I read a very disturbing article recently in The New York Times — “The Troubling Trend in Teenage Sex” by Peggy Orenstein.
The trend is a disturbing increase in “rough sex” among college students, especially sexual strangulation, more commonly known as choking. Not only it is dangerous, it’s more dangerous than you might even imagine.
The article quotes the American Academy of Neurology: “…restricting blood flow to the brain, even briefly, can cause permanent injury, including stroke and cognitive impairment.” MRI results from research have shown such effects as a reduction in cortical folding in the brain, widespread cortical thickening, an inflammation response that is associated with elevated risk of later-onset mental illness, and decreased ability to complete simple memory tasks. The implications are downright scary!
For all the unsettling details, I would encourage you to read the entire article, which can be found at https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/12/opinion/choking-teen-sex-brain-damage.html?