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Clearing the Air on Erotic Asphyxiation
June 6, 2009
I’ve never had the urge to be choked during sex, not even a little bit. So it’s a hard for me to understand the appeal of sexual asphyxiation.
This sexual activity was in the news as the apparent cause of actor David Carradine’s death. He died, presumably by accident, while hanging from a closet clothing rod with a curtain tie around his neck and genitals. Most likely, he was attempting to restrict his breathing to induce intense sexual release.
I firmly believe that consenting adults should do whatever turns them on, as long as they don’t hurt non-consenting individuals. Carradine struck me as an intelligent man, so he probably knew the risks of engaging in his sexual turn-on. So this post isn’t for people like Carradine, who participate in the activity without plans to stop. Rather, it’s for people who may be curious enough about sexual asphyxia to want to try it, and I highly recommend that you don’t. Fantasize about it if doing so turns you on, but don’t actually do it.
Sexual asphyxia is also known as breath play, erotic asphyxiation, hypoxiphilia or asphyxiophilia. It can be practiced as a solo masturbatory activity or by couples who get turned on by danger and tests of trust in their partner. Participants may put their head in a plastic bag or tie a rope or belt around their neck, or one partner may cover the other’s mouth and nose with a pillow, a hand, or other body parts until the partner orgasms, faints, or in some cases, dies.
Sexual asphyxia can never be construed as “safe,” even with release measures or sexual partners on hand to call for help. Brain damage occurs any time oxygen cannot reach the brain. No one can tell when “enough is enough” where oxygen restriction is concerned.
If you’re interested in learning more about breath play (and again, I suggest that you limit your involvement to fantasy), read this piece by forensic psychologist Dr. Stephen Hucker, this piece by cultural sexologist Carol Queen, and this article from The Independent, a British newspaper.
