EFFORTPOST aftermath What happens to the body when being hung? Suicide by Hanging [effortpost hopefully]

>Hanging suicides have always been fascinating to me, so I decided to take a deep dive into learning more about this classic method of suicide. Let's take a look together on the effects of hanging. This post will include things like Photo and Video examples, Definitions, and links to other posts that made this one possible. Sources and Credits at the end.

What is Suicide by Hanging?

Wikipedia defines Suicide by hanging as "the intentional killing of oneself (suicide) via suspension from an anchor-point such as an overhead beam or hook, by a rope or cord or by jumping from a height with a noose around the neck."

Commonly used items for Suicide by Hanging

Noose : (noun) "a loop with a running knot, tightening as the rope or wire is pulled, and typically used to hang people or trap animals"

(Definition by Oxford Languages)

Ligature : (noun) "a thing used for tying or binding something tightly."

(definition from Oxford Languages)

Considered to be a "simple" suicide method, materials used for Suicide by Hanging are readily available to the average person, making it a difficult thing to prevent.

According to https://uihc.org, the items most often used for self-strangulation are

• Belts

• Ties

• Scarfs

• Bedsheets

• Cords

• Ropes

• and Shoelaces

The division of Suspension Hanging and Drop Hanging

Suspension Hanging Is the suspension of the body at the neck.

Complete Suspension consists of full suspension of the body when Hanging. This is not required as Partial Suspension (or Incomplete Suspension) consists of using the body's weight to tighten the ligature around the neck.

"Elaborate set-ups from high places are not needed for hanging. The only thing needed is leverage. This could be done by using a doorknob or bed post."

(Note from https://Uich.org)

An example of Partial Suspension >

18 year old Natália Mayer Parreira hanged herself by looping a piece of clothesline over the coat hook on the back of her apartment door

Link to full post about Natália: https://watchpeopledie.tv/h/aftermath/post/137214/coat-hook-suicide

Another example of Partial suspension > https://watchpeopledie.tv/h/suicide/post/134919/syrian-girl-commits-suicide-by-hanging

During partial suspension, the victim may have their knees or feet flat on the floor.

An example of complete suspension > https://watchpeopledie.tv/h/suicide/post/129019/indian-man-hangs-himself-from-a

Drop Hanging consists of dropping from a tall height with ligature around the neck, it is usually seen more as an execution method ratjer than a suicide method

https://watchpeopledie.tv/h/suicide/post/141942/guy-livestreams-hanging-over-a-break

An example of Drop hanging ^

(I couldn't find a backstory/explanation for anyone above except Natália, apologies)

Surviving an Attempt/Medical effects

Failed attempts happen when the ligature or anchor poimt breaks, or someone cuts them down in time.

Surviving these attempts lead to various injuries such as

Cerebral Anoxia (A form of Hypoxia specifically involving the brain; when the brain is completely deprived of oxygen) which can result in permanent Brain Damage, results from suspension hanging

Laryngeal fracture (Fractures of the cartilage structures of the larynx or trachea),

Cervical spine fracture (fracture or break in the bone of the neck), result from drop hanging

Pharengeal laceration (may introduce air, secretions and bacteria into the Pharengeal space and mediastinum),

and Cartoid artery injuries (excessive Hypertextension of the cervical spine or extreme rotation of the neck)

Cerebral Hypoxia is the most common cause of death when hanging. Also known as Hangman's fracture

People who are hanged often have marks on their neck from where the ligature constricting them. An inverted V shape can also be seen most times.

Treatment for Survivors

(too lazy to type this one out)

"Initial treatment of survivors follows the 'usual priorities of airway, breathing, and circulation (ABC)'. Treatment should be 'directed at airway control with endotracheal intubation, ventilation using positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP), and hyperventilation with supplemental oxygen to control intracranial pressure'. One study of people who experienced near-hanging who were treated appropriately at a hospital found that 77 percent of them survived."

(Suicide by hanging Wikipedia)

Hanging used as Capital Punishment

There are many factors that go into the "ideal" hanging of a subject.

The length of the fall is key in an effective hanging, It must be calculated based on things such as the person's size. (For example, a larger person may only require a shorter drop while a smaller person may need a higher drop.

If done incorrectly, the person could Die via decapitation if the drop is too far, or die of strangulation if the drop is too small or the noose was not placed correctly.

It can take several excruciating minutes for Strangulation to take full effect.

During Strangulation: "the carteroid arteries in the neck, which supply blood to the brain, are compressed, and the brain swells so much it ends up plugging the top of the spinal column; the Vagal nerve is pinched, leading to something called the Vagal reflex, which stops the heart; and the lack of oxygen getting to the lungs due to compression of the trachea eventually causes loss of consciousness due to suffocation. Death then follows in the same pattern as it does when the neck breaks, with the entire process ending in anywhere from five to 20 minutes."

(https://health.howstuffworks.com)

What happens to the body during hanging? How does it feel?

Survivors of hanging attempts recall seeing and hearing lights flashing and ringing noises

In most cases the persons tongue will protrude due to extreme pressure of the jaw, they might even bite through their tongue completely.

The following are some things i found on Quora of people who survived their attempt, and sharing their experiences about how it felt.

"The first thing that comes to you isn't the will to breath but the feeling of your head on the verge of bursting. I remember the vivid feeling of every heartbeat pounding in my head. Every passing beat intensifying the feeling of my head swelling up, until the point that I thought the back of my head would pop open. Thats when the feeling of my lungs begging for air kicked in and I clawed at my throat frantically by instinct. “I don't want to die yet” was what I thought. It's painful and leaves your neck with an obvious mark."

(Chris Peterson on Quora)

"When this event occured i was in a suicidal state of mind but i am not anymore. Right when i setted it up (what i was going to use when i was going to kill myself) i hooked it on me, but i was procrastinating because i was feeling scared. So after i was done with that, i pushed the chair and i was just hanging for 2 seconds.In those 2 seconds, i felt like i was in a movie of someone who was about to meet there sudden death. I was rushing, trying to put my feet on the chair. Then i got back on the chair. This is why i got back on the chair. When i was hanging, my foot was tingling really fast and my face (A mirror was in front of me) was really red. My chest was like screaming at me. My whole body was acting like it was on a workout, rushing so fast. When I got back on the chair. I started having an attack trying to breathe. My head felt so out of air."

(Eliana on Quora)

"When I first tried I was eleven, I hanged myself in my room (I had a hook on the ceiling), I was tall so I kept having to get back on my chair and shorten the rope, when it finally was short enough for my toes to barely touch the ground my head felt like it was going to explode and my eyes felt like they were about to pop out, I choked for a minute, my head got a really warm feeling and my hands started tingling at the end, I chickened out and grabbed the scissors from my boxers and cut the rope."

(Elmo's Left Ballsack on Quora)

Images/Video links

https://watchpeopledie.tv/h/suicide/post/121178/girl-hangs-herself-on-a-livestream

https://watchpeopledie.tv/h/suicide/post/119332/woman-hanged-herself-infront-of-daughter

If you or a friend feel you may be in danger of hurting yourself, please click the link below, or find a trusted friend to talk to. There is help. You're not alone <3

https://988lifeline.org/

Or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

I dont feel like typing anymore so here's the sources

https://www.thepostmortemlive.co.uk/post/what-happens-when-someone-hangs-themselves

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_by_hanging

https://old.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/nqht95/how_does_one_die_from_being_hung/?sort=controversial

https://www.quora.com/What-happens-to-the-body-during-and-after-hanging

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_hypoxia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging

https://www.google.com/search?q=carotid+artery+injury&client=ms-android-samsung-ga-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/death-dying/death-by-hanging.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide

https://www.google.com/search?q=drop+hanging&client=ms-android-samsung-ga-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

https://www.quora.com/Whats-the-difference-between-long-drop-hanging-and-short-drop-hanging