Kids getting high — the choking game
Back in the 50s, when my mom was in high school, she watched girls in the bathroom make each other pass out. One girl would crouch down then stand up quickly, and another would squeeze her neck until she fainted. The girls were expelled for this so-called game.
Decades later, kids have rediscovered the choking game with fatal results. Anywhere from 250 to 1,000 kids die from it every year -- it's difficult to get an exact number because some are reported as suicides. Other children suffer serious injuries, strokes or memory loss. The recent use of bonds -- such as ropes or belts -- and the practice of playing alone have dramatically increased the deadliness of the choking game.
Dr. Phil sat down with a mother whose son, Gabriel, hanged himself to get high. Gabriel's twin brother, Samuel, explained that they played the choking game a couple times a day. Gabriel became addicted. When Samuel stopped participating, Gabriel tried to get high on his own by tying one end of a rope to his bunk bed and another to his neck.
Another guest, 14-year-old Alyssa, described the popular game -- she calls it Space Monkey -- like this: "You get on your hands and knees and you put your head down. You breathe really hard until you get really light-headed, and then someone puts their arm around your neck and flexes until they go limp. Everything blacks out. You wake up a couple of minutes later lightheaded and tingly. You feel really peaceful and calm." Alyssa has done it as many as five times in one night. Alyssa also enjoys being the choker. "I still get the same amount of pleasure watching other people pass out." She loves the excitement of seeing her friends pass out, and "twitch or groan."
Dr. Phil explained what's really happening during the choking game. "Do you know that your brain at that point is essentially in seizure? That what you've done is asphyxiated your brain to the point that your brain cells are dying,” he says. "It's not 'could kill some brain cells,' you are killing brain cells … Probably in the millions, definitely not recoverable.”
A group called GASP -- games adolescents shouldn't play -- is working to make the public aware of the dangers involved in the choking game. Here is some of what we found on the GASP website:
What are other terms for the choking game?
Blackout, Fainting Game, Space Monkey, Dream Game, Suffocation, Roulette, Passout, Flatliner, California High, Airplaning, American Dream, Funky Chicken, Tingling, Gasp. Look and listen for these words in your child's conversation, emails and texts.
Who is playing?
Boys and girls between 9-16 years old who are generally high-achieving in academics, activities and sports, and don’t want to risk getting caught with drugs or alcohol. Detailed instructions for the choking game can be found on the Internet.
Why are kids doing this?
Some do it because it's risky and cool. Others do it -- instead of drugs or alcohol -- for the brief high, which can become addictive. At first the choking game starts off as a social activity with a group of friends, but once addicted, young people may end up doing it alone -- when nobody is around to help them if they pass out. Adolescents truly believe nothing can hurt them, and the statistics do not apply to them.
Why is it so deadly?
For the ultimate high, a player plans to release pressure at just the right time before passing out. Unfortunately, if they pass out first, the weight of their body pulls on the bonds and they can die. There is also the chance of stroke or seizures. Whether they play alone or with friends, with bonds or bare hands, a large number of brain cells die every time. A person suffers noticeable brain damage within the first three minutes of depriving the brain of oxygen. Just a minute or two longer and that person will die.
What are the warning signs?
Suspicious marks on the neck, sometimes hidden by an article of clothing. Personality changes, such as overtly aggressive or agitated. Finding any kind of strap, rope or belt lying around near the child for no understandable reason. Painful headaches, loss of concentration, flushed face and bloodshot eyes. Hearing a thud on the bedroom floor or against a wall, perhaps indicating a fall.
So how can you protect your child? Dr. Phil advises parents to teach children to stand up to peer pressure. When asked to participate in this deadly game, your child must respond, "I could die from this. You could die from this. We will have brain damage from this."
Decades later, kids have rediscovered the choking game with fatal results. Anywhere from 250 to 1,000 kids die from it every year -- it's difficult to get an exact number because some are reported as suicides. Other children suffer serious injuries, strokes or memory loss. The recent use of bonds -- such as ropes or belts -- and the practice of playing alone have dramatically increased the deadliness of the choking game.
Dr. Phil sat down with a mother whose son, Gabriel, hanged himself to get high. Gabriel's twin brother, Samuel, explained that they played the choking game a couple times a day. Gabriel became addicted. When Samuel stopped participating, Gabriel tried to get high on his own by tying one end of a rope to his bunk bed and another to his neck.
Another guest, 14-year-old Alyssa, described the popular game -- she calls it Space Monkey -- like this: "You get on your hands and knees and you put your head down. You breathe really hard until you get really light-headed, and then someone puts their arm around your neck and flexes until they go limp. Everything blacks out. You wake up a couple of minutes later lightheaded and tingly. You feel really peaceful and calm." Alyssa has done it as many as five times in one night. Alyssa also enjoys being the choker. "I still get the same amount of pleasure watching other people pass out." She loves the excitement of seeing her friends pass out, and "twitch or groan."
Dr. Phil explained what's really happening during the choking game. "Do you know that your brain at that point is essentially in seizure? That what you've done is asphyxiated your brain to the point that your brain cells are dying,” he says. "It's not 'could kill some brain cells,' you are killing brain cells … Probably in the millions, definitely not recoverable.”
A group called GASP -- games adolescents shouldn't play -- is working to make the public aware of the dangers involved in the choking game. Here is some of what we found on the GASP website:
What are other terms for the choking game?
Blackout, Fainting Game, Space Monkey, Dream Game, Suffocation, Roulette, Passout, Flatliner, California High, Airplaning, American Dream, Funky Chicken, Tingling, Gasp. Look and listen for these words in your child's conversation, emails and texts.
Who is playing?
Boys and girls between 9-16 years old who are generally high-achieving in academics, activities and sports, and don’t want to risk getting caught with drugs or alcohol. Detailed instructions for the choking game can be found on the Internet.
Why are kids doing this?
Some do it because it's risky and cool. Others do it -- instead of drugs or alcohol -- for the brief high, which can become addictive. At first the choking game starts off as a social activity with a group of friends, but once addicted, young people may end up doing it alone -- when nobody is around to help them if they pass out. Adolescents truly believe nothing can hurt them, and the statistics do not apply to them.
Why is it so deadly?
For the ultimate high, a player plans to release pressure at just the right time before passing out. Unfortunately, if they pass out first, the weight of their body pulls on the bonds and they can die. There is also the chance of stroke or seizures. Whether they play alone or with friends, with bonds or bare hands, a large number of brain cells die every time. A person suffers noticeable brain damage within the first three minutes of depriving the brain of oxygen. Just a minute or two longer and that person will die.
What are the warning signs?
Suspicious marks on the neck, sometimes hidden by an article of clothing. Personality changes, such as overtly aggressive or agitated. Finding any kind of strap, rope or belt lying around near the child for no understandable reason. Painful headaches, loss of concentration, flushed face and bloodshot eyes. Hearing a thud on the bedroom floor or against a wall, perhaps indicating a fall.
So how can you protect your child? Dr. Phil advises parents to teach children to stand up to peer pressure. When asked to participate in this deadly game, your child must respond, "I could die from this. You could die from this. We will have brain damage from this." 
