# Is this "ritual" from The Wyoming Incident ARG really "dangerous"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2016, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030 "2016-06-22T09:36:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/1 "2016-06-22T09:36:59Z")
The Wyoming Incident is an Alternate Reality Game that started almost a decade ago in 2006. It’s not really important to the question, but if you want background, there’s a 44 minute video on the subject by Night Mind [here](https://youtu.be/UghBGvPepSQ). In said video, at the [timestamp 22:22](https://youtu.be/UghBGvPepSQ?t=22m22s) he mentions a “ritual” the game asked the players to do. He says “It involves […] doing some things we’re not going to talk about, because what was suggested as part of this ritual is _legitimately dangerous_ on many levels, and I’m not joking about that.” Now, obviously it’s not going to summon any spooky spirits, but on the occasion I hear The Wyoming Incident mentioned, someone always brings up how “dangerous” this ritual is. Another example is in [this forum post I found talking about it](http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/off-topic/43401-wyoming-incident.htm). But in general, even on other forums and chat rooms I’ve visited, people feel a need to mention this “dangerous” ritual they tried to get people to do. Eventually I got curious, so I tracked [the original post detailing the ritual in question](http://thehappycube.proboards.com/thread/64/summon-aspect-paranoia) down. Here is the relevant part (sorry for the \>, I originally wrote this in Markdown intending to post it somewhere else before I decided it wasn’t a good fit for that site. Markdown uses those for quotes): > [@](#): > > \> You are to do this alone. Turn off the lights in the room you choose > \> to do this in. The only sounds should be outside noises, your own > \> breathing, and music that you choose yourself. The music must unnerve > \> you in some way or another. Do not play the music anywhere near full > \> volume. Playing it faintly works best. > \> > \> If you can, I suggest you loop one of the videos on your pc or, if you > \> have burned them to a DVD for some reason, over your television. This > \> is not necessary, though it is extremely useful. > \> > \> There are now two choices you can make: close your eyes/blindfold > \> yourself or keep them open. Generally speaking, the closing of eyes is > \> the most effective, but results vary. > \> > \> If you keep your eyes open, face a doorway or window. The door may > \> only stay open if the hallway outside of it is dark and mostly empty. > \> If not, it stays closed. Focus on the doorway/window. Imagine > \> something horrible opening it or busting it down if it is closed. If > \> you have the hallway, imagine a figure slowly walking down it towards > \> you. If you face a window, imagine something staring it at you. > \> Imagine something trying to claw its way in. Focus and imagine. > \> > \> If you keep your eyes closed, face away from any doors. Placing > \> yourself so that you face a corner is best. Imagine something sneaking > \> up behind you. Imagine some hurting you while you are in this > \> vulnerable position. Imagine the wonder and sadness your relatives > \> will feel as they find your corpse in a dark room, hunched over in a > \> corner. Blood covers the wall. > \> > \> Imagine stuff that bothers you. Imagine stuff that makes you nervous. > \> Imagine all of the ways you could possibly be hurt while doing this. > \> Imagine the freak possibility of some unrelated, deranged killer > \> slitting your throat during this ritual. Imagine. > \> > \> Force yourself to stay in this position. > \> > \> You will eventually feel a great sense of relief. In one shining > \> moment, you will know that everything will be okay. You will know that > \> you will live. It will be relief in its purest form. > \> > \> […] > \> > \> If this feeling of hope does not happen within thirty-minutes, you can quit. It certainly doesn’t sound fun, and if you suffer from some sort of clinical anxiety or paranoia I can certainly see how it may cause an episode, which would be rather unpleasant. But I’m skeptical that this is “dangerous” to anyone who doesn’t have something like **serious** PTSD, in any real way. Is there any reason to suspect that doing this could actually do lasting damage, trigger a suicidal/self harming episode, or anything worthy of calling it “dangerous”? Even the Happy Cube forum (the forum where this ARG was run) has a followup post later on mentioning not to do it if you have “anxiety issues”. I just feel skeptical that this is really harmful. I mean, any more harmful than playing Bloody Mary at least. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/2 "2016-06-22T10:58:11Z")
I do not see anything that is dangerous in that. And I’m rather well-versed in anxiety stuff. In fact, imagining a scary scenario is sometimes a part of therapy, and the “relief” they describe sounds like flooding–the idea that your brain gets tired of being anxious if you keep exposing it. It’s basically just a sort of self-hypnosis/visualization. I can’t see how it would be dangerous unless you were moving around and might bump into things, or are not in a secure position and fall over. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/3 "2016-06-22T15:59:07Z")
Not dangerous at all unless you’re seriously mentally ill or extremely suggestible with deep seated superstition issues. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/4 "2016-06-22T17:54:46Z")
It’s safe as long as you don’t say Bloody Mary three times. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/5 "2016-06-22T18:26:36Z")
Maybe it’s dangerous if a serial killer reads your FB post announcing your intentions to do it tonight. I mean, easy pickings, right? ---
**Author:** ![starsalight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@starsalight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starsalight)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/6 "2020-09-12T05:36:20Z")
hey as a person who does experience mental health problems i can explain why this can easily be dangerous to someone, specifically to someone that doesnt realize if they have depression or anxiety. essentially this “ritual” is having you imagine horrible things happen to you, and tricking your brain from having the normal reaction of being unnerved or bothered by it, to feel relief. the reason why this sort of thing is dangerous is because a common symptom for mental health problems is something called “intrusive thoughts” that can vary in how severe they are. it takes a LOT to unlearn that these thoughts are not necessarily a reflection of yourself, but rather, more random blips or your brain filtering things out. feeling “relief” or “release” from envisioning harm to yourself or hurting yourself can easily turn into not just visualizing, but actualizing harm- to put more clearly, can lead to someone believing that self harm or even suicide is a good idea, and would be a positive thing. thats why its highly dangerous, because if you tell yourself something dangerous is a good thing enough times, eventually the brain will actually believe it. and if someone is already susceptible to picturing those things? it makes it even worse. hope that provides some sort of insight for you! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2020, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/7 "2020-09-18T11:29:03Z")
I realise this is a zombie thread, but yeah, I can see how this could affect someone adversely - not directly, but if they are already suffering from anxiety and depression or are in some otherwise vulnerable mental state, this could make that state of mind significantly worse. Of course, that does not cause any direct harm physiologically, but it could increase the risk of an individual harming themself either through deliberate action, or negligence or neglect. If we accept that there are exercises and actions that people can do which will improve their own mental states, we must accept that the opposite is also possible. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2020, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/8 "2020-09-18T14:24:45Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And I’m rather well-versed in anxiety stuff. In fact, imagining a scary scenario is sometimes a part of therapy [I know how old the post is.] I am not well-versed in anxiety, but wouldn’t the therapy you described be done under the supervision of, you know, a therapist? Not alone in a situation designed to create anxiety? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2020, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/9 "2020-09-19T09:54:44Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I am not well-versed in anxiety, but wouldn’t the therapy you described be done under the supervision of, you know, a therapist? Not alone in a situation designed to create anxiety? As a therapy, definitely–at least, at first (later on you can learn to do it to some extent on your own). I can’t know for sure, but I think my point was that it’s safe enough that a therapist might do it. I was likely assuming this would not be attempted by someone who actually would find those things genuinely scary, but just would be having a bit of fun. I also wouldn’t suggest someone watch a scary movie if the movie was about things they had an anxiety disorder about. Not without supervision. This said, I would be a lot less cavalier in what I say these days about this stuff. Back then, while I knew statistically than anxiety disorders were common, I don’t think I’d quite internalized it. Thank you for calling me on it. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2020, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-ritual-from-the-wyoming-incident-arg-really-dangerous/758030/10 "2020-09-19T12:57:49Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Thank you for calling me on it. It was not my intent to call you on anything–your point might be very valid that such things are done in therapy. I imagined that the therapist would not do quite the same thing as described in the OP. I imagined it to be more like what you described in your follow up.