A Crash Course In Autoerotic Asphyxiation

As everyone surely knows by now, actor David Carradine was found dead in a Thai hotel room with a shoe lace tied around his neck and genitals last Thursday. Nobody knows for sure, but it's rumored Carradine was taking part in a kinky self-love sex act called autoerotic asphyxiation. David Carradine Got His Kicks from Kink

To the more mild at heart, the emergence of this autoerotic asphyxiation act into the mainstream media has been a revolting eye-opener of sorts. If you're still wrapping your head around threesomes, one-nighters and trannies, than the thought of cutting off one's oxygen while masturbating or during sex, just seems abhorrent on a whole new level of disgusting. Not to mention uncomfortable and painful.

Well, we've never tried it (and can honestly say we never will), Fox News' FOXSexpert Yvonne Fulbright gave us a crash course in the whos, whys, wheres and whats of autoerotic asphyxiation.

Here's what we learned:

1.) WHAT IS IT:

The act of cutting off yours (or your partner's) oxygen during sex or masturbation. It's also known as "scarfing" or "terminal sex."

2.) WHY PEOPLE DO IT:

It is supposed to intensify an orgasm. As Fulbright writes:

Practitioners say it makes for a much more intense orgasm. The people who engage in such activity feel like they're having a thrilling "high" while having sex with themselves. For couples, the power play, role playing, and trust components are a turn on — they love the feeling of being dominated, and the comfort of being with someone with whom they feel safe. The giddiness and euphoria it creates has been likened to a good alcohol buzz or drug high.

3.) WHO DOES IT THE MOST

White males, aged 12-25 and women on the receiving end.