As the Dew Tour dawns new and exciting progression in our sport, it's also beginning to reveal a dark and macabre defect in the minds of our pipe skiers. Deeply seeded in the brains of these athletes exist several mental disorders, that until recently, have hidden themselves quietly in wait.
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder in which the person experiences intense fear and anxiety, and a fear of being in places where escape might be difficult, or where help might not be available. Almost every single dedicated super pipe athlete, with the exception of a few, spends countless hours weaving between the walls of a metaphorical prison cell. A solitary confinement in which the rider cannot escape without extreme fear of jumps, rails, or other people. These riders live in constant vigilance of many other disordered athletes, who feel an ingrained need to spin faster, and flip more just to keep their minds from succumbing to the fears of the outside world.
It can be clearly seen that after each completed super pipe run, these damaged minds wildly wave their hands and poles in hopes of attracting attention from outsiders. Although bizarre, this ritual makes the riders feel more comfortable, and acts to intimidates fellow contestants. The three or four designated psychologists who evaluate the subjects respond favorable to these outbursts; This suggests the waving ritual has a positive coping effect for the individuals.
In rare cases, super pipe riders will couple agoraphobia with multiple personality disorder. Examples of this exist in subjects such as Torin Yater Wallace, who displays these characteristics in pipe and slopestyle. He must be weary of how these disorders develop.
Fortunately there are treatment options. Stay as far away from super pipes as possible.
#OccupySuperPipes