All choked up and no place to go

Irish parents have been warned of a deadly choking game sweeping the web in which children 'strangle' themselves to restrict the flow of blood to the brain. The warning comes after a boy was admitted to Temple Street Hospital in Dublin as a result of playing the game. The teenager, who ended up on life support after the game went horribly wrong, was in a stable condition in the hospital last night. He is unconscious but in a stable condition, having been released from the Intensive Care Unit on Tuesday. The dangerous game is known by a variety of names from 'funky chicken' to 'space monkey'. It involves hyperventilating or squeezing the carotid artery in the neck for a few seconds to achieve a high. Constricting the artery in this way cuts blood flow to the brain. Releasing the pressure leads to a sudden rush of oxygen to the brain, giving a feeling of euphoria. But the practice can cause brain damage, loss of consciousness, or even death. So if you're engaging in that sort of rubbish, then STOP IT or it could be you in intensive care.