Mental health risks of sexual choking. Being frequently choked by your sexual partner may cause mental health issues such as depression, mood disorders, and problems with mental skills, research shows. The highest risk was found in women choked more than five times in the past month. They were more likely to feel sad, lonely, anxious, and depressed, compared to women without a history of being choked as part of sex.

Complications of choking during sex. The act of sexual choking can cause physical and mental injuries, and even death. During and after sexual choking, you may have:

Trouble breathing
Pain or a hard time swallowing
Ringing in your ears
Dizziness
Loss of consciousness
Loss of bladder control
Memory problems
Depression
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Your voice may change as a result of choking and become huskier, or you may lose your voice. You may also have neck pain or tenderness after sexual choking.

Over time, you may notice you have memory loss, or gaps in your memory. You might develop PTSD or depression. 

The pressure on your neck during sexual choking can damage blood vessels, which can affect how much oxygen can get to your brain. Lack of oxygen to the brain causes brain damage or death. This damage can happen right away, or it may take weeks or months to appear. 

If sexual choking tears or causes a clot in the blood vessels in your neck, you can have a stroke, which could be fatal. Pressure on your neck can also damage your thyroid.