8. Autoerotic Asphyxiation
I'm found slumped over, but still in a standing position, my body held upright by an elaborate crisscross lattice of ropes suspended from the ceiling. On the coffee table, within arm's length of my corpse, the screen of my MacBook Pro flickers pornography on a constant loop. The evidence suggests I came and went at the same time (copyright Richard Pryor), which has got to be a good thing, but there's a good chance it would be my neighbour who'd discover my body and, frankly, he's a bit doddery and might never recover from the shock. Autoerotic asphyxiation refers to intentionally cutting off oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal. It can also be called asphyxiophilia, hypoxyphilia or breath control play and is potentially lethal having been the suspected cause of death for actor David Carradine, INXS singer Michael Hutchence, Stephen Milligan MP and BBC presenter Kristian Digby. Experts suggest that when the brain is deprived of oxygen it creates a semi-hallucinogenic state, which when combined with an orgasm induces a high similar to that of cocaine and is highly addictive... All of which sounds like fun and games, but there are some things you should never ask of a frail neighbour beyond borrowing a cup of sugar.