In the past 22 months, 150 children have died in the U.S. as a result of a game often called 'The Choking Game' or 'Blackout'. The goal of the game is to achieve a feeling of euphoria that's caused when the flow of blood and oxygen is first cut off from the brain, then allowed to come rushing back.

"The game and its addictive high is decades old, said Michelle Borba, an educational psychologist in California who has studied dangerous childhood games...'While it's never safe, the trend that's the scariest now is that kids, once they've played it on a dare or with friends at a party, will try it again alone...'"

In order to disrupt the flow of blood and oxygen, kids put pressure on the arteries in their necks, usually by tying something around their necks and essentially choking themselves. Some experts think many more kids may have died from this game than are reported, because accidental asphyxiations can look like suicides. It's game that parents need to be aware of and need to be talking about with their kids. Look for warning signs like marks around the neck or bloodshot eyes.

Like choking each other, teens often engage in risky behaviors such as drug use because they don't know the dangers. Learn how you can help at the Teen-Help-Directory.

Labels: death, euphoria, risky_behaviors