The choking game

The choking game

 

This potentially lethal “game” involves the use of restraints or the assistance of a friend to choke the player in order to cut off the flow of blood to the brain. The purpose is to obtain the high that comes when the restraint is released and the blood rushes back into the brain. In actuality, the “high” feeling comes from thousands of brain cells dying because of lack of oxygen, causing long term brain damage, comas, strokes, and bleeding in the brain (also known as “silent stroke”). Because there is never a way to know the exact time to let go, many participants pass out and some have actually hanged themselves. Most players are teens who want to get high without using drugs or alcohol. Although it is estimated that as many as 250 to 1,000 teens die from playing the choking game each year, most are ruled suicides.