When I was young, there were dangers with the choking cake, but we never played the choking game. As shocking as this will seem, we were way too smart to play the choking game, which I hear is a big hit amongst today's youth.
The choking game, also known as the fainting game, "is a loose term that covers dangerous activities designed to induce a partial or complete loss of consciousness brought about by the intentional deprivation of oxygen to the brain for a period of time. There are two distinct methods used to achieve oxygen deprivation: strangulation and self-induced hypocapnia."
The term 'game' is used because these activities have typically been pursued by children as recreation; the practice among adults appears to be uncommon and generally in the different context of the pursuit of erotic asphyxiation. However, experts state that for some teens, the choking game can take on elements of erotic asphyxiation.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health study in 2008 found that at least 79,000 students in the Canadian province of Ontario participated in this act.
Don't get me wrong, we played some stupid games when I was a teen, but nothing like this. The extent of our stupidity revolved around semi-dangerous skateboard or bicycle stunts, messing around with firecrackers or investigating abandoned buildings at night, but those activities were fun!
The choking game sounds pretty dumb. If deprivation of oxygen to the brain is your game, it's time to shell out for a Game Boy.
