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Subject: {ASSM} {FAQ} Ol' Sarge's Breath Control (aka gasping) FAQ (REPOST)
Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 16:10:04 -0500
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Posted by permission.  I didn't write this, Sarge did.  Comments to
anon5ab7@nyx.net.

    Ol' Sarge's Breath Control FAQ

Article <2ei67j$81g@mercury.king.ac.uk> asked:
>Has anybody reading this had much experience of restrictive breathing?
>I've never seen a single post about it on any newsgroups...
>And yet it is supposedly _fairly_ common - though there seems to be
>a huge stigma attached to it, more so than other 'kinks'.
>
>Any thoughts, experiences, discussion on the subject?

    Strictly speaking it's called asphyxiophilia, and seems to be a
semi-common kink.

There are 2 different operations here, 
(1) is cutting off the flow of air,
(2) is interfering with the supply of blood to the head and brain.

    If you are going to play this way, play with someone that you
      *CAN and WILL* trust your life to.
RULES: 
        DON'T PLAY ALONE!
        DON'T PLAY WITH SOMEONE YOU DON'T COMPLETELY TRUST.


    Breath control Games

    It is easy to cut off the flow of air, crook your index finger (make 
a fist, then keeping the index finger folded straighten the knuckle 
joint), now hold the middle joint of your index finger against the bottom 
of your chin (where it joins your throat).  Press, gently , up and back.  
Now try to breath, you may have to increase the pressure slightly, but it 
doesn't take much, does it?.  Interesting wasn't it?  You may wish to try 
this on your subject.  Please note that unless they are securely bound, 
they will attempt to escape from the pressure (no matter how much sie 
wants you to do this) our reptilian brain's microcode is quiet emphatic 
about getting O2 into the lungs and hence to the brain (this is know in 
the computer biz as a Non Maskable Interrupt).  This is why it takes 
either a person of improbably great will power, or fooling the bodies 
autonomic life support systems (not all that hard to do), to hold ones 
breath until loss of consciousness.  It takes a fair amount of time to 
lower the p02 to levels that no longer support consciousness, by that 
time the pC02 will be so high that the subject will be panting (even if 
there is no air-path). 

       DON'T PLAY ALONE!

    Other methods of interfering with airflow are, a plastic laundry (dry 
cleaning) bag,  with the hanger hole tied off, tied around the subjects 
neck,  you can leave a largish volume of air in the bag to experiment 
with C02 suffocation, or pull the bag tightly around your subjects face 
to produce a very quick reaction.  In the latter case the bag allows 
exhaled air to leave, but doesn't allow any new air in.  Gas masks can 
have their breathing openings closed and opened.  Mouths very carefully 
taped can have nostrils pinched closed.  Heads encased in tight 
discipline helmets that have sealed mouth openings can have air holes 
blocked (but since you cannot see the subjects face, take great care, as 
you might not notice loss of consciousness).   Under conditions like this 
I might be best to use a reassurance protocol here.  e.g. have the bottom 
holding your hand and squeezing it on and off regularly.  If that stops, 
or gets dangerously irregular, or it is squeezed very very fast in 
succession (i.e. a gagged safeword call), then stop the scene. 


       DON'T PLAY ALONE!

   Strangulation Games

    It is also easy, and more dangerous, to interfere with the blood 
supply to the brain,  just under the point of the jaw (on each side) is 
the major artery (cartoid) that supplies blood to the brain.  Pressure 
applied to both of the cartoid arteries will produce loss of 
consciousness in ~ 15 seconds.  (This is what police choke holds are all 
about).  This is rather boring to the victim (pop and you're out). 

       DON'T PLAY ALONE!

    A different way, that is usually more interesting, is to apply 
moderate presure to the entire neck, near the torso, with a soft scarf, a 
wide belt or a collar.  Watch the face, as you apply pressure it will 
begin to turn a dark red (this is backed up venious blood, which is 
easier to block off).  Your partner will probably have no trouble 
breathing (that portion of the trachia is quite strong) and will even be 
able to describe the sensations to you, if you *slowly* increase the 
pressure your partner will experience loss of consciousness.  Note that 
this method of inducing loss of consciousness is likely to produce small 
hemotomas in your partners eyes (little red spots where capillaries 
leaked under the increased pressure).  The body senses a drop in pO2 in 
the brain and will attempt to raise the blood pressure in order to 
compensate. 

       DON'T PLAY ALONE!

   Hanging games.  (Be VERY careful here).

    Rule 0. DON'T PLAY ALONE!

    Rule 1. NO DROPS, not even an inch.  Although the human neck is 
reasonably tough it can be severely damaged by the wrong types of 
pressures and strains. 

    Rule 2. PAY ATTENTION to your subjects state, a willing partner is 
difficult enough to find that you don't wish to lose one.  If your 
subject looses consciousness get them down NOW, and make sure you loosen 
the noose (a proper hangmans noose is a locking knot, that means that you 
have to loosen it manually). 

    Rule 3. DON'T repeat DON'T PLAY ALONE!

     Non noose suspensions.

    Be careful when using a collar or other stiff neck item as a 
suspender,  they can dig in where least expected.  There are suspension 
collars designed specifically for lifting the body by the head, they are 
used in physical therapy. 

     Knot placement.

     Initially the noose should be snug, if not already a bit tight.  If 
the knot is at the back of the subjects neck, there will be pressure on 
both of the cartoid arteries, this will probably lead to rapid loss of 
consciousness, also there will be enough pressure on the front of the 
neck to totally block off all air.  If the knot is placed at the side of 
the subjects head (over the ear) and arranged so the the running end goes 
behind the neck and then around to the front, there will be some flow 
through the cartoid artery under the knot (the pressure will be on the 
other side from the knot), and there will be less pressure on the air-
path, so that with some effort the subject will be able to open (at least 
partily) an air-path -this leads to some interesting gurgling and choking 
noises, and also to a much longer dance. 

   You don't have to actually suspend your subject to play these games, 
in fact these games work just as well, and last longer, if the subject 
actually has his/her toes on the ground (to take pressure off the neck). 

    Non Suspended Hangings

    One particularly rewarding method of play is to tightly bind the 
subject and arrange the noose (as above).   Carefully pull the rope until 
your subject is up on his/her tiptoes, feel how much pressure is on the 
rope. Then if the subject works some slack into the rope (by tightening 
the noose via a momentary loss of balance or knee buckling) pull out just 
that much (in other words keep your subjects on their toes).  Of course 
while one hand is busy with the rope, the other should be busy with your 
subjects Wabbily Bits (tm).  Remember when subjects orgasm they usually 
lose control of their legs and foot pushing up muscles, now is NOT the 
time to let go of the rope, after all this is what they've been working 
towards all along :-). 

   Actual suspended by the neck hangings

   If you are going to suspend your subject do it by hoisting them 
SLOWLY, or by slowly lowering what they are standing on.  Ensure that the 
system can hold the subjects weight, if you weigh as much or more than 
your subject, grab the rope and dangle from it your self, if not have 
your subject do it,  kick your feet, HARD, a lot.  You don't want this to 
slip and then suddenly stop (see RULE 1).  MAKE SURE that there is a 
cutable segment of the suspension line in reach, and that you have a 
SHARP knife on your person.  In addition a quick release arrangement 
(pull to release toggles or such like) is desirable.  Any quick release 
device should be tested under load, several times, before you hang anyone 
from it.  But ALWAYS have a cutable segment of the rope within your 
reach, and a sharp knife on your person.  Your subjects life, (and 
subsequently your continued freedom) depend on this.   Make sure that 
there are no knots that will have to pass through pulleys or Eye bolts 
when the line is released, they can and probably will jam at just the 
wrong time. 

     Suspended subjects should probably have had their Wabbily bits 
thoroughly worked over BEFORE suspension is started, and a major 
manipulation should occur as they are being suspended. 

    As in the paragraph on non suspended hangings the subject could be 
brought to their tip-toes with a tight rope, and then at the appropriate 
time the box or stool that they are standing on could be removed.  A 
movable (on wheels) stairs is good for this, but it's relatively simple 
to put some wheels on a small, strong box and to have the subject stand 
on this (or these if the subject is to have their ankles spread by a 
spreader bar.  Note that unless the spread legs are kept from swinging 
from side to side, it is likely that one foot may be placed on the floor.  
Swinging may be stopped by attaching a line between the center of the 
bar, and the floor directly below it, or by tying a line to each ankle 
and having it go outwards to the floor or wall. 

    One should probably bind the subjects feet together, or spread them 
with a spreader bar or secure them in some manner, as approaching a 
hanging person close enough to manipulate the Wabbily bits is liable to 
find you with some legs wrapped around your body, as the hanged one tries 
to climb up for some air.   Additionally, tied feet cannot kick too hard 
and endanger the neck. 

   I would strongly recommend against actual physical sex with a person 
being hung, you will probably become very involved with your own passions 
and may just miss a important clue as to the well being of your victim. 

WARNINGS!!

   DON'T PLAY ALONE,  I say again,  DON'T PLAY ALONE!

    Brain damage begins to occur around 4 minutes after the brain is
deprived of O2, brain death occurs around 10-15 minutes later.  Please
note that heart stoppage will probably occur before this.

    The largest number of fatal cases (conceivably all but a few <that 
really were> murders) of autoerotic asphyxia *seem* to be caused by 
people playing at this alone.  The physiological warnings that 'time is 
short' (tunnel vision, ringing in the ears) can be followed in only 
seconds by loss of consciousness.  If the warnings come at a time when 
your 'aware' self is busy with other, uhm... more urgent matters 
(orgasming for example) you can slip away and then, if things are NOT 
arranged in a FAILSAFE manner, you will DIE!. 

    Best bet:  If you are going to play this way, play with someone that
you *CAN and WILL* trust your life to.

   DON'T PLAY ALONE!


As the Sainted Lt. Murphy said, 'Failsafes don't always'.

Constants aren't, variables won't, and I only changed one line.


      ADDENDUM BY DAMIEN

In the period since Ol' Sarge wrote the above, Jay Wiseman has
uncovered two additional hazards:

1. Brain damage

If the bottom is choked into unconsciousness (or even very near it),
a small amount of brain damage is likely.  Do it once, and the damage
won't be noticeable, even with the most sensitive neurological tests
now available (mid-1996).  Do it several times a months over a period
of years and (acto Jay's research) the effects add up -- you can expect
some loss of memory and/or cognitive facilities.  This is based on
research done on people who had repeatedly practiced Judo choke holds
(usually cutting off the flow of blood to the brain via pressure on the
carotid artery).

2. Sudden heart stoppage (fibrillation)

When breath is completely cut off, it doesn't take long before the
changes in blood chemistry (lower pO2, higher pCO2) affect the brain.
The result is abnormal signals ("outflow") on the vagal nerve that can
trigger irregular heartbeats (Premature Ventricular Contractions, or
PVCs).  If a PVC occurs during a particular phase of the beat cycle
(lasting about 1/8 of the total cycle), the heart will go into
fibrillation -- the chambers contract rapidly and irregularly,
resulting in no useful flow of blood to the body.

Countervailing the above, I should mention that I had a massive heart
attack some years ago.  Luckily I was in hospital at the time.
Afterward I went through a program of gradually increasing exercise
("Cardiac Rehab").  Four or five patients gathered in a room with
stationary bikes, treadmills, etc. and worked out with ekgs attached
(via portable transmitters).

During the course of the hour, the supervising nurse would usually
say, "XXX, you just had a PVC" at least once, sometimes 2-3 times.
I even had a couple.  But during 4 months of 3 sessions per week,
nobody went into fibrillation.  So my assumption is that while the
critical period may be 1/8 of the cycle, the point in the cycle where
PVCs occur is not evenly distributed.  I suspect it's strongly biased
against that critical part of the cycle, as I must have been witness to
over 50 PVC instances.

(I did go into fibrillation during the heart attack, but that was when
I was already in severe tachycardia -- a heart rate of over 180/minute).

3) Vomiting

If the bottom loses consciousness -- especially if due to not
breathing -- there is a good chance that they will vomit when they
regain consciousness.  Also, the stress of any scene can induce
vomiting.  Depending on the position, the bottom may then choke on
(aspirate) hir own vomit.


The best defenses I can think of against these hazards:

a) Don't do breath control
   (Obviously not acceptable if breath control is an important part of
   your sexuality)

b) Only partial breath control.  Induce a feeling of constriction
and/or force the bottom to pant for air, then let them come back to
normal before repeating (if needed).

c) Brief periods of breath control.  In one post on the subject,
Lady Tanith said she would sometimes cover the nose and mouth of her
(bound) bottom for 10-20 seconds.  Well, I can hold my breath at any
point in my normal breathing cycle for 10 seconds without significant
discomfort; it takes about 20 seconds before I reach the stage of
_really_ wanting to breathe.  If I'm doing heavy (aerobic) exercise
(heart rate around 130), those times are halved.  But if the bottom
is all tied up and at the top's mercy, and doesn't know when -- or if --
the top will let hir breathe again, the effect may be dramatic.

d) Either avoid choking the bottom into unconsciousness (or near it,
e.g. lightheaded), or accept the risk of brain damage and/or possible
sudden death.

e) Some people can detect PVCs (I never noticed them).  If the bottom
notices a missed heartbeat, I would suggest immediate invocation of
the "gagged safesignal".  Coughing a few times might help, too.

f) The top (or a safety monitor, or both) should have _current_ CPR
training and a sharp knife on hir person.  Sie should know how get the
bottom into a position that avoids aspirating vomitus, and how to clear
the throat of any vomitus.

I now return control of this FAQ to Ol' Sarge for his bibliography:


Bibliography (for those perverts with a researcherial bent <now that's
what I call a bent pervert>) follows, courtesy of MELVYL.

   DON'T repeat DON'T PLAY ALONE!

The Old sarge, hang in there.

=====  bibliography ==== 
1.  Author: Hazelwood, Robert R.
Title: Autoerotic fatalities / Robert R. Hazelwood, Park Elliott
Dietz, Ann Wolbert Burgess. Lexington, Mass. : LexingtonBooks,
c1983.
Description:   xiv, 208 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.

Notes:         Includes index.
        Bibliography: p. 189-200.

Subjects:      Autoerotic asphyxia.
        Autoerotic death.  Asphyxia -- Complications.  Erotica.
        Death, Sudden -- etiology.  Paraphilias.

Other entries: Dietz, Park Elliott.
        Burgess, Ann Wolbert.

2.  Author: Money, John, 1921- 
Title: The breathless orgasm
: a lovemap biography of asphyxiophilia /
   John Money, Gordon Wainwright, David Hingsburger.
   Buffalo, N.Y. : Prometheus Books, c1991.
Description:   178 p. ; 24 cm.

Subjects:      Cooper, Nelson -- Mental health.
        Autoerotic asphyxia -- Patients -- United States --
        Biography.  Autoerotic asphyxia -- Patients --
        Rehabilitation.  Psychotherapy.

Other entries: Wainwright, Gordon.
        Hingsburger, David, 1952-

-- 
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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