The Choking Game
November 27, 2005 – 10:46 amInitially ruled a suicide, 13-year-old Chelsea Dunn may have accidentally killed herself by what some kids call a game.
?They call it something dreaming,? says twenty-year-old Kelly Pilger. Sarah Johnson remembers, ?They call it fainting each other.?
Self-asphyxiation-choking each other or themselves, which produces a kind of high. ?Press people up against a wall, until they didn?t have any oxygen, until they passed out,? describes Kelly. Jessica Fuller says ?[they] probably do it for about four hours at a time, like repeatedly, over and over again.?
They use bags, belts, ties, or even their own bare hands, causing hypoxia, a shortage of oxygen. ?Basically, it?s a very dangerous play where the person deprives his brain of oxygen,? explains Dr. Ashraf Attalla, child psychiatrist, ?By reducing the blood pressure the brain basically starts an irreversible process of dying.?
And he says the result can be permanent brain damage, or in cases like Chelsea Dunn- death.
Obviously there is no drug test, but there are clues that parents need to watch for. ?Any unusual marks around the neck. Parents might find some ties, or ropes tied in unusual ways, complaints of headaches, blood shot eyes,? explains Dr. Attalla.
He says some kids may be fascinated by this strange and dangerous play. As Sarah Johnson says, ?It?s something that?s not talked about, it?s not well known, and there?s a lure to that.?
And that?s why experts say- take away the mystery. Teach your kids that this is no game. ?It?s a very, very dangerous practice,? says the doctor, ?and I think the community and parents need to know about this.?
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2 Responses to “The Choking Game”
Last reported there were 500 deaths in 2004 of this “choking game”. Kids think nothing will hurt them – this is not a drug – just one time, etc. My son was one of them. He was only 16. And despite losing him and going through this awful pain, yes I am so thankful to have had him – to have loved him – than not having him at all. He was a “good kid”. He would have never tried drugs. He loved life – loved his 9 siblings – and most of all loved God. He had compassion for people. But, he learned of a game – this game he lost – lost his life. He tried the “choking game”. His 11 year old brother found him hanging. His 15 year old brother cut him down. We are at almost a year since his death, and it’s still very hard. This game is dangerous, foolish, and mostly likely WILL cause death. It’s not worth the risk. I know. I miss my son.
Matthew’s Story
Journaling through the Valley Blog
By Loni on Nov 28, 2005
I can’t even imagine the depth of your loss. I hope this information will help raise awareness in the law enforcement community.
By rschumaker on Nov 28, 2005