Reply #3: Autoerotic asphyxiation... some people say.... [View All]

[Ian David]

Autoerotic asphyxiation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Autoerotic asphyxiation, or AEA, is the practice of self-strangulation, typically by the use of a ligature, while masturbating in order to heighten the sexual pleasure as more endorphines are produced when the body reaches the near state of asphyxia. While highly pleasurable, AEA is also an extremely dangerous practice that results in many accidental deaths each year. A small number of people doing AEA use a plastic bag over their head, but most prefer the strangulation method.

Historically, the practice of autoerotic asphyxiation has been documented since the early 1600's. It was first used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction and impotency. The idea for this most likely came from subjects who were executed by hanging. Observers at public hangings noted male victims developed an erection (priapism) and occasionally ejaculated when being hanged. Notably, however, ejaculation occurs in hanging victims after death because of disseminated muscle relaxation; this is a different mechanism from that sought by AEA practitioners.

Deaths often occur when the loss of consciousness caused by partial asphyxia leads to loss of control over the means of strangulation, resulting in continued asphyxia and death. Victims are often found to have rigged some sort of "rescue mechanism" which has not worked in the way they anticipated as they lost consciousness.

It has also been speculated that in some cases autoerotic asphyxiation may have triggered the little-known phenomenon of carotid sinus reflex death.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoerotic_asphyxiation