Adding Reply Archived Topic: It will not be bumped to the top of the forum. Topic If you think about breathing, will you die? Membername   Not a member? Sign Up Free (takes 20 seconds) Password   Forgotten your password? Post Font: Verdana Arial Black Georgia Comic Sans Impact   Size: Tiny Normal Big Huge   Color: Default Dark Red Red Orange Brown Green Olive Cyan Blue Dark Blue Indigo Black [ Check Spelling ] [ Post Preview ] [ LiveTags ] FAQ Keyword Search: Post Options Favorites Manager Notify me of new replies to this topic by email Notify me of new replies to this topic by private message Original Post MystiqueBeauty16 Posted at 7:30 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 My old sixth grade Science teacher said something like that. I've always remembered it, even four years later. "If you think about how to breathe or breathing, your mind won't know what to do and you will stop breathing and die." I'm pretty sure that's not true, because I am currently thinking about how to breathe and breathing and I am not yet dead. I've done it many times before. Maybe that teacher was on something, but she seemed kind of off the mark.

Replies NightShadeslayer Posted at 12:01 am on June 28, 2009 If you have to control and think about every breath, how would you be able to sleep without suffocating? Forever Angel Posted at 9:24 pm on Oct. 16, 2008 Quote: from MystiqueBeauty16 at 8:23 pm on Oct. 16, 2008 Quote: from Forever Angel at 8:14 pm on Oct. 15, 2008 I would bet that what she told you was more like... if breathing wasn't something that was involuntarily controlled, ie... if we had to consciously control it, we wouldn't be able to do it and we'd suffocate.   Again, no. Please read above posts. I copied her exact words in my notes four years ago, and I am copying directly from the notes. If those are her exact words, she was wrong. It's a physical and mental impossibility for you to think hard enough or long enough about breathing to have any lasting effect. Your 'mind' is not the part of the brain that normally controls "autonomous" functions of your body. MystiqueBeauty16 Posted at 6:23 pm on Oct. 16, 2008 Quote: from Forever Angel at 8:14 pm on Oct. 15, 2008 I would bet that what she told you was more like... if breathing wasn't something that was involuntarily controlled, ie... if we had to consciously control it, we wouldn't be able to do it and we'd suffocate. Again, no. Please read above posts. I copied her exact words in my notes four years ago, and I am copying directly from the notes. Forever Angel Posted at 5:14 pm on Oct. 15, 2008 I would bet that what she told you was more like... if breathing wasn't something that was involuntarily controlled, ie... if we had to consciously control it, we wouldn't be able to do it and we'd suffocate. JohnTheNormalOne Posted at 5:25 am on Oct. 15, 2008 Ok, let's try...oh...shit...I'm dying! ...arghhh...chughhh...somebody...arghhh...call...911...!... MystiqueBeauty16 Posted at 7:43 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from jamesish at 10:41 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from MystiqueBeauty16 at 10:40 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from jamesish at 10:37 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from MystiqueBeauty16 at 10:32 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from jamesish at 10:31 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 I can actually see where shes coming from. I think you're missing the point.       ....Could you explain the point?   I think she was getting at the point if you had to manually control your breathing. Breathing now is pretty much automatic. You breathe without even really thinking about it. Imagine the difficulty if you had to control individually every breath. And death would be easier.    Yes, but that wasn't what she was talking about. She said if we thought about breathing, as in automatic, involuntary breathing. That's why she confused me. Are you sure you have the quote right? Yea. I actually wrote it down four years ago in class when we were taking notes. jamesish Posted at 7:41 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from MystiqueBeauty16 at 10:40 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from jamesish at 10:37 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from MystiqueBeauty16 at 10:32 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from jamesish at 10:31 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 I can actually see where shes coming from.  I think you're missing the point.   ....Could you explain the point?    I think she was getting at the point if you had to manually control your breathing.  Breathing now is pretty much automatic.  You breathe without even really thinking about it.  Imagine the difficulty if you had to control individually every breath.  And death would be easier. Yes, but that wasn't what she was talking about. She said if we thought about breathing, as in automatic, involuntary breathing. That's why she confused me. Are you sure you have the quote right? MystiqueBeauty16 Posted at 7:40 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from jamesish at 10:37 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from MystiqueBeauty16 at 10:32 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from jamesish at 10:31 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 I can actually see where shes coming from. I think you're missing the point.    ....Could you explain the point? I think she was getting at the point if you had to manually control your breathing. Breathing now is pretty much automatic. You breathe without even really thinking about it. Imagine the difficulty if you had to control individually every breath. And death would be easier. Yes, but that wasn't what she was talking about. She said if we thought about breathing, as in automatic, involuntary breathing. That's why she confused me. jamesish Posted at 7:37 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from MystiqueBeauty16 at 10:32 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from jamesish at 10:31 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 I can actually see where shes coming from.  I think you're missing the point. ....Could you explain the point? I think she was getting at the point if you had to manually control your breathing.  Breathing now is pretty much automatic.  You breathe without even really thinking about it.  Imagine the difficulty if you had to control individually every breath.  And death would be easier. MystiqueBeauty16 Posted at 7:33 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from XxRubberDuckiexX at 10:32 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Are you going like "Okay 1...2...3...4...5...BREATHE" If so...then... No, I'm just like, "I'm breathing....this is interesting." endoftheline Posted at 7:32 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Maybe the how to breathe part... wrapping your mind around how to control your lungs. I don't think it's likely to happen to.. anyone.. though xD MystiqueBeauty16 Posted at 7:32 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Quote: from jamesish at 10:31 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 I can actually see where shes coming from. I think you're missing the point. ....Could you explain the point? XxRubberDuckiexX Posted at 7:32 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 Are you going like "Okay 1...2...3...4...5...BREATHE" If so...then... jamesish Posted at 7:31 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 I can actually see where shes coming from.  I think you're missing the point. Light Assassin Posted at 7:31 pm on Oct. 14, 2008 maybe if you had to (consciously) think to breathe you'd die Most recent 15 of 15 previous replies displayed.