Should people with anxiety ride roller coasters?

According to clinical psychologist Judy Kurianski, high tempo rides expose us to “good fear.” Our brains perceive the drops and heart-stopping twists to be “safe” and “predictable,” so riding these thrill rides becomes therapeutic, especially as we scream out our anxieties.



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And, experts believe that those at the fear-end of the spectrum often have an underlying fear of either heights, or closed spaces, or vertigo, or simply, even vomiting, that makes roller coasters scary to them.

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People with high blood pressure and/or heart conditions are warned not to ride roller coasters because of the way they tax the cardiovascular system. The adrenaline rush that roller coasters give you causes a rapid spike in your heart rate and blood pressure.

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In some cases, a fear of roller coasters is not necessarily a phobia at all. Instead, it may be a very real concern based on the individual's medical history. Virtually all roller coasters, even those designed for children, carry standard health restrictions.

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Tip 1) Go with family or friends, as they will comfort you and make you feel less scared. Tip 2) Sit in the front, so you can see what's coming. Sitting in the middle is fine too, so you feel protection on both sides. Tip 3) Go on less scary rides first, and work your way up to the more intense ones.

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Slowly expose yourself to the rides. If you go to a theme park or carnival, walk by the ride and watch it in action. The more you see of it, the more comfortable you will be around it. This is exposure therapy, a common method for overcoming fears.

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After analyzing acceleration data, it was determined that the front row had the greatest negative acceleration in the z direction and was therefore the “best place” to sit. Most people who enjoy roller coasters have a favorite place to sit when riding, but no quantitative reasons for sitting there.

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Air time has a strange effect on your body because your body is not completely solid — it is composed of many parts. When your body is accelerated, each part of your body accelerates individually. The seat pushes on your back, the muscles in your back push on some of your organs and those organs push on other organs.

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You can help calm your nerves through deep breathing. Focusing on your breathing can also help to distract you from the ride and may make the experience more enjoyable. Try screaming to calm your nerves. Screaming may help to relieve tension while you are riding the roller coaster.

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Endorphin is a strong chemical, specifically released to make you feel relaxed and confident. Obviously this explains the natural high you may get from riding a coaster.

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Some people, especially those with an underlying anxiety disorder, may experience sustained anxiety for hours, days, or even weeks at a time. Panic attacks, however, typically last between 5 and 30 minutes, with symptoms peaking within the first few minutes.

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Our fight or flight response is activated which signals the rush of adrenaline. Those who are in favor of roller coasters tend to experience joy, happiness, excitement and satisfaction as this is what they wanted to feel. Therefore the psychological effect is positive.

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It's the combination of lift hill and drop that are the scary parts for me. The lift hill builds anticipation so well, and then it's time for the hyper coaster level 90 degree descent, the first part of which occurs in total darkness.

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