Erotic Asphyxiation: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

"Intentionally cutting off oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal", to quote [[The Other Wiki]]. A general term for sex acts that involves either restricting one's own breathing for intensified sensations during masturbation or one party restraining the breathing of another. Needless to say, this particular paraphilia includes all the risks associated with asphyxiation, including fatalities. Thus it's generally considered to fail the "safe" part of [[Safe, Sane, and Consensual]]. Sometimes it will be a plot point that what at first appears to be a masturbation session gone wrong is actually a disguised murder.

Not to be confused with [[Marshmallow Hell]]. Related to [[Out with a Bang]], if you do it wrong. Possibly related to [[Too Dumb to Live]], in any case. Sometimes used to promote the idea that [[Bondage Is Bad]].

 

 

{{examples}}

 

 

== Film ==

* ''[[Killing Me Softly]]'', a grade B sex-drama, featured Joseph Fiennes tying Heather Graham into a rig that used yards and yards of silk to induce erotic asphyxiation. Of course, this was him getting off on strangling her while they screwed, not her getting off on getting strangled...

* In ''[[The World Is Not Enough]]'', Electra mentions that a man being throttled to death will get [[Raging Stiffie|an erection]] and straddles Bond's waist as she turns the screws on him.

* Hayden Christensen does this in ''[[Life As A House]]''.

* In ''[[World's Greatest Dad]]'', [[Robin Williams|Lance Clayton]]'s son dies this way. (Not much of a spoiler, since every single article about this movie talked about it).

* A very explicit and disturbing example in ''[[Ken Park]]''.

* ''[[The Ruling Class]]'' begins with a lord's family having to cover up the fact that he died in such an incident. In a tutu. Also dressed up (above the waist) like Napoleon.

 

== Comics ==

* In ''[[Strangers in Paradise]]'', [[Broken Bird|Katchoo]] is often seen doing this to [[Depraved Bisexual|Darcy]] in various flashbacks.

* In ''[[Starman (comics)|Starman]]'', the ghost of the Black Pirate describes the sensation of being hanged and says you start to feel sleepy, but everything's awake below the waist. Jack admits that he's actually experienced this with an ex-girlfriend. The ghost then asks if Jack's experienced what happens ''next'', when ''everything'' goes to sleep, and Jack obviously hasn't.

 

 

== Literature ==

* ''[[Naked Lunch]]'': William Burroughs has a habit of writing scenes where teenage boys very sensually get their necks broken via noose.

* In ''[[Filth (novel)|Filth]]'' by [[Trainspotting|Irvine Welsh]], the protagonist Bruce Robertson does this several times with [[Casanova|one of his many girlfriends]]. He first tries it after having failed to save a man from (non-erotic) suffocation. Even though Bruce does not die from erotic asphyxiation {{spoiler|it is a bit of [[Foreshadowing]], because he ends up committing suicide by hanging himself}}.

* In ''[[The Silence of the Lambs|Hannibal]]'', [[Complete Monster|Mason Verger]] was into this, but it backfired when Hannibal tricked Verger into cutting his face off and feeding it to his dogs while high out of his mind, and then used the setup to hang him. Verger survived, but horribly maimed and paralyzed.

 

* ''[[Six Feet Under]]'' had an opener death like this.

* On ''[[The X-Files]]'', Clyde Bruckman (who can see how anyone will die) implies that Mulder will die this way.

'''Bruckman:''' ''[shrugs]'' Look, forget I mentioned it. It's none of my business. }}

* ''[[Law and Order]]'':

** There's an episode of ''[[Law and Order Special Victims Unit]]'' in which a woman is killed and it is made to look like it was an autoerotic asphyxiation accident.

** A similar scene occurs in ''[[Law and Order: Criminal Intent]]'', but with a male victim. He'd also been bludgeoned.

* ''[[The Whitest Kids U' Know]]'': This was the subject matter of a sketch. The guy dies, and his ghost is forced to watch as people keep walking in on him in increasingly compromising situations.

* ''[[CSI]]'':

** On another occasion, Jeremy gets so dangerously bored sitting around the house doing nothing that he threatens to try "that thing Michael Hutchence did".

** At one point much later in the series, we get this quote from Mark:

** A reference to Stephen Milligan MP; see the [[Real Life]] section below.

* ''[[Queer as Folk]]'' (the US version) has Brian trying this in the first season finale, but he's pulled down by Michael before anything horrible can happen.

* One episode of ''[[House (TV series)|House]]'' features a man who likes to be choked.

* ''[[Farscape]]'': The only on-screen Scorpius/Sikozu sexual scene has him choking her with a chain. With [[Subordinate Excuse|Braca]] overlooking from a window. Still, that's Scorpy for you. Also, in Season 2, Scorpius has his hands wrapped tightly around Natira's neck when they're having sex.

 

== Music ==

* Played for very [[Black Comedy]] in [[Mitch Benn]]'s "Auto-Erotic Asphyxiation":

They couldn't tell if they were coming or going. }}

* [[Word of God|According to Michael Gira]], [[Swans]]' 1986 song "A Hanging" is about this as a form of [[Human Sacrifice|ritual self-sacrifice]].

 

== Theatre ==

* In ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'', while debating possible ways to pass the time, one of the protagonists suggests hanging themselves to get an erection.

 

== Video Games ==

* Happens with you and Mizuki in ''[[Yume Miru Kusuri]]''.

* In ''[[Silent Hill: Shattered Memories]]'', "the Choking Game" (which is, if not erotic, at least recreational) is apparently a bit of a fad at Midwich High School, and several students have died doing it.

 

* ''[[Other Peoples Business]]'': Shown as a part of Leon and Collin's violent relationship.

* Hinted at with ''[[Homestuck]]'''s {{spoiler|Equius, who already has a [[Furry Fandom|musclebeast]] and [[Happiness in Slavery|masochism/submissive]] fetish. He's always had "bloodshot" bags under his eyes and grins while Gamzee (who is finally [[Fantastic Caste System|acting his bloodcolor]]) strangles him to death.}}

 

== Western Animation ==

* ''[[Family Guy]]'':

** Michael Hutchence's death is alluded to in a cutaway gag.

** In the episode "Business Guy", when Lois' father, Carter falls into a coma, it turns out that he left [[Video Will|video wills]] for several situations:

'''Carter's attorney:''' ''(fast forwarding the tape)'' That's not it. }}

** This kicks off the [[Drama Bomb]] that is "Screams Of Silence: The Story Of Brenda Q.", with Quagmire nearly killing himself via doing this while watching clown porn.

** Cheryl likes to be strangled during sex due to her fetish for murder fantasies. Although she is unusual because she doesn't seem to specifically want to be deprived of oxygen so much as she's aroused by the [[Nightmare Fetishist|thought of being murdered]].

** In "Double Deuce," Woodhouse finds out the "mysterious death" of one of his old war buddies was just an attempt to cover up an autoerotic asphyxiation mishap.

'''Woodhouse:''' I always thought that had something to do with his engine. ''(raises glass)'' Here's to you, "Choke 'n' Stroke." }}

* In ''[[South Park]]'', Kenny killed himself this way in "Sexual Healing."

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Sex Tropes]]

[[Category:No Real Life Examples, Please]]