Editor’s Note: High-Clip is following the format of WebMD articles in an effort to distill the findings of two studies that compare rock climbers to substance users. This format is used to present these findings in an easily readable manner. Rock climbing addiction will be used to refer to climbers’ experiences discussed in the studies, not an actual condition.
What is rock climbing addiction* (RCA)?
Rock climbing addiction is when a person becomes addicted to climbing like a drug user becomes addicted to a drug. These similarities to substance users are present while climbing and while not climbing; climbers can experience positive and negative reinforcement while climbing and climbers can experience withdrawal while not climbing. With a rock climbing addiction, a person’s withdrawal symptoms may worsen with exposure to climbing media and be more extreme in more experienced climbers.
Rock Climbing Addiction Symptoms
With RCA, a person may have symptoms including:
- feeling a rush/high while climbing
- lessened interest in other, even previously pleasurable, activities, especially while not climbing
- strong urges or imperatives to climb
- structuring their schedule and lifestyle around climbing
- feel angry, agitated, restless, or just wrong while away from climbing
- using climbing as a stress reliever or other coping mechanism
- dramatic mood improvement while climbing
- may need to climb more dangerous things over time
- decreased positive relationships while away from climbing
RCA Causes
Evidence suggests that people can develop a RCA over long exposure to rock climbing, as symptoms tend to worsen in more experienced climbers. Addictive behaviors (non-drug activities like shopping, gambling, etc.) have been found to activate similar regions of the brain as substance use. Extreme sports tend to make the brain release chemicals like dopamine and glutamate.
High sensation seeking traits and heightened impulsivity are found in rock climbers. Thus, people may rely on climbing to satisfy their sensation seeking traits. Similarly, people may use climbing to manage negative feelings, causing a reliance on climbing.
RCA Diagnosis
The research on RCA and addiction with other extreme sports is still relatively new. Consider reading the studies to see where you may experience sensations similar to those of a substance user.
RCA Treatment
Withdrawal symptoms were less severe when the climber felt that they had control over the situation. This means that it was easier to stay away from climbing by choice rather than something like an injury.
Rock climbing may be a treatment for drug addiction. In the future, there may be research that indicates how drug users may use climbing as a therapy. Because of the similarities of physical and mental experiences between climbers and substance users, climbing may have real potential to replace drugs in addicts’ lives. Likewise, researchers may be able to use climbers to study addiction in order to help substance and behavior addicts.
RCA Complications
Rock climbing is a dangerous sport. People can develop minor to serious (even fatal) injuries through accidents, negligence, or overuse. Using safe practices and maintaining personal health will go a long way in preventing complications, but there is always inherent risk with climbing.
*Addiction is used in this article less literally with regards to climbing. This is because not only is climbing legal/socially acceptable, but it allows people to learn new skills, grow, connect with others, and travel to new places.
Sources:
Heirene, Robert M et al. “Addiction in Extreme Sports: An Exploration of Withdrawal States in Rock Climbers.” Journal of behavioral addictions vol. 5,2 (2016): 332-41. doi:10.1556/2006.5.2016.039
Roderique-Davies, Gareth, et al. “Development and Initial Validation of a Rock Climbing Craving Questionnaire (RCCQ).” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 9, 2018, p. 204., doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00204.
Notes:
- Please feel free to drop more article links in the comments! Here are sources 1 and 2.
- The use of words like “symptom” and “worsen” are not to indicate that RCA needs to be treated; rather, they are used to help draw parallels between RCA and drug addiction.
- This article is not meant to discuss the merits/consequences of substance abuse and rock climbing, but merely to discuss the similarities between the two based on current research.
- Listen to our podcast to hear a story of how climbing can replace drug use! Meet our guest here.
- As always, please stay safe out there!
thedihedral.com 
Really interesting! Actually, my thesis was also on extreme sports (caving, to be more precise) and substance abuse.
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That is really cool!
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Wow! I know someone who’s whole life is this. In extreme whether they are climbing, and well pretty much no matter what. Very interesting! It makes perfect sense though. Thank you for sharing.
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Totally! Thank you!
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Wow this was not something I realised existed, but it makes a lot of sense! Thanks for sharing
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Absolutely!
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Some thing new that i learn today. Keep up your good work.
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Thank you! Learning is the best!
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I’m not a Rock Climber, nor have any interest in it, but this is a fascinating read. Initially I thought this was a joke; that Rock Climbing is so much of a joyful experience that you’ve written it as if the addiction was real. But then I was reminded of what combat veteran accounts on war, and why they miss it. They miss everything about it which includes being with their comrades having the shared experiences no civilian could understand, and this includes the adrenaline rush of combat.
Some veterans missed the latter so much that they engage in very dangerous activities in order to have that same feeling.
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I have read that as well. Thank you for your perspective!
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That’s how gambling and roller coasters feel; they both used to carry the same rush.
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Exactly!
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So could it be said that someone is replacing one addiction with another?? A very interesting read.
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Yes! Researchers are exploring the ways in which we can replace addictions and hopefully that can help people who want to rid themselves of an addiction.
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I used to be one who, while sympathetic, would look down on those who’d ‘allowed’ themselves to become addicted to alcohol and illicit drugs.
Then I began to understand that serious life trauma, notably adverse childhood experiences, is usually behind a substance abuser’s debilitating lead-ball-and-chain self-medicating.
The greater the drug-induced euphoria or escape one attains from its use, the more one wants to repeat the experience; and the more intolerable one finds their sober reality, the more pleasurable that escape should be perceived. By extension, the greater one’s mental pain or trauma while sober, the greater the need for escape from reality, thus the more addictive the euphoric escape-form will likely be.
Tragically, the pain may be so overwhelming that the most extreme and potentially permanent form of escape—suicidal behaviour—is sometimes chosen.
Yet, in many straight minds drug addicts have somehow committed a moral crime, perhaps even those who’d become addicted to opiates prescribed them for an innocent sports or work injury.
We now know pharmaceutical corporations intentionally pushed their new very addictive opiate pain killers—the real moral crime—for which they got off relatively lightly, considering the resulting immense suffering and overdose death numbers.
(Frank Sterle Jr.)
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Thank you for your thoughts!
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It’s interesting to see that there are too many ways a human’s reward system can malfunction! Climbing addiction is one of them!
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Absolutely! The human mind is really something.
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Great post! May I share on my addiction blog?
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Of course…thank you for asking!
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Is there a way to get the whole article on instead of an excerpt?
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