# Can a person laugh themself to death? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-person-laugh-themself-to-death/574489 "2011-03-13T02:40:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LynnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-person-laugh-themself-to-death/574489/1 "2011-03-13T02:40:44Z")
I read years ago, probably in a dubious source, that it’s possible to laugh so hard that your diaphram can spasm or cramp, thus making it impossible to breathe. So you suffocate. I chose to believe this, but it’s time to bust it if false: Is it really possible? [I know about the Monty Python deadly joke] [grammarians: prefer “themself” to “himself or herself”] ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-person-laugh-themself-to-death/574489/2 "2011-03-13T02:44:42Z")
Let’s find out: > [@](#): > > Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput! ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-person-laugh-themself-to-death/574489/3 "2011-03-13T02:59:20Z")
The stoic philosopher [Chrysippus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysippus) supposedly laughed himself to death after watching a donkey (perhaps drunk) eat some figs. ETA: Wikipedia on [Death from laughter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_from_laughter).