Probably each of those who had to tickle or tickle someone else wondered: “Can one die from tickling?” And the answer, in fact, is not so simple. Indeed, laughter caused by tickling is far from a manifestation of happiness, fun, or enjoyment, as many believe. This laughter can easily turn into tears. Tickling the heels, armpits, and other parts of the body is a dangerous weapon that, if not killed, can be harmful.
Fatal fun is a phenomenon in which someone laughs so hard that they eventually die from suffocation or cardiac arrest. Something reminds, right? Tickling is fun at first glance, but tickling can even die! In this case, the cause of death may just be the aforementioned heart attack or suffocation.
Tickling and torture
Historically, many cultures have used tickling ability to inflict pain. For example, during the Han Chinese Dynasty, tickling was one way of torture. With her help, representatives of the nobility punished the perpetrators, because she caused sufficient suffering, without leaving any traces. And in ancient Rome, for example, criminals were tied up, their feet were smeared with saline, and then the goats were licked. This tickling of the heels often led to death. Even the Nazis who tortured Jewish prisoners by tickling them with a pen turned to a similar method.
However, these days we seem to think that there is nothing wrong with tickling. We tickle our friends and loved ones, and most importantly, children. Although, perhaps, each person has a couple of traumatic childhood memories associated with tickling. Scientists have found that the anxiety and panic reaction that causes us, for example, an insect crawling along the leg, is identical to the emotions that we experience during tickling.
Is it possible to die from tickling?
The fact is that such a reaction of the body to external irritation is a protective mechanism necessary, as, for example, as mentioned above, to protect against poisonous insects. The body quickly responds to this unexpected touch, and our brain begins to panic without further thought. It is also worth noting that an extremely important role in this case is played by the situation in which the tickling act occurs: if you do not want someone to tickle you, then the reaction of the body will be as panic as possible.
Why is laughter dangerous?
So, is it possible to die from tickling? Answer: yes, quite. According to researcher Joost Meerloo, who wrote a monograph about laughter several years ago, the latter is pretty dangerous. Epidemics of laughter, one of the types of mass hysteria, have been known since medieval times. Similar episodes are rarely reported in the medical literature these days.
For example, in 1963, about a thousand people in Tanganyik experienced a massive laugh that lasted several days. Most victims of laughter adapt, but some die as a result of a combination of hunger and exhaustion. The fact is that during laughter a person can neither eat nor sleep. Even if he tries to drink something, the liquid will most likely splash out through his nose.
Of course, laughing during tickling is a little different. In addition, we can ask or, in extreme cases, force a person to stop "violence", however, if you do not stop on time, you can easily lose consciousness or, in the worst case, die from a heart attack. That's why tickling can die. Yes, laughter does not always extend life.
To summarize
So, is it possible to die from tickling? Analyzing everything expressed and summarizing this information, we can draw the following conclusion: there is no physical harm directly to the person by tickling. Especially if he is not afraid of her. However, the laughter that touch can cause in some people can be life threatening. So, as a result of prolonged tickling, a person can lose consciousness. Cases when prolonged laughter caused a heart attack or suffocation are also common.
Do not forget that tickling evokes the natural instincts of self-defense in a person, since all those areas of our body that are tickled are actually vital, because these areas of the skin usually have the main arteries, which are very close to everything else to the surface of the body. That is why during the "attack" in the form of tickling, our body begins to actively defend itself. In this case, it is important, trying to "fight off the enemy", not to harm him.
Even during funny tickling it is important not to forget about the rules of life safety: do not hit yourself and others, do not fall to the floor and do not break anything. Be careful and laugh as often as possible without harming your health!