Help SWB sounds too good to be true

[PotentiallyWasted]

I've read Ben's post on the Shallow Water Blackout (SWB) method and it just sounds too convincingly good to be true. Personally I haven't tried it yet but my skepticism is the little amount of documented cases where an individual killed themselves using this method.

What I basically want to know is:

Is this method even to be considered a method?

Would attempting it in a small bathtub face down work?

Why isn't it a popular method if (according to Ben) it's extremely easy to pull off assuming you have a body of water and will not be saved in like 20 minutes?

Side note: I'm new to SaSu (just created my account) so if Im dumb for asking this question please tell me respectfully and I will try my best next time I post.

 

[UaScorpioVetal224]

To do this you need to fall deeply asleep or lose consciousness. How are you going to do this:?

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

To do this you need to fall deeply asleep or lose consciousness. How are you going to do this:?

According to Ben's post (btw I'm not on that thread because it's too old and has a god awful amount of replies) I must 1) hyperventilate until I feel dizzy, 2) hold my breath underwater until I pass out, 3) die from lack of oxygen once passed out due to being underwater.

 

[UaScorpioVetal224]

According to Ben's post (btw I'm not on that thread because it's too old and has a god awful amount of replies) I must 1) hyperventilate until I feel dizzy, 2) hold my breath underwater until I pass out, 3) die from lack of oxygen once passed out due to being underwater.

Will your self-preservation instinct kick in?Do you need drugs for deep sleep or loss of consciousness?

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

Will your self-preservation instinct kick in?Do you need drugs for deep sleep or loss of consciousness?

By "self-preservation instinct" I'm assuming you mean SI which will make me back out? If that's the case, I don't think SI will impede me from passing out since I'm only holding my breath and since I've hyperventilated I won't get the air hungry reflex due to low CO2 levels in my blood. As for drugs; the mega thread on the method by Ben doesn't mention needing any since that's what the hyperventilation and holding your breath is for.

 

[UaScorpioVetal224]

By "self-preservation instinct" I'm assuming you mean SI which will make me back out? If that's the case, I don't think SI will impede me from passing out since I'm only holding my breath and since I've hyperventilated I won't get the air hungry reflex due to low CO2 levels in my blood. As for drugs; the mega thread on the method by Ben doesn't mention needing any since that's what the hyperventilation and holding your breath is for.

you won't be able to hold your breath for that long.

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

you won't be able to hold your breath for that long.

Have you even read the mega thread? Are you even familiar with the science behind this method?

 

[Intoxicated]

It seems, many people can't achieve blackout before strong urge to breathe occurs, and they give up. Hyperventilation helps to prolong the time of comfortable breath holding, but the increased time is commonly still insufficient for fainting.

I briefly outlined my near-blackout experience in this post:

Is shallow water blackout really possible in a bathtub?

This is my most preferred suicide method but I’m unsure if I need a huge body of water, or if I can do it at home.

sanctioned-suicide.net

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

It seems, many people can't achieve blackout before strong urge to breathe occurs, and they give up. Hyperventilation helps to prolong the time of comfortable breath holding, but the increased time is commonly still insufficient for fainting.

I briefly outlined my near-blackout experience in this post:

Is shallow water blackout really possible in a bathtub?

This is my most preferred suicide method but I’m unsure if I need a huge body of water, or if I can do it at home.

sanctioned-suicide.net

But if losing consciousness were achieved, it the method is pretty much guaranteed to work, right? I'm asking because if passing out is the main issue maybe I could inhale an inert gas until I pass out and drop into the water (just a theory).

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

I advise you to find a powerful sleeping pill. Then use only inert gas.

I don't think the sleeping pill is a good idea though. Inert gas theory sounds very interesting though. It sounds kinda like N method but instead of needing a WHOPPING 600L!! I only need enough to make me pass out. This is not my original question however

 

[UaScorpioVetal224]

попробовать ксанакс в качестве снотворного?

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

попробовать ксанакс в качестве снотворного?

As I said I don't think sleeping pills are the answer.

 

[Intoxicated]

But if losing consciousness were achieved, it the method is pretty much guaranteed to work, right? I'm asking because if passing out is the main issue maybe I could inhale an inert gas until I pass out and drop into the water (just a theory).

Sometimes people may do weird movements right after losing consciousness from inhaling simple asphyxiants.

The following book describes possible movements under nitrous oxide (which, I think, could happen with inert gases as well), see chapter VII - EXCEPTIONAL CASES

https://i.sanctioned-suicide.net/images/2025/07/233750_Hewitt_-_The_administration_of_nitrous_oxide_and_oxygen_for_dental_operations.pdf

IDK, what is the likelihood that such movements could interfere with a CTB attempt via drowning in a bathtub. It seems small to me, but drowning in a lake/pond seems to be a more reliable option.

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

Sometimes people may do weird movements right after losing consciousness from inhaling simple asphyxiants.

The following book describes possible movements under nitrous oxide (which, I think, could happen with inert gases as well), see chapter VII - EXCEPTIONAL CASES

https://i.sanctioned-suicide.net/images/2025/07/233750_Hewitt_-_The_administration_of_nitrous_oxide_and_oxygen_for_dental_operations.pdf

IDK, what is the likelihood that such movements could interfere with a CTB attempt via drowning in a bathtub. It seems small to me, but drowning in a lake/pond seems to be a more reliable option.

Idk what your point is with the nitrous oxide thing but as far as I know helium or nitrogen (or any inert gas for that matter) has nothing to do with it in that involuntary movements don't occur with inert gases as could be with nitrous oxide since they don't alter the nervous system at all.

 

[Intoxicated]

Idk what your point is with the nitrous oxide thing but as far as I know helium or nitrogen (or any inert gas for that matter) has nothing to do with it in that involuntary movements don't occur with inert gases as could be with nitrous oxide since they don't alter the nervous system at all.

Hypoxia caused by nitrogen asphyxiation may alter nervous system (similarly to administration of N2O alone or with small amount of oxygen), producing clonic spasms, termed "jactitation" here:

https://i.sanctioned-suicide.net/images/2025/05/227328_On_the_physiology_of_asphyxia_and_on_the_anaesthetic_action_of_pure_nitrogen.pdf

(see chapter "THE ANAESTHETIC ACTION OF NITROGEN ALONE, OR WITH A SMALL PROPORTION OF OXYGEN", pages 18 - 20)

Another source mentions generalized convulsion caused by breathing nitrogen (see page 295):

https://i.sanctioned-suicide.net/images/2025/04/224188_ernsting1963.pdf

In the few experiments in which nitrogen was breathed for 17-20 sec unconsciousness supervened and was accompanied on most occasions by a generalized convulsion.

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

Hypoxia caused by nitrogen asphyxiation may alter nervous system (similarly to administration of N2O alone or with small amount of oxygen), producing clonic spasms, termed "jactitation" here:

https://i.sanctioned-suicide.net/images/2025/05/227328_On_the_physiology_of_asphyxia_and_on_the_anaesthetic_action_of_pure_nitrogen.pdf

(see chapter "THE ANAESTHETIC ACTION OF NITROGEN ALONE, OR WITH A SMALL PROPORTION OF OXYGEN", pages 18 - 20)

Another source mentions generalized convulsion caused by breathing nitrogen (see page 295):

https://i.sanctioned-suicide.net/images/2025/04/224188_ernsting1963.pdf

In the few experiments in which nitrogen was breathed for 17-20 sec unconsciousness supervened and was accompanied on most occasions by a generalized convulsion.

But I mean if I lie face down on a bathtub in such a way that I would need my arms to make my mouth/nose peek out of the water, a few convulsions in my torso area won't really do much I think..

 

[Intoxicated]

But I mean if I lie face down on a bathtub in such a way that I would need my arms to make my mouth/nose peek out of the water, a few convulsions in my torso area won't really do much I think..

Small-amplitude convulsions shouldn't cause any troubles, but I wouldn't exclude a small possibility of more extreme forms of movement that have some potential of altering the success of the drowning attempt. I estimate the probability of death as very high, with small chances of failure. In case of drowning in a lake in the absence of people nearby, reliability would approach 100%.

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

Small-amplitude convulsions shouldn't cause any troubles, but I wouldn't exclude a small possibility of more extreme forms of movement that have some potential of altering the success of the drowning attempt. I estimate the probability of death as very high, with small chances of failure. In case of drowning in a lake in the absence of people nearby, reliability would approach 100%.

Ive tested rapid thrashing and violent side by side movements in the tub I'm planning to do it in and unless these convulsions manage to engage my neck and core muscles in a way that makes my head stay above the water level I believe it's impossible to resurface.

I'm just so excited yet skeptical (who wouldn't) about how certain the facts are in terms of how successful this method could be in practice.

Like let's say I don't resurface, I KNOW FOR SURE I won't be found in at least an hour, I lose consciousness under the water and finally (chat gpt said it could be a concern) the water I'll be using isn't ice cold (yes, that could delay the amount of time for me to die, water being below 6°C)

Like literally what the hell could go wrong

I feel this is as reliable as jumping off of the Burj Khalifa in terms of it practically being 100% fatal.

 

[Eudaimonic]

This is not SWB. SWB is what happens when you pass out underwater due to low O2. O2 falls faster than CO2 does, so the hypercapnic alarm is not triggered before loss of consciousness is reached. In this method, however, unconsciousness occurs due to cerebral vasoconstriction that could reverse, and once this occurs, the body still has O2 that it can use.

Personally, I plan to use N2O to induce loss of consciousness.

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

This is not SWB. SWB is what happens when you pass out underwater due to low O2. O2 falls faster than CO2 does, so the hypercapnic alarm is not triggered before loss of consciousness is reached. In this method, however, unconsciousness occurs due to cerebral vasoconstriction that could reverse, and once this occurs, the body still has O2 that it can use.

Personally, I plan to use N2O to induce loss of consciousness.

I don't understand what you're trying to say. I know it's not traditional SWB but it has the same mechanics as it, right?

 

[Eudaimonic]

I don't understand what you're trying to say. I know it's not traditional SWB but it has the same mechanics as it, right?

It doesn't have the same mechanics because in traditional SWB, the body's O2 reserves are used up, so there is little to no residual O2 remaining. In other words, unlike your proposed method, it would not matter if vasodilation occurred because the entire body is starved of O2. Basically, in both cases blackout of course occurs from low O2, but the mechanisms are different. In addition, severe hypoxia triggers vasodilation, so there is a nonzero chance (idk how much, but not negligible) that you will regain consciousness underwater.

An additional difference between this method and SWB is that in SWB the brain is hypoxic for much longer prior to unconsciousness.

These two factors are responsible for the rapid lethality of SWB.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

It doesn't have the same mechanics because in traditional SWB, the body's O2 reserves are used up, so there is little to no residual O2 remaining. In other words, unlike your proposed method, it would not matter if vasodilation occurred because the entire body is starved of O2. Basically, in both cases blackout of course occurs from low O2, but the mechanisms are different. In addition, severe hypoxia triggers vasodilation, so there is a nonzero chance (idk how much, but not negligible) that you will regain consciousness underwater.

An additional difference between this method and SWB is that in SWB the brain is hypoxic for much longer prior to unconsciousness.

These two factors are responsible for the rapid lethality of SWB.

I hope that makes sense.

After you black out underwater, the key problem is not how much O₂ is left in your blood or whether vasodilation occurs. The moment you become unconscious, your body will attempt to resume breathing, and if you are still submerged, you will inhale water, not air. Once water enters your lungs, oxygen exchange stops completely, so any remaining oxygen in the blood is consumed very rapidly, and there's no way to replenish it. The brain quickly becomes further deprived of oxygen, making self-rescue or "waking up" impossible without immediate help.

 

[Eudaimonic]

After you black out underwater, the key problem is not how much O₂ is left in your blood or whether vasodilation occurs. The moment you become unconscious, your body will attempt to resume breathing, and if you are still submerged, you will inhale water, not air. Once water enters your lungs, oxygen exchange stops completely, so any remaining oxygen in the blood is consumed very rapidly, and there's no way to replenish it. The brain quickly becomes further deprived of oxygen, making self-rescue or "waking up" impossible without immediate help.

That's assuming that you aren't in the 10-15% for which laryngospasm occurs. It's a gamble, and that's why I favor methods where systemic O2 loss occurs.

Edit: In addition to that, the residual O2 in the bloodstream might lead to regaining of consciousness. I don't know how the timing would work out in practice.

 

[PotentiallyWasted]

That's assuming that you aren't in the 10-15% for which laryngospasm occurs. It's a gamble, and that's why I favor methods where systemic O2 loss occurs.

Edit: In addition to that, the residual O2 in the bloodstream might lead to regaining of consciousness. I don't know how the timing would work out in practice.

First, laryngospasm doesn't reliably protect against drowning. While it can temporarily block water from entering the lungs, it also blocks air, meaning no new oxygen can reach the brain. Even if it occurs (and it doesn't in most cases), the body still uses up whatever oxygen is left in the blood quickly. Once unconsciousness happens, laryngospasm usually relaxes, and water enters the lungs anyway—so it doesn't make recovery possible, just delays water entry for a short time.
Second, your idea that I might regain consciousness underwater due to residual oxygen misunderstands how oxygen delivery works. The moment you're unconscious and unable to breathe air, oxygen delivery to your brain drops to near zero. Whatever small amount is left in your bloodstream is used up almost immediately. Without fresh oxygen entering the lungs, there's no way for the brain to recover, even if blood flow is restored.

 

[Eudaimonic]

First, laryngospasm doesn't reliably protect against drowning. While it can temporarily block water from entering the lungs, it also blocks air, meaning no new oxygen can reach the brain. Even if it occurs (and it doesn't in most cases), the body still uses up whatever oxygen is left in the blood quickly. Once unconsciousness happens, laryngospasm usually relaxes, and water enters the lungs anyway—so it doesn't make recovery possible, just delays water entry for a short time.
Second, your idea that I might regain consciousness underwater due to residual oxygen misunderstands how oxygen delivery works. The moment you're unconscious and unable to breathe air, oxygen delivery to your brain drops to near zero. Whatever small amount is left in your bloodstream is used up almost immediately. Without fresh oxygen entering the lungs, there's no way for the brain to recover, even if blood flow is restored.

Of course it doesn't reliably protect against drowning, but this is not typical drowning, so the pathophysiology as well as prognosis are different. O2 drops faster in typical drowning because of the physical exertion that generally accompanies it. However, there is a lot more residual O2 in this method than there is in typical drowning, so you can't draw inferences from what happens in typical drowning.

Moreover, the reason that laryngospasm relaxes (key word: sometime) after unconsciousness occurs is due to hypoxia in the larynx. In addition, according to wikipedia, in 7-10% of people this reflex doesn't relax until cardiac arrest.

O2 delivery to the brain might drop to near zero temporarily, but the vasodilatory response will kick in subsequently. There's actually a lot of O2 remaining in the lungs/blood and the body will ration it by prioritizing the vital organs such as the brain and heart.

Please don't entrust AI with knowing what is correct. It's not generally intelligent. You need to research this yourself.