REAL LIFE
From Issue #23
Playing With Death
There's a fainting
game that's harmful to your body
and puts you at risk of death
by Mandy Abrahams
Have you heard of the new pastime
for hundreds of young teens across North America? It’s
a game that gives a quick high…but it can kill. Do any
of your friends play? It’s known to many as “the
pass-out game,” “the fainting game,” “the
tingling game,” “the blackout game,” and (perhaps
the most suitable name) “suffocation roulette.”
If you do have friends who take turns making each other faint,
make sure they know they’re gambling with their lives.
When teens apply pressure around a friend’s neck to make
them faint, they’re constricting the windpipe and cutting
off the brain’s supply of oxygen. After the fainting,
the pressure around the neck is released, and oxygen rushes
back to the brain, resulting in a brief, euphoric high. They
may think it’s fun, but it’s deadly. Some even play
the fainting game regularly, often doing it repeatedly for hours
at a time, and may become addicted to the high, which is extremely
dangerous.
"Addicted
teens are using bicycle chains to make themselves faint."
You may have heard a classmate or acquaintance argue that the
fainting game is a safe alternative to taking drugs, but they’re
wrong. The addiction side effects and risk of death are still
there. In fact, some teens are so addicted to the high, they
play the game by themselves, using their hands, belts, and even
bicycle chains to make themselves faint. Regrettably, it’s
easy to induce fainting. However, it’s not so easy to
revive yourself or to restore lost oxygen to your brain. If
you suspect a friend is involved, make sure they’re aware
of this problem.
The technical term for a lack of oxygen supply to the brain
is cerebral hypoxia. Since brain cells are so sensitive to oxygen
deprivation, they start dying less than five minutes after their
oxygen supply is cut off. In mild cases, hypoxia causes inattentiveness,
poor judgment, and reduced motor coordination. But, more often
than not, reduced oxygen to the brain causes severe brain damage,
comas, and can even result in death.
What your friends may consider “just a game” has
extremely dangerous side effects. Just ask the parents and friends
of the many teens who have died from playing. If you have friends
who have played this game and who want to play again, ask them
if the rush they get for a few seconds is really worth their
lives.
|
Do
you think your friends are involved in this deadly
game? Watch for these signs:
• Red or bloodshot eyes
• Marks around the neck where excessive
pressure has been applied
• Complaints of headaches or dizziness |
What
should you do if someone doesn’t wake up?
• Send for help or call 911 immediately. (The
sooner medical attention is given and the brain’s
oxygen supply is restored, the lower the chance of severe
brain damage or death.)
• Administer CPR. (Lay the unconscious person
on the floor, lift the chin to clear the
airway, plug the nose, take a deep breath, and breathe
into the victim’s mouth. Check for a pulse—often
chest compressions are necessary if they haven’t
been breathing for some time.) For step-by-step CPR,
visit www.firstaidweb.com |
