Adolescents are playing a dangerous game of modern day Russian roulette, only this time there is no gun involved. Some children play by themselves, others play with their friends. Either way, the game is deadly and kids are dying.

The game known as the choking game, involves an individual stopping their supply of oxygenated blood to their brain for short periods. By occluding the blood supply the person gets a sensation or rush, this rush causes light-headedness or a high feeling without the use of any illegal drugs. When adolescents play this deadly game alone, it is often during periods of self-gratification to intensify the pleasurable feelings, and called auto erotic asphyxiation.

Both boys and girls play the deadly choking game. Parents need to talk to children about the deadly outcomes of the game Do not assume that your child is not playing. There are telltale signs, like redness on the neck and around the eyes, if a child is playing the choking game or practicing auto erotic asphyxiation.

When a child dies with a rope tied around his or her neck or is found hanging in a bed, closet, or the basement, coroners and Medical Examiners are often mistakenly diagnosing these deaths as suicides. Parents become confused and angry when told their child committed suicide. Although, the pass out game is not much easier for a parent to accept or to understand, it does answer some questions for a parent who is certain their child did not commit suicide.

When I attended the Medico legal death seminar last October, I talked with a Sheriff of a small Midwestern town. This Sheriff was also the towns Medical Examiner. The Sheriff had puzzled over a case of a 15-year-old girl’s death for a while now. A case he had decided would be ruled a suicide when he returned home from the seminar the next week.

As he sat in the seminar that day the Sheriff realized as he listened to the details of the choking game, this young woman had not committed suicide. He realized she had accidentally asphyxiated herself while playing the pass out game while waiting for her clothes to dry. All the details started to come together for him and suddenly made sense. Her suicide had never made any sense.

The 15-year-old found hanging in the basement, had been wearing only her underpants. She was getting ready to go out that Friday night, with her friends because as it was her 15th birthday. Her parents had argued she was not depressed or suicidal. The Sheriff had felt the scene was all wrong. Yet then, there was no other alternative that he knew of, now sadly, it all fit together. She had died playing a senseless game.

Other names for this game:

• Blackout
• Flat liner
• Fainting Game
• Suffocation Roulette
• Space Cowboy
• Pass-out Game

Ask your kids what they know about the choking game. Talk to your kids about the dangers this game involves. Make them aware kids are dying. Tell kids if they see anyone playing the game, to tell a trusted grown up immediately. I have included some links that include more information about this deadly game.

G.A.S.P. (Games Adolescents Shouldn’t Play)

the high kids get with out using drugs

Often there are signs kids are playing the pass out game

Evan’s Story

Until next time I send each of you Angels~
Angels above you~
Angels below you~
Angels all around you~