Breath Control Play in BDSM Practices

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Breath Control Play in kink, fetish, and/or BDSM Practices is also know as Erotic Breathplay or Erotic Asphyxiation, which is a consensual technique where one person intentionally controls the breathing capacity or airway of the other person. Breath Control Play can also be applied on oneself, which is then called Autoerotic Asphyxiation.

Typically, the technique is used to stimulate sexual arousal and sexual pleasure for the person the technique is applied on. Yet, there may be different motives involved, such as experimenting with fear, curiosity to experience the physical sensations of Breathplay, or experiencing altered levels of consciousness with its possible euphoric, psychedelic, or transcendental effects.

The restriction of oxygen reaching the brain can cause hallucinogenic states, pleasurable sensations, and/or euphoria, but likewise phenomena such as helplessness, vomiting, fear and panic, loss of control, difficulty swallowing, inability to speak, watery eyes, and neck bruising.

All in all, it’s important to realize that there are high levels of risk involved in practicing Erotic Asphyxiation, which can lead to unconsciousness, psychological trauma, permanent neurologic, neck, arterial, or lung injury, or even accidental death.

The techniques used to achieve oxygen depletion include hanging, choking, strangulation or self-strangulation (all together called neck compression techniques), blocking of the nose or mouth (occlusion through face sitting, smothering, nose plugs, gags, tape, and such), suffocation with a plastic bag or gas mask over the head (rebreathing method), inhaling gases, belly and chest compression, or some combination of the techniques mentioned. In addition, there are also some special devices that may be used to produce the desired effects.

Although the restriction of the flow of blood through compression of specific arteries isn’t technically Breath Control Play, it’s sometimes also considered part of the Erotic Asphyxiation realm because restricting the flow of blood to the brain likewise inhibits enough oxygen reaching the brain and can produce the same effects.

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