yet they don't necessarily bother to even consider the risk, even from a perspective of common sense. Not from an overabundance of optimism, but more a case of complete abandon. They just don't think about it because to them it's a mundane thing.

The insurance industry even has a name for such folks. Considered to be "morale hazards". Those who are simply indifferent to considering the worst consequences over what is normal and routine to them on a daily basis.

I suppose what is most disconcerting is how so many people can so easily misconstrue what constitutes "excessive risk" in general.

 

[Mr Allen]

I've done stuff that could be considered "dangerous" to an Aspie, for instance just over 3 years ago I auditioned for Britain's Got Talent at a local Casino, if I'd got through and Dad would've let me go to the second audition in Manchester, I would've appeared on TV in front of Simon Cowell and chums, and everyone knows he in particular has a reputation for being brutal in his comments.

I've also applied and auditioned for other TV quiz shows but not got on.

 

[Gracey]

...Would you choose to, or not give any thought to walking through a crosswalk on a busy street while keeping your eyes on your mobile device?...
.

No.
I’d feel in doing that, it would be just begging to get run over.

Relying on a drivers ability to react quickly.
Most can, improved braking systems and steering capability means more control of a vehicle in those types of situations but still, no.
I wouldn’t choose to do that.

Natural selection springs to mind.

 

[Nitro]

No.

Natural selection springs to mind.

So do the Darwin Awards

 

[stratocaster]

I've had experiences with acute, short-term danger blindness in the past but I don't think it was because of my ASD. I was having medication-induced manic episodes at the time and I haven't had anything like it since I stopped taking the medication. My natural state is overly cautious if anything.

 

[GrownupGirl]

As a kid I was not really afraid of strangers in spite of all the "STRANGER DANGER" I was taught in the 80's. But I was really afraid of a lot of other things. Things that appeared strange that I really couldn't explain, and If I did people would laugh or say I was being ridiculous.
Like those vanity plates that came on at the end of the credits of a tv show. I found a lot of them terrifying. Even worse, my parents would usually be watching the shows in the evening while helping me get for bed, and then they'd be wondering why I was screaming and running out of the room. Of course, they weren't really dangerous, but it wasn't until years later when I first started going on YouTube that I was surprised and somewhat relieved a lot of other people also found them creepy, like the Viacom "V of Doom".