Some are crazy about rock-climbing, bungee jumping or skydiving.

Former Welsh Secretary resigned from his cabinet post last November. He was robbed at knifepoint when he met an ambiguous person on the Common. He held responsible his "moment of madness" on risk addiction.

He is absolutely not alone who has this disease!
Though, its status as an illness is in some doubt.
Psychologists prefer to put it under the label of "personality category".

The idea of risk addiction, or sensation-seeking helps explain why people get ready to even jump out of a plane at 10,000ft. Sometimes, they do not fear when belting down the motorway at 100mph.

Professor Marvin Zuckerman first identified this trait 30 years ago. He has explained sensation seekers as people who crave intense sensations and experiences.

His research figured out that a tendency to live on the risk, and get addicted to it was more common in men than women.

There are many reasons as to why people get addicted to extreme sports.

Marvin also found that it was more likely among divorcees than married or single people.

The characteristic tends to hit the highest point in late teens, and early 20s. It becomes clear itself in various ways, from extreme sports and dangerous challenges.

Sometimes, it is clear from less energetic hobbies like exotic travel or experimenting with drugs.

Boredom is one of the factors. Sensation seekers generally get bored by routine work assignments.
But what makes danger more striking to some people?
 
According to a researcher in risk at Leeds University, most people have a built-in hatred to risk.
Those who want to seek the risk can blame chemicals in their brains.