# Self-inflicted concussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 21, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648 "2011-05-21T02:15:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dan876](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@dan876](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dan876)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/1 "2011-05-21T02:15:48Z")
Is it possible to give yourself a concussion by jerking your head really hard in one direction? I’ve actually searched quite a bit on this subject, and I’ve also asked a registered nurse, and I can’t seem to get an answer. FWIW, the nurse said that she didn’t think it’s possible, but she didn’t seem very sure of her answer. Thanks for any responses. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/2 "2011-05-21T02:18:58Z")
[95 Gs](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100624092526.htm), not a chance. ---
**Author:** ![dan876](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@dan876](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dan876)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/3 "2011-05-21T02:25:23Z")
Interesting, I didn’t know there was that much force required (I didn’t even know it was CLOSE to that actually). Thanks a lot for the fast response. ---
**Author:** ![wbeaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/439d5e/32.png) [@wbeaty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wbeaty)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/4 "2011-05-22T04:14:55Z")
> [@dan876](#): > > Interesting, I didn’t know there was that much force required (I didn’t even know it was CLOSE to that actually). Thanks a lot for the fast response. 95G, that sounds like skull impact and internal sound waves, like getting hit with a rock. Rotation-based trauma, as in Boxers’ dementia, would come from a very different mechanism, so I doubt that 95G applies. We know that being hit with a well-padded fist can cause brain injury, especially if it sharply rotates the skull. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dementia\_pugilistica](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dementia_pugilistica) One old article made note of a common misconception that the brain tissue is hard. No, only preserved brains in formalin are hard and brittle, while fresh live brains are mushy. So, if you violently shake (rotate) your head, do some parts of your brain lag behind? Can you tear something loose? And if you need to make yourself unconscious, I hear it’s better to hyperventilate and pass out, rather than going off looking for a baseball bat or concrete wall. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/5 "2011-05-22T04:23:20Z")
Found a [Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2948/is-it-possible-to-land-a-punch-at-2-000-pounds-per-square-inch) column. 53 Gs possible from a punch. Still can’t see that being possible by whipping your own head around. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/6 "2011-05-22T14:35:09Z")
I remember, but have no cite at the moment, that someone won a Darwin Award by swallowing a bunch of (heart medicine) nitroglycerine and, in an attempt to commit suicide by blowing himself up, kept slamming himself against a wall. He died by complications of a concussion. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/7 "2011-05-22T15:01:00Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > I remember, but have no cite at the moment, that someone won a Darwin Award by swallowing a bunch of (heart medicine) nitroglycerine and, in an attempt to commit suicide by blowing himself up, kept slamming himself against a wall. He died by complications of a concussion. Similar(same?) story but no concussion noted. And he lived. > **[2001 Honorable Mention: Phenomenal Failure](https://darwinawards.com/stupid/stupid2001-24.html)** > > 2001 Honorable Mention: Phenomenal Failure: A 28-year-old demolition worker attempted to commit suicide by washing down nitroglycerine pills with vodka. Normally suicide is not worthy of an Honorable Mention, but this man's failure was exceptional.... ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/8 "2011-05-22T19:21:11Z")
**runner pat** , thanks for the cx. Mine makes for a better story though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dan876](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@dan876](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dan876)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/9 "2011-05-25T04:22:59Z")
Thanks for the discussion everyone, interesting stuff. ---
**Author:** ![mike84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@mike84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike84)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-inflicted-concussion/582648/10 "2011-06-09T14:38:11Z")
95g’s is WAY off. As little as 10 g’s can result in permanent brain damage.