How much more stressful is it to fall off a cliff than buy a house, change jobs, or get divorced?

Question

A slightly morbid question admittedly. But they say that buying a house, changing jobs, or getting divorced are the most stressful events you get in your life. Yet surely they can't be quite as stressful as finding yourself falling down a 500 foot cliff, hanging by the end of a hangman's noose, or up against the wall of a chinese firing squad.
My question is to those who have survived such a near-death experience, how much worse was it than the more "common" stressful events of life?

Answer 1

I can give a first hand answer to that because I actually did fall down a cliff. (And buy a house).
Falling down a cliff, (actually it was a chalk pit but it was still a hell of a long way down), was over in a second or so. There was a moment of terror when I realised I was going. Then nothing until I woke up. I was a young child and fortunately nothing got broken.
I have no memory of the descent, nor of the landing. It went from 'Oh no, I'm falling!' to 'Oh, hello everyone', with nothing in between
But I remember every soul searing detail of the stress of buying our house! I suppose that's the difference. In one case it's over in a split second and largely erased from memory. In the other you get the chance to savour it all.

Answer 2

Ok wiseguy I can hear people shouting at the screens from here LOL. Number one the subjects in your question are not a joking matter and I think from your tone you think they are.
Everyone views events in a different way what may seem stressful to one isnt too another.
I have been through divorce and at the same time had to sell my house because of the divorce therefore moved to a new house and all that involves. That has taken me 3 solid years to get over !! I think that may be stressful dont you and when you have an ex and children that stress is still on going.
I dont know anyone who has survived a cliff fall being hung or being shot so I wouldnt even like to say how they felt about it.
My suggestion to you is to go and "get pregnant and give birth" boy I bet you would soon change your view on whats stressful more than other things LOL.
To everyone out there who has gone through any of the things in the question lots of warmth thoughts to you.

Answer 3

I, personally, have never experienced such an event, but then I have never bought a house or gotten a divorce, either.
I HAVE changed jobs - far more often than I wanted to - and spent 3 years helplessly watching my dearest loved-one die of an incurable illness, and THAT was WAAAAY off the scale, stresswise!
I HAVE also experienced immediately threatening situations, however, but there were no cliffs, nooses or firing squads involved. I have ridden a mototcycle off the road, over a curb, through a bush and landed in a culvert on the other side of that. I also once ran a 4-wheel ATV into a tree and, more recently, fell out of a kayak.

I have to say that the immediate threat is far less stressful to me than the prolonged stress situation simply because it IS so short-lived. When my kayak is tipping over or my motorcycle is running off the road, I don't really have TIME to stress about it - ALL my thoughts and energies are instantly funnelled into figuring out and doing whatever it will take to minimize the upcoming damage. In short, it has my FULL attention!!! Even the ensuing "shakes" when it is all over wear themselves out quickly and then it's over and done with.

Speaking of over and done with, so is my time to use this computer. I have to log off and go home.

Answer 4

Falling off a cliff tends to be fatal, the person who falls doesn't have time to get the heightened stress levels associated with the other things you list. Your physical and mental stress levels peak abruptly, and drop abruptly. Though I have never fallen off a cliff, I did when a child fall out of trees a few times. On the list of things most stressful in a persons life I would rank these falls to the lower end of the scale, even though they were potentially fatal, you don't think when you are in such a situation, their is no time. It happens you get over it. Divorce can prove fatal for some, as they can't stand the emotional strain and kill themselves.

Answer 5

The stress you are referring to though by buying a house etc refers to longer term stress, when faced with a life threatening situation its a different kind of stress. Its normally very quick, without giving you the time to get stressed about it til afterwards. The feeling afterwards is much worse than the more common things you mentioned, but they are still more common, coz not many people experience life threatening situations. I hope that makes sense!

I do completely see your point though, coz I was in a life threatening situation 9 years ago, and the stress after that is much worse than moving jobs etc, coz its the fear for your life, the one and only thing we actually own and cant survive without. But its more common for Average Joe to move house or get a divorce than be put in a situation like that, so they come top of the list.

Answer 6

Stress is anything that makes you uneasy. To fall off the cliff is of course the most stressful, because it means life and death. Buying a house, changing jobs, or get divorces are temporary, or they can still be changed or modified. Because of the uncertainties it entails, the risk, the new adjustments to make, etc, are what makes these stressful.

Answer 7

Hi Stress drawn out over time is the worst. Divorce must be the worst because it drags out for a significant part of your life. Falling off a cliff is scary, but not a dragged out event.

Answer 8

do no longer carry to lots fee to the 'on an universal basis mail' and it is scare mongering. I even have seen this take place two times , as quickly as in 1977 the drop started approximately seventy six' and as quickly as lower back in 1988 expenditures had peaked to an all time 'unnatural extreme' this ended in an excellent drop over here few years, the two those drops have been accompanied via super will advance peaking to an all time extreme in 2007. property expenditures in straightforward terms actually matter quantity in case you have unfavorable fairness yet my suggestion is to hold on in there in case you are able to it is going to with any luck come good. As for purchase to enable investors those are a needed evil renting in some factors is quickly grant and all of us could desire to stay someplace. .

Answer 9

My youngest daughter has been through many terrible things, and lost religion and faith in God. One day, she fell through a roof, and thought that she would surely die. She still does not attend church, but she does once again believe in God--as she prayed--and feels that He saved her life.

All of the things you mention are on the top ten list of stressors--the difference in a fatal accident would probably be that it would be over much quicker--and the stress would not last for long.

Answer 10

you can change your mind about buying a house,a job,or get divorced,but it is pretty stressful if you change your mind after jumping off a cliff half way down,ha ha,