choking?
 

I've gotten into the habit of chocking myself. Never with anything other then my hand. I'm still able to breath. I do it because my heartbeat get really strong and there is a huge pressure in my head that releases when I let go and makes me feel better. I know that this is probably self-harm.
What are the problems with doing this though? Am I at any huge risk of anything? I'm trying to stop cutting/burning, and I've made it to 2 weeks. Is the choking really so bad?

In a word, yes, coking is very dangerous. Your heart beats stronger/quicker when you're choking because the amount of oxygen in your blood depletes which means it has to beat harder to get oxygen to your cells and your brain. Because of this, whilst you're choking, and for a while after, your cells get less oxygen. This can cause them to die and because of this it can cause brain damage as those cells don't get enough oxygen too. By doing this it can lead to permanent damage and things like passing out and fitting. It also is damaging to your heart due to the death of cells and the stress you're putting on it each time . It can calso be very damaging to your throat and as a result permanently damage your breathing. I was you I really should stop, it's definately NOT a safe option.

sorry to kinda hijack this thread, but I've got a related question. I used to have a similar problem, so, to the op, you're not alone in having done this, and I can relate. Please, don't go down that path, it is very dangerous, and, with the benefit of hindsight, I am actually amazed that I didn't end up doing myself some serious damage. Hold in there, and, if you do feel the need to SI, avoid choking.


My question about this was if it's possible that choking regularly may have caused any unseen damage which could cause problems later on. It was a problem I'd had on and off for a fair while, but I don't actually know how often I was doing it, and also when I'd started doing it. I think I was about 12/13 at the time it started, and I definitely stopped by the age of 16, maybe before then, with a few relapses since. Whilst I've long since stopped choking, I do sometimes worry that I may encounter problems later on, but have been unable to find any information on it.

It is possible that you have but generally you'd know either at the time or soon after. It could however mean that you've done sufficient damage to create a weak spot and so any problems later on with your throat could cuase more damage that they usually would. If at some point you develop problems with your brathing that don't feel like it's to do with your chest (like more from your throat- any problems with breathing should be looked at straight away by a doctor), your voice starts to change, you develop a long term cough it would be worthwhile when you see a doctor to tell them about your history of choking. Also, if you go into hospital for an op