oh god

/tts Erotic asphyxiation or breath control play is the intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for the purposes of sexual arousal.

/tts This sexual practice is variously called asphyxiophilia, autoerotic asphyxia, hypoxyphilia. The term autoerotic asphyxiation is used when the act is done by a person to themselves.

/tts Colloquially, a person engaging in the activity is sometimes called a gasper.

/tts The erotic interest in asphyxiation is classified as a paraphilia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association.

/tts Historically, the practice of autoerotic asphyxiation has been documented since the early 17th century.

/tts It was first used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.

/tts The idea for this most likely came from subjects who were executed by hanging.
/tts Observers at public hangings noted that male victims developed an erection, sometimes remaining after death and occasionally ejaculated when being hanged.

/tts However, post-mortem ejaculation occurs in hanging victims after death because of disseminated muscle relaxation;
this is a different mechanism from that sought by autoerotic asphyxiation practitioners.