Discussion Honestly and statistically, how likely is a brain injury from a failed hanging attempt?

[OnionsOnEverything]

I read countless comments of people sharing their fears of becoming physically injured and possibly crippled for the remainders of their lives due to a failed hanging attempt.

Is there any actual merit to this fear?

I understand that by virtue, hanging cuts the brain of oxygen and leads to cell death, but for whatever psychologically biased reason, I have a hard time believing this. Maybe it's because there is hardly any survivors describing injury after a failed attempt or those who do become injured have no means to write about their failed attempt.

I would love to see if people know any real life cases.

 

[Seneca65AD]

To be clear, I do not know anyone personally who has suffered brain damage as a result of a failed hanging attempt. However, one of the more infamous examples is Clayton Matchee, a Canadian paratrooper who was implicated in abuse/murder of a Somali teen while on peace-keepng duties. Matchee was arrested and tried to hang himself in his cell. The attempt failed but he was left with such severe and permanent brain damage that all charges were eventually dropped against him due to his diminished mental capacity.

In terms of "data", some studies suggest anoxic brain injury rates range from 8% to over 35%. I haven't reviewed any of those studies so take the numbers as you will. I do note that hanging is still considered one of the most popular and effecient methods to CTB, with an approximately 85% success rate - at least in the UK. In the US, the good old firearm still seems to be #1...

My one worry with hanging is that, as I understand the issue, when a person does any hanging that is based on cutting off blood flow and/or oxygen to the brain (as opposed to the drop and break-neck scenario), a point comes where the person is still conscious of what is going on but is unable to move their arms or legs. As such, if a person changed their mind and decided CTB would have to wait, there is nothing they could do to stop the process (same reason I am not a fan of jumping - I'm worried my commitment would falter 1/2 way through the fall)...

 

[sickofeverything]

That is the one thing that scares me with hanging besides how long it could take to pass out. Everyone says you pass out within seconds and you will be dead within 30 minutes to an hour so even if a rope breaks as long as it's after that 30 minutes to an hour and you're gone, it seems fine. I'm also scared of having it fail and being worse off, but those odds seem better than the odds of other methods failing.

 

[Worndown]

The main risk is being found after a couple minutes. That is when the damage starts. The bidy can survive fir 10 or 15 minutes, the brain cannot.
Someone desparate to save you will do everything to revive the body.
You are gone, the body lives.

You need to plan every method. In this case, alone time is critical.
Be true to yourself and avoid this hell.

 

[sickofeverything]

The main risk is being found after a couple minutes. That is when the damage starts. The bidy can survive fir 10 or 15 minutes, the brain cannot.
Someone desparate to save you will do everything to revive the body.
You are gone, the body lives.

You need to plan every method. In this case, alone time is critical.
Be true to yourself and avoid this hell.

So it only takes 15 minutes to succeed if you're not found? I always saw posts saying make sure you're alone for an hour