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IN FOCUS: ARTICLE |
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The Dangers of Choking
by Cindy Kuzma, 06.20.06
Revised by Lisa Schulter, September 2007
In the United States, between 30 and 50 deaths have been reported from the "choking game." |
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Sasha Sepasi was a 14-year-old honors student at a Los Angeles high school. On October 21, 2005, her little sister found her dead in her bedroom closet. One end of a belt was around her neck, and the other end was tied to a hook on the wall.
Sasha wasn't trying to kill herself. She was playing what she thought was a harmless game. According to social worker Tonia Caselman, in the United States, between 30 and 50 deaths have been reported from this "choking game." But, she adds, there are probably many more choking-game deaths that families and doctors attributed to suicide because they didn't know about the game.
According to the Dylan Blake Foundation, in 2006, at least 40 teens died and five were seriously injured from playing the game. Eleven-year-old Dylan Blake lost his life to the choking game in 2005, and his mother founded the organization in his memory.
Why People Play the Game
People playing the choking game tie something — a belt, a scarf, a rope, or even a chain bicycle lock — around their neck, then to another object. The choking cuts of the flow of oxygen to the brain, producing a brief "rush" or "high," explains pediatrician Thomas Andrew, M.D., New Hampshire's chief medical examiner.
Many teens have died playing the game by themselves, when the rope or tie around their necks wouldn't loosen, choking them to death. You can lose consciousness one minute after putting something around your neck, and if the belt or rope tightens, you can die within two to four minutes, Dr. Andrew says.
But the game is dangerous even when people play with friends. You might get brain damage from depriving your brain of oxygen, or accidentally touch on certain nerves, which can hurt or kill you. You could also hit your head on furniture or another hard object when you release the knot.
This type of game has been around for decades — people your parents' age might have played similar games when they were younger, where they breathed heavily or squeezed each others' chests until they passed out. Those games were harmful too, but tying something around the neck makes the choking game even more life-threatening, says Dr. Caselman, who is chair of the Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults Sections Committee at the National Association of Social Workers.
Nowadays, teens are feeding their curiosity by watching home videos of the game on YouTube, making them more likely to play it alone — resulting in deadly consequences.
Another Deadly Practice
While the choking game has been in the news a lot lately, another dangerous type of choking has received less media attention. Sometimes people, particularly men in their late teens and early 20s, tie an object around their neck or put a plastic bag over their heads to deprive their brain of oxygen while they're masturbating or having sex play with a partner. It's called autoerotic asphyxiation and is sometimes also referred to as scarfing, bagging, or breath play. People use it to increase sexual arousal and enhance orgasm.
Like the choking game, it's hard to know just how many people have died from autoerotic asphyxiation. Some reports estimate the number of deaths at 1,000 or 2,000 each year, but it could be even higher: Medical personnel may not realize what happened and may rule these deaths as suicide. Or parents or relatives may remove evidence of autoerotic asphyxiation out of shock or embarrassment before investigators arrive. People may be uncomfortable talking about autoerotic asphyxiation or reluctant to warn teens about it, fearing it may encourage them to try it. But since the practice has claimed so many lives and it seems to be on the rise, it's vital for people to understand just how life-threatening it is.
Putting a Stop to It
The bottom line is, it's extremely dangerous to play with choking, whether or not it's tied to sex play. A few seconds of feeling "high" is not worth the very-real risk of brain damage or death. If you're looking for a rush, try something that pumps up your adrenaline in safe way — like trying out for a school play, working out, or playing sports, says Dr. Caselman.
You can help stop the practice from spreading by watching for signs that your friends or other people at your school might be doing it. For instance, if you know people with unexplained bruises around their necks, who suddenly seem to have lots of ropes, belts, or scarves lying around, and start complaining about having headaches or raspy voices, they may have just started playing with choking.
If you do suspect or find out that some of your friends are doing this, make sure they know how dangerous it is. Not everyone knows that there are teens who've actually died from this. To learn more, you can visit websites like Stop the Choking Game.
Then, although it can be hard to feel like you're ratting out your buddies, you need to get an adult involved. If you don't feel comfortable telling your parents or your friends' parents, talk to your favorite teacher, a guidance counselor, or someone else you trust. It might be tough, but it's worth it if you can save a friend's life. |
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