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“Hell No”: 50 Times This Online Group Made People’s Palms Sweat With Just Images
Interview
We often have a physical response to watching others in danger, even if we ourselves face absolutely no threat, and the subreddit r/SweatyPalms proves it.
Created back in 2012, this online community now boasts 2.3 million members who constantly share footage of people's stunts on tall skyscrapers, close encounters with wildlife, and everything in between.
So, we invite you to join us in scrolling through some of the subreddit's most popular posts and see which of them elicit a reaction from you. Let's test our limits!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Active Volcano Looks Like Damned Souls Being Dragged To The Depths Of Hell
Wood Carver 2 years ago (edited)
One presumes this is where the subterranean flaming pit of punishment myth originates. Easy to see how people who already poorly understood the mechanics of the fire hole would come to that conclusion.... also that is scary as hell 😳 would not stand
RELATED:
#2
In 1990, An Accident Caused A British Airways Captain To Be Sucked Halfway Out Of The Cockpit. The Crew Held Onto Him For 20 Minutes As The Copilot Made An Emergency Landing. The Pilot Survived And Made A Full Recovery
We managed to get in touch with the moderators of r/SweatyPalms and they were kind enough to have a little chat with us about the subreddit.
"We actually don't have to do much policing," the team told Bored Panda. "Like any sub on Reddit, we get spam and repost bots. We guard against those, but that's mostly it."
#3
Diver Sitting On The Edge Of Underwater Sea Cliff
RandomPerson 2 years ago (edited)
Oh, thalassophobia! Its been a long time since I've seen you old friend!
#4
Getting Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed Is Not An Option
#5
Let Me Quickly Nope Out Of Here
Krastina Dimitrova 2 years ago
I think this is in Ginnie Springs Florida, at least there is a sign just like this one in the spring there.
The moderators said that the members are fairly active, and the posts receive a fair number of comments, too. "We generally get a good representation of Redditors who appreciate a jolt of fear and a good, old-fashioned adrenaline rush."
"The pics that garner the most attention on our sub are the ones that involve everyday people in pretty extreme situations. I think those are the ones that resonate with members the most because it really doesn't take much imagination to see yourself in those (very) terrifying scenarios!" they added.
#6
Some Final Destination S**t
Bill Swallow 2 years ago
Looks like the Jupiter Mining Corporation has gotten off to a good start with their pickup trucks. But it's going to a long road from there to the mining ship 'Red Dwarf'!
#7
Talk About Sweaty Palms. Astronaut Bruce Mccandless Taking The First Untethered Space Walk
#8
Gorilla Family Checking Out Wildlife Photographer
A dude who likes to drum 2 years ago
Heh this one I kinda like they seem nice at least this family is
#9
9 Lives
According to Nathalia Gjersoe, who is a senior lecturer in developmental psychology at the University of Bath, there are various reasons why our body responds like this in the absence of any real threat.
For instance, do you wince when someone is punched in a movie or squirm when someone is shamed or humiliated on screen? "These reactions are triggered by empathy: feeling the same thing we believe someone else is feeling," Gjersoe says. "Empathy allows us to put ourselves in someone else's shoes."
#10
Safety Standards In The 1960's
Maureen Sullivan 2 years ago
Exactly what my mom would do “back in the day” when driving with us and had to hit the breaks a bit.. Those were the days.
#11
I’ve Been Told By Employers That My Current Linkedin Photo Makes Them Nervous
#12
This Ofroad Trail
"Brain imaging studies have shown that there is a great deal of crossover in brain networks when we experience pain ourselves and when we observe others in pain. For example, people shown videos of patients being injected in the mouth showed activation in many of the same parts of the brain as if they themselves were being injected in the mouth."
So when we turn on footage of people cycling down incredibly steep precipices or dangling from precarious overhangs, part of our physical nervousness on their behalf is because we are imagining ourselves in their situation and how scared we would be.
#13
Hell No
#14
Climbing The Hua Shan, China. The Old Path
#16
My Hobbies Are Smoking Weed And Rescue Stray Dogs In The Woods
Another contributing factor might be the fact that the sympathetic nervous system, which coordinates our fight or flight response, may not differentiate that much between real and not real.
"Visual information that conveys a threat might be translated directly into feelings of anxiety or urgency, which in turn trigger responses such as muscle contractions or increased heart rate," Gjersoe explains.
#17
Someone's Illegal Pet Tiger Got Loose In A Houston Neighborhood
#18
Extreme Camping
#19
Glass Bridge In China Breaks During High Winds
Menacing Duck 2 years ago
Imagine being on that bridge and your hear cracking sounds underneath you...
#20
Dropped My Phone On This & Had A Huge "Whew" Moment When It Didn't Fall In. Drove Off & Realized My S Pen Is Missing 20 Minutes Later. Came Back To The Scene Of The Crime And Couldn't Believe My Luck
Tamar Gendler, a Yale University psychologist, has proposed that we have two cognitive states for reacting to events in the world.
The first is our beliefs – those things that we believe to be true. We can say with considerable confidence that the protagonist of the movie will be okay in the end and that zombies will not subsequently break into our home and eat us.
#21
I Looked Over The Edge Of A Building In NYC And Saw This Crazy Reflection [oc]
![I Looked Over The Edge Of A Building In NYC And Saw This Crazy Reflection [oc]](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/65045e9e93807_b54zx7c19om41__700.jpg "I Looked Over The Edge Of A Building In NYC And Saw This Crazy Reflection [oc]")
#22
Alex Honnold Free-Soloing The Walls Of El Patrero Chico. Mexico, 2014
Sue Denham 2 years ago
Please be one of those fake shots and he's really crawling on the ground?
#23
Brown Bear Sneaks Up On Kid Who Actually Does An Amazing Job At Staying Calm Thanks To Dad's Help
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago (edited)
And who helped dad stay calm? Calm enough to be recording/taking photos while your son is being eyed as lunch?
#24
This Is The Kind Of Sh#t We Have To Deal With In Aus. I Hate Huntsman Spiders
deforge 2 years ago
Despite their often large and hairy appearance, huntsman spiders are not considered to be dangerous spiders. As with most spiders, they do possess venom, and a bite may cause some ill effects. However, they are quite reluctant to bite, and will usually try to run away rather than be aggressive.
The second cognitive state, Gendler suggests, is our 'aliefs.' These states are triggered by associations, instead of consideration, and can be either conscious or unconscious. We then feel uneasy even though there is no direct threat to us.
#25
Imagine If He Didn't Check
#26
That's Kinda High
A dude who likes to drum 2 years ago
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
#27
Bears Are Not Welcome Customers
#28
Why Would Anyone Attempt This
Yeet_girl360 2 years ago
You'd be surprised the amount of stupid things people do for "wows" and "oOoOos". . .
"Although our aliefs may differ from our beliefs, they trigger many of the same physical responses as a real threat such as trembling, sweating, and anxiety," Gjersoe explains Gendler's theory.
"This is why I sit rigid on the edge of my seat while watching the climber dangling from the top of the skyscraper with no apparent support. I believe he will be fine and that this video signals no threat to myself, but I alieve that some threat is occurring and my sympathetic nervous system responds accordingly."
I guess we humans aren't so different from one another, are we?
#29
A Bear Running Upstream, A Little Too Close
Interesting_Astronaut 2 years ago
dont judge, when you are hungry you also sprint to the fridge
#30
Installing A Glass Rail On Every Floor
#31
Spelunker Gets Stuck In A Partially Submerged Cave Section
Yeet_girl360 2 years ago
He is extremely lucky cause he was able to turn around and go back.. but still...
Alex Martin 2 years ago
Whenever I see images like this I think of the limestone Nutty Putty Cave near Salt Lake City. Nutty Putty was created by water from under the ground trying to reach the surface, and has tight tunnels with twists and turns that require a person to crawl on the bellies to get through some areas. in 2009 Edward Jones was going to a section of the cave called the birthing canal and made a wrong turn. The unsafe side tunnel he was in was full of twists, drops and turns that required a person to crawl through long tunnels. The tunnel took a sudden drop and he ended suspended upside down and completely stuck. Rescuers tried to get him out for hours but the tight tunnels and soft limestone rock made it impossible to get him out. He died from the stress of being trapped upside down in a fissure. They were not able to recover his remains. The cave is now closed to the public. He was 26 and left behind a wife, daughter, and unborn son.
The Other Guest 2 years ago
Fascinating Horror on YouTube did a fantastic mini-documentary on this. And I'm with you, and maybe a little beyond - ANY cave photo, my brain starts chanting "Nutty Putty Nutty Putty Nutty Putty..."
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Bored Trash Panda 2 years ago
Yea, f this. I can't even imagine this, gives me anxiety to even think of it.
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Nikki Sevven 2 years ago
Ah, spelunking...the sport that combines claustrophobia, acrophobia, and nyctophobia into one anxiety-ridden activity.
CrunChewy McSandybutt 2 years ago
I don't suffer from claustrophobia, but I can see myself descending into panic in some of the tight spaces spelunkers get into. I love cave exploring, but I don't want to get stuck and die of starvation/dehydration.
RageHivewing 2 years ago
Why do people do this like climbing mountains doesnt seem so bad but going into these tiny little crevices where you cant move seems so awful and claustrophobic i cant imagine why anyone would put themselves through that
Not-a-Clue (she/her) 2 years ago
This one is triggering me more than the heights (which I'm also terrified of.) I have lateral nightmares about getting stuck in places.
TheStanleyParableAdventureLine 2 years ago
I love small dark enclosed spaces, but, like, blanket forts. whenever I see something like this I remember my reoccurring dreams when I was little, of me getting stuck in a tube slide. I would wake up terrified and crying. I could not. I could never.
Hiram's Friend 2 years ago
When I was in high school I read a Thor Heyerdahl book where he was stuck in a cave that opened halfway down a cliff. I didn't sleep for three days.
Foffy Skrimshaw 2 years ago
I've done some caving in my day. I'm no expert, but there is something I learned was a absolute, never go alone, and always wear a helmet. Also there is a saying that hardcore cavers use. Cavers are the ones that are called when spelunkers get stuck.
Burnt Bagel 2 years ago
No way! I’d climb just about anything before I’d go into a small, tight cave like this. No f*****g way!
michelle neugebauer 2 years ago
Thanks for posting this! I will now be unable to sleep for a month!
Lauren Bridger 2 years ago
Growing up in northeast Tennessee a camp I went to in 5th grade had us go through a cave with a feature like this, but it was deep enough to get under and not that big to worry about not having enough breath.
MellonCollie 2 years ago
I could not possibly watch that video. It gives me so much anxiety to even think of being stuck in a cave ... Oh my.
shitting star (she/they) 2 years ago
He looks like he is on the verge of tears on the second picture
Barong 2 years ago
Nope. James Edward Jones died in the Nutty Putty Cave in Utah. This is either James or Edward of the Action Adventure Twins. https://youtube.com/@ActionAdventureTwins?feature=shared The video from which this screen grab was taken from is here. https://youtu.be/Us-XA2BRLgg?feature=shared
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PlatinumThe8-BitCat 2 years ago
Why? Doesn’t seem like he did anything wrong
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#32
Florida Citizenship Test
#34
A Tourist Sitting On Top Of The Pedra Da Gávea Mountain, Brazil
A dude who likes to drum 2 years ago
Yeesh some people just seem to disconnect from common sense sometimes 🙄
#35
Photographing My Friend In An Abandoned Theme Park
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
Friends don’t let friends walk out on way high up rollercoaster tracks just to prove how stupid they both are.,
#36
This Photographer Is Playing A Potentially Deadly Fight Or Flight Game With Polar Bear
#37
Graffiti Artists On 430ft Bridge
#38
Keep Swiming
#39
Always Check The Carabiners
#40
Bear With Me On This One
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
Doing my best bear voice impression. “ Just checking to see how your enjoying my river. I’ll be on my way now.”
#41
Professional Climber Uses A “Knee Bar” To Bring Blood Back To His Arms
Tuna Beach 2 years ago
How do you make money as a climber. I thought it was a hobby for zealots.
#42
Who Else Relates??
#43
This Guy Handling Those Giant Wasps
#44
Skydiving From A Hot Air Balloon
#45
Saw A Bentley Parked Like This In Zurich And It Immediately Gave Me Anxiety
#46
Amazing Jump
#47
Breathtaking View
#48
Descending Only By Stair Frames
#49
Longways Down
#50
On The Edge
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What do you think ?
zena bena 2 years ago
These pics of peoole risking their lives pisses me off when there are terminal people who would give anything to have their lives and not risk it on stupid adrenalin / tiktok fame
Irishwoman abroad 2 years ago
And also a lot of people who would either have to risk their own rescuing them, or clean up the mes afterwards.
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Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
I had to stop scrolling. I am *terrified* of falling from heights. Naturally, tons of people without safety gear, way too high. If needed, I will be in a corner in a fetal position hugging the floor.
Magazine 2 years ago
Me too. So terrified I have given up on flying, unfortunately.
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Mike Fitzpatrick 2 years ago
Or, you're hungry as a bear in March, you open the cupboard and the only thing in there is an outdated can of beets. That's terror!
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David A Paterson 2 years ago
Love these. Amazing that people were so confident with these stunts that they photographed them. Frankly, videos of extreme skiing frighten me more.
Becky Samuel 2 years ago
Apparently it's not socially acceptable to do anything beyond sitting behind a screen and judging others any more.
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Zophra 2 years ago
I think these people have a different brain activity with adrenalin, fear, pleasure, euphoria etc. I'll just stick with chocolate for euphoria.
My O My 2 years ago
Actually that's what it is! Adrenalin is addictive too
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Stardust she/her 2 years ago
I remember we once went somewhere and we were standing on these cliffs without any fencing and my mum wanted to take a photo of the waterfalls but she wasn’t getting the right angle so she took one step forward and realised the danger she was putting herself in and decided to not take that photo. Even after many months I still feel so much anxiety every time I remember that
Amelia Jade 2 years ago
I make a point to avoid pics of spiders. I'm all cozied up in bed, cat curled up close by, X-Files on in the background, happily scrolling BP and then BAM! Big flippin spider. Now I can't relax. Keep thinking one is on me, or think I see one out of corner of my eye.
Liz Downing 2 years ago
All of the "heights" photos made me wanna vomit. Why did I keep scrolling?!
The Problem With Censorship Is ******* 2 years ago
For anyone who also loved Kenan & Kel back in the day... WHHHYYYYYYY!?
Kevin J. Henning 2 years ago
Every human being should have the right to either be this daring or this stupid. Take your pick. I'm not judging anyone.
Sand Ers 2 years ago
You called them stupid. You are absolutely judging other people.
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censorshipsucks 2 years ago
I have a horror of heights > 2m so no chance, ever, of doing any of this.
Apatheist Account2 2 years ago
So many where you shouldn't stop to take a picture, just deal with it.
Steve Robert 2 years ago
I'm pretty sure flattened organs aren't suitable for donation.
Load More Replies... zena bena 2 years ago
These pics of peoole risking their lives pisses me off when there are terminal people who would give anything to have their lives and not risk it on stupid adrenalin / tiktok fame
Irishwoman abroad 2 years ago
And also a lot of people who would either have to risk their own rescuing them, or clean up the mes afterwards.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
I had to stop scrolling. I am *terrified* of falling from heights. Naturally, tons of people without safety gear, way too high. If needed, I will be in a corner in a fetal position hugging the floor.
Magazine 2 years ago
Me too. So terrified I have given up on flying, unfortunately.
Load More Replies... Mike Fitzpatrick 2 years ago
Or, you're hungry as a bear in March, you open the cupboard and the only thing in there is an outdated can of beets. That's terror!
Load More Replies... David A Paterson 2 years ago
Love these. Amazing that people were so confident with these stunts that they photographed them. Frankly, videos of extreme skiing frighten me more.
Becky Samuel 2 years ago
Apparently it's not socially acceptable to do anything beyond sitting behind a screen and judging others any more.
Load More Replies... Zophra 2 years ago
I think these people have a different brain activity with adrenalin, fear, pleasure, euphoria etc. I'll just stick with chocolate for euphoria.
My O My 2 years ago
Actually that's what it is! Adrenalin is addictive too
Load More Replies... Stardust she/her 2 years ago
I remember we once went somewhere and we were standing on these cliffs without any fencing and my mum wanted to take a photo of the waterfalls but she wasn’t getting the right angle so she took one step forward and realised the danger she was putting herself in and decided to not take that photo. Even after many months I still feel so much anxiety every time I remember that
Amelia Jade 2 years ago
I make a point to avoid pics of spiders. I'm all cozied up in bed, cat curled up close by, X-Files on in the background, happily scrolling BP and then BAM! Big flippin spider. Now I can't relax. Keep thinking one is on me, or think I see one out of corner of my eye.
Liz Downing 2 years ago
All of the "heights" photos made me wanna vomit. Why did I keep scrolling?!
The Problem With Censorship Is ******* 2 years ago
For anyone who also loved Kenan & Kel back in the day... WHHHYYYYYYY!?
Kevin J. Henning 2 years ago
Every human being should have the right to either be this daring or this stupid. Take your pick. I'm not judging anyone.
Sand Ers 2 years ago
You called them stupid. You are absolutely judging other people.
Load More Replies... censorshipsucks 2 years ago
I have a horror of heights > 2m so no chance, ever, of doing any of this.
Apatheist Account2 2 years ago
So many where you shouldn't stop to take a picture, just deal with it.
Steve Robert 2 years ago
I'm pretty sure flattened organs aren't suitable for donation.
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