Summary
Risk-taking behaviour involves doing something that could cause harm, have unwanted consequences or place yourself or someone else in danger. Taking some risks is a normal part of life, particularly during adolescence and young adulthood, as people develop independence, explore new experiences and learn about boundaries. However, risk-taking can become concerning when it is frequent, increasingly dangerous, difficult to control, used to cope with distress, or has a significant impact on health, relationships, education, work or everyday life.
Risk-taking behaviour can look different from person to person. It may be planned and intentional, or happen impulsively in the moment. Someone may take a risk because they are seeking excitement, trying to fit in with others, responding to peer pressure, feeling bored, wanting to feel in control, struggling with strong emotions, or trying to escape from difficult thoughts or feelings. Sometimes the behaviour can provide a short-term sense of relief or excitement, even when it creates problems later. Examples of risk-taking behaviour can include:
- Drinking large amounts of alcohol or using drugs in unsafe situations
- Unsafe sexual behaviour or not using appropriate protection
- Dangerous or reckless driving
- Fighting or deliberately putting yourself in situations where you may be harmed
- Gambling or spending money in ways that create financial difficulties
- Unsafe online behaviour, such as sharing personal information or meeting strangers
- Running away or going to unsafe places without a plan for staying safe
- Taking physical risks, such as climbing or travelling in dangerous situations
- Deliberately breaking rules or laws without considering the possible consequences
- Engaging in self-destructive or harmful behaviours
Risk-taking does not automatically mean that someone has a mental health condition. However, it can sometimes occur alongside difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, trauma, impulsivity, emotional regulation difficulties, substance use or difficulties managing stress. Understanding what is happening before, during and after the behaviour can help identify triggers and patterns.
How to help myself
Try to notice when you are most likely to take risks. Think about what was happening beforehand, how you were feeling, who you were with and what you were hoping would happen. Identifying patterns can make it easier to recognise situations where you may be more likely to act impulsively.
If you notice an urge to take a risk, try creating some space before acting. Move away from the situation, change rooms, put your phone down, take a short walk or focus on something else for a few minutes. Even a short pause can give you more time to think about what you need and what might happen next.
Think about both the short- and long-term consequences of your actions. Consider what you might gain from taking the risk, as well as how it could affect your health, relationships, money, education, work or safety.
Try to find safer ways of getting the same need met. If you are looking for excitement, try an activity that gives you a similar feeling without putting you in danger. If you are overwhelmed, try grounding, movement, music or spending time somewhere quiet. If you are feeling lonely, contact someone you trust.
It can help to use routines, reminders and plans for situations where you know you are more likely to take risks. Avoid making important decisions when you are extremely angry, upset, intoxicated or overwhelmed. If alcohol or drugs make impulsive behaviour more likely, consider reducing your use and seek support if this is difficult.
You do not have to take risks to fit in or prove yourself to other people. Practise saying no when someone encourages you to do something you are uncomfortable with. It can also help to have an exit plan, such as knowing who you can call or where you can go if you want to leave a situation.
Where possible, make your environment safer by reducing access to situations or things that make risky behaviour easier. You could ask someone you trust to help you make a plan for situations that you find particularly difficult.
You do not have to manage risk-taking behaviour on your own. Talking to a trusted person, GP, school, college, university or mental health professional can help you understand what is driving the behaviour and find safer ways of coping.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, has been seriously injured, has taken an overdose or cannot stay safe, seek urgent help through 999, A&E or NHS 111.
How to help a loved one
Try to approach the person with curiosity rather than judgement. Risk-taking behaviour can be difficult to understand, but criticism, threats or punishment may make someone less likely to talk about what is happening. Let them know you are concerned because you care about them and give them space to explain what is going on.
Try to understand what the behaviour might be doing for them. Ask what they were feeling before it happened, what they were hoping would happen and whether the behaviour helps them manage a particular emotion or situation. You do not have to agree with the behaviour to understand why it might be happening.
Talk openly about safety and possible consequences without using fear or shame. Help them think about situations where they are more likely to take risks and what could make those situations safer. Where appropriate, agree a plan for what they can do if they feel unable to stay safe, including who they can contact and where they can go.
Encourage safer alternatives that meet the same need. This might involve finding activities that provide excitement, spending time with supportive people, using strategies to manage strong emotions or taking a break from situations where they feel pressured to take risks.
If peer pressure is involved, help them think about ways to set boundaries and leave situations that feel unsafe. Practical plans can be useful, such as arranging a lift home, having someone they can call or agreeing a code word or message that means they need help.
Try to notice changes in their mood, behaviour or relationships. Increased impulsivity, withdrawal, secrecy, substance use, conflict or putting themselves in increasingly dangerous situations may indicate that they are struggling and need additional support.
Encourage them to speak to a trusted adult or professional if the behaviour is becoming difficult to manage. Depending on their age and circumstances, this could include a GP, school, college, university, mental health professional or substance use service. You can offer to help them make an appointment or go with them if they would find this helpful.
If they are in immediate danger, have seriously injured themselves or someone else, have taken an overdose or cannot stay safe, seek urgent help through 999, A&E or NHS 111.
Myth Buster
Myth: Risk-taking behaviour is just attention-seeking.
Truth: Risk-taking can happen for many different reasons. Someone may be seeking excitement, responding to peer pressure, acting impulsively or trying to manage difficult thoughts and feelings. It is not helpful to assume you know why someone is taking risks.
Myth: People who take risks do not care about the consequences.
Truth: Someone may understand that a behaviour is risky but find it difficult to think about the consequences in the moment, particularly when they are overwhelmed, impulsive or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Myth: Risk-taking behaviour always means someone has a mental health condition.
Truth: Risk-taking can occur for many reasons and does not automatically indicate a mental health condition. However, frequent or increasingly dangerous risk-taking can sometimes be a sign that someone is struggling and may benefit from support.
Myth: If someone knows something is dangerous, they will simply stop doing it.
Truth: Knowing that a behaviour is risky does not always make it easy to stop. Habits, impulsivity, peer pressure, emotional distress or the short-term reward of the behaviour can make change difficult.
Myth: Risk-taking is always a bad thing.
Truth: Taking reasonable risks is a normal part of life and can help people develop independence, confidence and new skills. Concern is more likely when risks are unsafe, frequent, difficult to control or causing harm.
Myth: You cannot help someone unless they want to change.
Truth: You cannot force someone to change, but you can offer support, listen without judgement, help them think about safety and encourage them to access professional support.
Support
If risk-taking behaviour is becoming frequent, increasingly dangerous, difficult to control or is affecting your health, relationships, education, work or everyday life, it may be helpful to seek support. You do not need to wait until something serious happens before asking for help.
A trusted person can be a good starting point. Talking to a family member, friend, teacher, personal tutor or another person you feel comfortable with can help you feel less alone and may make it easier to seek further support.
Your GP can help you understand what may be contributing to the behaviour and can discuss appropriate support or refer you to other services. Depending on your circumstances, this might include mental health services, substance use services, counselling or other specialist support.
If you are at school, college or university, you may also be able to access support through your pastoral team, safeguarding team, wellbeing service, counselling service or student support services. They can help with difficulties affecting your education as well as your wellbeing.
If you are supporting someone who takes risks, you can seek advice too. You do not have to manage the situation alone, and getting support for yourself does not mean you are giving up on the person you care about.
If someone is in immediate danger, has seriously injured themselves or someone else, has taken an overdose or cannot stay safe, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent medical or mental health advice in England, you can also contact NHS 111.
Therapy interventions
Different types of therapy can help people understand why they may be taking risks, recognise patterns and develop safer ways of coping. The type of support offered will depend on the reasons for the behaviour, individual needs and what feels appropriate.
- CBT – explores the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and can help you recognise patterns that lead to risky behaviour and develop safer ways of responding.
- DBT – focuses on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness and interpersonal skills, which can help when risk-taking is linked to intense emotions or impulsivity.
- Motivational Interviewing – helps you explore your reasons for taking risks, consider the possible consequences and build motivation to make changes.
- Counselling – provides a safe space to explore emotions, experiences and difficulties that may be contributing to risk-taking behaviour.
- Family Therapy – can improve communication and relationships, helping families understand risk-taking behaviour and develop safer ways of responding and supporting each other.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy – may be helpful when risk-taking is connected to traumatic experiences, helping you process what has happened and develop healthier ways of coping.
Helplines
Childline
Childline is a free service for young people to talk to a counsellor about anything. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Childline is available to anybody who is 18 years old or younger.
Phone: 0800 1111
Opening times: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
You can also find helpful resources, speak to a counsellor online or send a message on their site.
Website: www.childline.org.uk
For adults concerned about a child, the NSPCC can be contacted
NSPCC
NSPCC is a children’s charity that works to protect children and prevent abuse and neglect. They provide support and advice for adults about child abuse, neglect, child safety, online safety and children’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
Phone: 0808 800 5000
Opening times: 10 am–4 pm, Monday–Friday
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Email opening times: 11 am–4 pm, 7 days a week
Website: www.nspcc.org.uk
Samaritans
Samaritans is a charity providing emotional support to anyone who is struggling to cope or needs someone to talk to. They are there for people experiencing all sorts of difficulties, including stress, anxiety, loneliness, relationship or family problems, bereavement, feeling overwhelmed and concerns about mental health or suicide.
Phone: 116 123
Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Website: http://www.samaritans.org
Shout
Shout is a free, confidential text messaging service that provides support to anyone who is struggling to cope. It can help with a wide range of issues, including stress, anxiety, low mood, loneliness, relationship difficulties, bullying, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, feeling overwhelmed and other mental health challenges.
Text: SHOUT to 85258
Opening times: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Website: www.giveusashout.org
YoungMinds
YoungMinds is a national charity supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. They provide information, advice and support for parents and carers who are concerned about a young person’s mental health, and help people understand mental health difficulties, find appropriate support and access useful resources. Their Parents Helpline can provide information, advice, emotional support and signposting to other services.
Parent helpline: 0808 802 5544 (9:30 am – 4 pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from 9:30 am – 6 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Email: parents@youngminds.org.uk
Webchat: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-helpline/
NHS 111 (Option 2)
NHS 111 is an NHS service providing urgent medical and mental health advice and support. It can help with mental health concerns, emotional distress, anxiety, low mood, suicidal thoughts and other urgent health problems.
Phone: For mental health support, call 111 and select the mental health option (option 2).
Opening times: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
FRANK
FRANK is a service providing information, advice and support about drugs and alcohol. It covers drug and alcohol use, effects and risks, peer pressure, addiction, concerns about someone else’s drug or alcohol use and finding local support.
Phone: 0300 123 6600
Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Text: 82111
Live chat: 2 pm–6 pm, 7 days a week
Email: frank@talktofrank.com
Website: www.talktofrank.com
Drinkaware
Drinkaware is a charity providing information, advice and support about alcohol and drinking. They cover issues including alcohol use, drinking habits, alcohol-related harm and concerns about your own or someone else’s drinking.
Phone: 0300 123 1110
Opening times: 9 am–8 pm, Monday–Friday; 11 am–4 pm, Saturday and Sunday
Drinkchat: 9 am–2 pm, Monday–Friday
Website: www.drinkaware.co.uk
GamCare
GamCare provides free and confidential support for people affected by gambling harms, including people who are worried about their own gambling or someone else’s. They can provide advice, emotional support and information about treatment and other services.
Phone: 0808 8020 133
Live chat: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
WhatsApp: 0808 8020 133
Website: www.gamcare.org.uk
