Discussion Does anyone else make themselves faint just to escape for a bit?

[shelaysdown]

I've been trying not to cut myself lately but it's been super tough because of how strong my ideation has been.
So I've started using a new tactic - I hyperventilate until I faint. It gives me a moment of peace, and an escape from my horrible thoughts when it's really bad. My hands get cold, and I feel my thoughts get slow and thick. It's weirdly satisfying, knowing I'm starving my brain of its grief, if only for a little while.
Does anyone else do this? Could I give myself brain damage if I do it too much? I'd prefer not to lose brain cells but right now it's my best method of keeping myself from doing worse things.

 

[Soupster]

No personal experience with it, as I've never been able to make myself pass out, despite trying on a number of occasions. As to the danger... it is never non zero when you deprive the brain of oxygen or blood. Back when I would blood choke people in the BDSM community I was always very careful to stop right at the threshold for this reason. That said, I'd imagine with hyperventilating the risk would be slightly lower as your still breathing and your body would normalize it quickly when you black out. Don't take that for science though please and do your own research.

 

[alltoomuch2]

I've been trying not to cut myself lately but it's been super tough because of how strong my ideation has been.
So I've started using a new tactic - I hyperventilate until I faint. It gives me a moment of peace, and an escape from my horrible thoughts when it's really bad. My hands get cold, and I feel my thoughts get slow and thick. It's weirdly satisfying, knowing I'm starving my brain of its grief, if only for a little while.
Does anyone else do this? Could I give myself brain damage if I do it too much? I'd prefer not to lose brain cells but right now it's my best method of keeping myself from doing worse things.

I was pressing on my carotids for a while, to the point of almost fainting. Initially as practice in locating them. Then to get myself out of severe emotional distress. But I started getting a really sore throat after doing it each time, just from the skin being pulled tight across my throat while I was pressing deeply so I hardly ever do it now. Also I developed a heart arrythmia around that time which apparently is not dangerous (damn!) but obviously I didn't tell the cardiologist what I'd been doing so don't know if it's related.