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What Is Asphyxiation?

Within the context of addiction, we tend to associate asphyxiation with a drugoverdoseor alcohol poisoning.

Asphyxiation is a not uncommon outcome of certainaddictions, whether it is accidental or self-inflicted.

Dead woman lying on the floor under white cloth with focus on hand

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A less common cause is the intentional self-infliction of strangulation, known as autoerotic asphyxiation.

Alcohol, in particular, has a tendency to produce large amounts of liquid vomit.

Seizure From Withdrawal

Others cease breathing as a result of a seizure during drug or alcoholwithdrawal.

Age also plays a role in the risk of death.

AEA is considered an infrequent feature ofsex addictionand is believed to be more common in men than women.

Asphyxiation by AEA is, by its very definition, accidental.

People who participate often establish some sort of “escape mechanism” in the event of unconsciousness.

Risky Practices

Many AEA deaths occur in people who self-strangulate.

Unfortunately, some deaths have occurred because the belt bar got stuck in a belt hole.

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