hanged

Hanging refers to a form of neck constriction in which the constricting force is provided by some or all of the gravitational weight of the victim's own body (including any objects attached to them). This is typically achieved using a rope, cord, or similar flexible ligature, often fashioned into a hangman's noose.

Hanging is performed for lethal purposes in the case of execution or suicide.

Hanging is also performed non-lethally as a form of breath play for the purposes of erotic asphyxiation and autoerotic asphyxiation, though it carries a high risk of serious injury or unintended death.

Mechanisms of Unconsciousness and Death:

• Blood Choke:
• The ligature compresses the carotid arteries and/or jugular veins, restricting blood flow to or from the brain.
• This typically causes unconsciousness within seconds and can lead to death within minutes if the restriction is complete.
• The most common cause of unconsciousness in hanging.

• Strangulation:
• The ligature compresses the trachea, blocking airflow to the lungs.
• Death by this mechanism can take from several minutes to greater than 20 minutes, depending on the individual and degree of airway obstruction.
• The most common cause of death in hanging, but less common as a cause of rapid unconsciousness.

• Rebound Syncope:
• Release of compression on the neck after a blood choke can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure to the brain, resulting in fainting.
• If the ligature remains in place after fainting, death typically follows from blood choke or strangulation.
• The most frequent cause of unconsciousness in autoerotic asphyxiation, with accidental death resulting from the above mechanisms.

• Blunt Impact:
• In some drops, a large knot (e.g., in a hangman's noose) may strike the head or jaw in a manner that can cause instantaneous unconsciousness similar to blunt trauma.
• Rarest cause of unconsciousness in hanging.
• While impact can rarely cause direct brain death, death more commonly results from blood choke or strangulation.

• Broken Neck:
• Sudden forceful tightening of the ligature fractures the cervical vertebrae and often severs the spinal cord.
• Survival is extremely rare; death is usually instantaneous.
• The intended and most common mechanism in modern judicial long-drop hangings.

• Decapitation:
• Excessive force from the ligature severs the head completely from the body.
• Death is virtually instantaneous and far more graphic than other mechanisms.
• Rare in modern times but historically occurred in botched judicial hangings.

Types of Hanging:

• Hoisting:
• The ligature is attached to a winch, pulley, or crane and gradually reeled in, lifting the victim upward.
• Little to no drop occurs unless the victim is laterally pulled or pushed from an elevated position.
• Unconsciousness is typically from blood choke.
• Death results from blood choke or strangulation.
• Uncommon today except in certain executions or breath play.

• No-Drop:
• The ligature is pre-tightened with minimal slack and fixed to a suspension point.
• Support (e.g., chair) is removed, resulting in minimal or no drop.
• Unconsciousness usually from blood choke, sometimes strangulation.
• Death from blood choke or strangulation.
• Common in suicides and erotic/breath play scenarios.

• Short Drop:
• Some slack is left in the ligature.
• Support is removed, resulting in a drop of typically less than one meter.
• Unconsciousness usually from strangulation, sometimes blood choke; rarely blunt impact.
• Death almost always from strangulation.
• Historically common (e.g., medieval executions).

• Long Drop (Judicial Hanging):
• Slack based on body weight and height is calculated.
• Support is removed, producing a controlled drop.
• Intended unconsciousness and death from broken neck/spinal cord severance.
• If drop is insufficient, unconsciousness may be from blunt impact; death from strangulation or blood choke.
• Standard method in modern judicial hangings where still practiced.

• Botched Long Drop:
• Slack based on body weight and height is miscalculated and excessive.
• Support is removed, producing a drop with far greater force than intended.
• Causes decapitation from excessive drop force.
• Uncommon; occurs when drop length is overestimated.

See also

• suspension - When a character is hanging from the limbs, torso, or skin, rather than the neck.