If you were absolutely terrified of something like being murdered or if you fell of a tall building would you die of fright before the actual death? if so how does that work?! do you have a fit or something? x
2006-08-08 04:22:19 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
Yes, you can die of fright.
Basically there is a nerve in the body called the vagus nerve. In conditions of EXTREME fear/stress it can shut down. Since it controls, among other things heart rate, you die.
The condition is known as "vagal inhibition".
There was a girl called Leslie Whittle who was abducted and chained up semi-naked in a storm drain by a murderer called Neilson. At the autopsy it was revealed that the poor girl (17 years old) had died of this condition.
For more info look up "vagus nerve" in wikipeadia, and "Leslie Whittle" in Google.
2006-08-08 05:07:45 · answer #1 · answered by Ian H 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, upinthe clouds, I don't think you could die of fright. You could die as the RESULT of a fright, as has already been said, by the fright inducing a fatal heart attack. Although there are other ways fright could result in someones demise. You could be walking on a pavement say, someone frightens you suddenly, you jump into the road....into the path of a car. Lots of ways fright could result in a death, but not the actual final cause.
2006-08-08 04:59:03 · answer #2 · answered by Dick s 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you jump off a tall building you will actually be dead or unconcious before you hit the ground - this is due to the air between your falling body and the building. The air between you and the building sucks you into the side and then bounces you off (a bit like banging your head against a brick wall repeatedly).
As for death by fright - this is only likely if you suffer from a poor heart
2006-08-08 04:34:49 · answer #3 · answered by efilnikufecin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes its well known that some people die of a heart attack that is brought on by stress/fright when jumping off tall buildings
2006-08-08 04:27:25 · answer #4 · answered by Steve C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it seems you can die of fright.
2006-08-08 04:38:29 · answer #5 · answered by Lunar_Chick 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah u have a heart attack or something like a fit
2006-08-08 04:27:36 · answer #6 · answered by Cherryade 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that if you had a bad heart condidtion, you would go into arrest and die.
2006-08-08 04:27:09 · answer #7 · answered by Moi? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. But you have to have a preexisting heart or other health condition.
2006-08-08 04:31:23 · answer #8 · answered by christigmc 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Problem is, anyone this has actually happened to wont be able to tell you what went on...
2006-08-08 05:57:20 · answer #9 · answered by justasiam29 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yep u can have a heart attack or summit like that
2006-08-08 04:26:38 · answer #10 · answered by invigeration69 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋