Call to the void: Do you have a momentary urge to do something crazy dangerous?

[JEDI]

Call of the Void: High-Place Phenomenon FAQs

The call of the void refers to that unexplained urge you sometimes get to jump off a bridge, veer off the road, stick your hand in a fire, etc. What's behind this phenomenon, and does it really mean anything?

www.healthline.com

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Like jump off a bridge while you're on a bridge


It has nothing to do with suicide

 

[Captante]

Call me crazy BUT I just don't get "urges" like that.

 

[snoopy7548]

Does posting in this thread count?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

That's unusual? Fuck man. Now you got me thinking about a whole new set of stuff I'm not gonna be comfortable with later.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

The thoughts I have to restrain run along the lines of throwing you assholes off the bridge, not myself.

I was an adrenaline junky most my life. Perhaps that's why I never felt that call? Too busy doing dangerous stuff, as opposed to contemplating it in such a manner.

 

[pcgeek11]

Normal my @SS.

Anyone that has these urges need to seek out mental help.

 

[JEDI]

Normal my @SS.

Anyone that has these urges need to seek out mental help.

'When these urges come up, you quickly counter them, telling yourself you’d never do that. You know what would happen in any of those scenarios.'

it's not suicidal because you dont actually think of going through with it.
quite the opposite.. you immediately pull back when the thought occurs

 

[Captante]

Picturing something happening and "getting the urge" to do it are two very different things.



The first is a sign of a vivid imagination.

The second OTOH is a sign to seek help.

 

[pcgeek11]

'When these urges come up, you quickly counter them, telling yourself you’d never do that. You know what would happen in any of those scenarios.'

it's not suicidal because you dont actually think of going through with it.
quite the opposite.. you immediately pull back when the thought occurs

All I can say is that I have never had an urge to do any of that crazy shit.

 

[igor_kavinski]

If you have the urge to do risky life-threatening stuff, you may be infected with toxoplasma gondii: https://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bug...a-gondii-infection-increase-entrepreneurship/

Interesting that a tiny microscopic parasite may have played a role in our species' evolution.

It also increases testosterone levels, so if you see a particularly aggressive male, he is probably infected: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40750-020-00160-2

 

[igor_kavinski]

Like jump off a bridge while you're on a bridge

Some people may jump off a bridge because they believe God will protect them, no matter what.

The atheists will do it, just to see if God exists.

Agnostics may do it, to get some sort of sign from above, on which religion they should commit to.

Narcissists will do it, thinking they are too important for this world to die from such a thing, so they will expect to survive, otherwise the Universe makes no sense and they are better off dead then.

A scientist will do it, just for the thrill of it, after taking the necessary precautions.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Call me crazy BUT I just don't get "urges" like that.

Live a little

 

[Red Squirrel]

Sometimes when working with electrical related stuff. "I should touch that... NO!" As the voltage increases, the urge to touch it increases as well.

 

[Captante]

Live a little

I've jumped off/out of MANY bridges, cliffs, trees, buildings and assorted other really tall things... but always into deep water!

The key difference is any thinking I did that involved getting splattered was centered around how to best avoid it!

 

[Captante]

Sometimes when working with electrical related stuff. "I should touch that... NO!" As the voltage increases, the urge to touch it increases as well.

Well? Do you??

 

[Red Squirrel]

At a place I worked there was a small blue button on the wall in the server room. It was SO tempting. On my last day I came so close to pressing it lol. I'm thinking it may have been to call a code blue, but you'd think they would label that.

 

[igor_kavinski]

At a place I worked there was a small blue button on the wall in the server room. It was SO tempting. On my last day I came so close to pressing it lol. I'm thinking it may have been to call a code blue, but you'd think they would label that.

If the place has no security cams, I would press that button with a longgggg stick, standing outside and then run for cover, in case the button initiates the self-destruct sequence in 5 seconds.

 

[igor_kavinski]

but always into deep water!

What's the strategy to hit the wall of water from a decent height? Do you keep both hands in front to protect your skull from the impact of hitting water?

 

[Torn Mind]

If you have the urge to do risky life-threatening stuff, you may be infected with toxoplasma gondii: https://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bug...a-gondii-infection-increase-entrepreneurship/

Interesting that a tiny microscopic parasite may have played a role in our species' evolution.

It also increases testosterone levels, so if you see a particularly aggressive male, he is probably infected: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40750-020-00160-2

I remember being assigned that microbe for something in middle school. I remember learning it caused mice to lose their fear of cats. But that was early 2000s and these studies are more recent.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I remember learning it caused mice to lose their fear of cats.

It may cause a man to get reckless with driving whereas an infected woman may be more prone to careless and uninhibited sex.

 

[Torn Mind]

It may cause a man to get reckless with driving whereas an infected woman may be more prone to careless and uninhibited sex.

I read article 2, The gist I got was male mammals might become sexier....LOL

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

This thread is a good example of why it's hard to talk about mental health. The article suggests there is nothing inherently unhealthy or uncommon about the impulse but this thread's theme is those folks should have themselves committed.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I read article 2, The gist I got was male mammals might become sexier....LOL

And dangerous and more prone to infections. Higher testosterone reduces immunity. That's why COVID discriminately affects males more than women.

 

[skyking]

I've done some things in a plane that, in retrospect, were a little out there. When it comes to skis or bikes, my self preservation keeps me grounded.

 

[Captante]

What's the strategy to hit the wall of water from a decent height? Do you keep both hands in front to protect your skull from the impact of hitting water?

The highest I ever dove head-first from was roughly 65 feet. You better believe I had my hands over my head AND clasped tightly together. (it still hurt!)

Feet-first I've gone from right around 100ft a few times.... and yes I was nuts.