Adolescence is a period in which many individuals experiment with risky behaviors
and activities. One such activity, the “choking game,” is a strangulation activity
in which pressure is applied to the neck/carotid artery to limit blood flow and oxygen,
and once this pressure is released, as blood and oxygen rush back to the brain, a
‘high’ or euphoria is sometimes achieved [
[1]
]. This pressure can be achieved using ligatures such as belts or neckties, or by
utilizing another person's hands. Estimated participation rates in the choking game
range anywhere from approximately 6% to 12% for adolescents, resulting in a CDC estimate
of as many as 100 deaths occurring annually [
[2]
,
[3]
]. Although there is evidence suggesting the choking game has been practiced for years,
the creation of YouTube in 2005 enabled dissemination of recorded videos of people
demonstrating and participating in the practice, propagating and possibly normalizing
the behavior [
[4]
]. The primary aim of this proposal was to characterize the popularity, pattern, and
descriptions of the “choking game,” a high-risk adolescent activity that is easily
and often viewed on the video-sharing Web site YouTube.Keywords
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References
- Health risks of Oregon eighth-grade participants in the “choking game”: results from a population-based survey.Pediatrics. 2012; 129: 846-851
- Prevention of the choking game: parent perspectives.J Inj Violence Res. 2012; 4: 73-78
- The choking game on YouTube: an update.Global Pediatric Health. 2016; 3: 1-6
- The choking game and YouTube: a dangerous combination.Clin Pediatr. 2010; 49: 274-279
- 37 mind blowing Youtube facts, figures and statistics.((accessed 23 April 2018)
Article Info
Publication History
Published online: May 02, 2018
Accepted:
May 1,
2018
Received:
April 27,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
