Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Learn how to imitate fainting
• Method 2 of 2: Fainting in public
• Tips
• Warnings

Have you forgotten to study for an exam? Do you have to participate in a performance, but would you like to get away from it? Maybe you are in a play where you have to pretend to pass out. Whether you want to create a distraction or escape a dire situation, the following tips may help you make a fainting seem as real as possible.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Learn how to imitate fainting

1. Learn the causes of fainting. Fainting is a common ailment that many people experience. The causes of this can be either harmless or life-threatening. Since you plan to pretend, it's better to know about the relatively less serious reasons people pass out. Fainting is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.
   • Plain fainting can be caused by low blood pressure or a response from your nervous system that reduces blood flow to the brain. Such nervous system reactions can be the result of a very stressful or traumatic event, fear or pain.
   • For teens, pretending to pass out is a perfect excuse to get out of an event or exam, because it's not uncommon for teens to pass out without anything serious going on. Older adults can experience something like this once or twice a year; if it occurs more often, it could be the result of something life-threatening.
2. Learn the symptoms of fainting. A person who faints may experience a variety of symptoms that lead to loss of consciousness, including heating, nausea, light-headedness or confusion, or hyperventilation. A person may also feel dizzy or faint, hear wheezing, or temporarily hear nothing or less. These symptoms are common to someone who passes out without anything serious going on.
3. Decide what harmless reason you will give for your faintness. Unless you have to pass out in front of a play, you need a reason for the fainting that doesn't immediately move people to call an ambulance, and allows you to walk away seemingly shocked but unharmed. Since low blood pressure and low blood flow to the brain are usually the causes of harmless fainting, there are several scenarios that can cause this.
   • Not eating breakfast or waiting a long time between meals to eat something can lead to low blood pressure. Insufficient drinking can lead to dehydration and a reduction in blood flow to the brain.
   • If the weather is very hot, or if you are in a very busy area, you can argue that you were overheated. You can also argue that you are experiencing a serious or traumatic event. If you are easily startled by insects or loud noises, you can say that your fear was caused by hyperventilation, which caused you to pass out.
   • If you decide to include someone in your plan to pass out, they could supposedly startle you and "pass out". Now this may be a bit dramatic and can have negative consequences for the person helping you, but it is a valid reason for the passing out that is not life-threatening.
4. Create a screenplay for your play. To make sure that the so-called fainting spells have as few repercussions as possible and get the results you want, you need to plan it as best you can. Your reason why you supposedly want to pass out determines the location where it happens. You may have a little more control over when it happens. But you need complete control over how it happens to avoid hurting yourself or causing unintended consequences.
   • What are you trying to avoid? A friend's wedding? A test for which you have not studied? Maybe you have to sing in front of a room full of colleagues and you feel that you are not ready yet.
   • To minimize the consequences of your fainting play, you may want to pretend that you pass out in front of only a few people. When a lot of people are present, there are always a few who quickly catch on to the drama, and the event therefore becomes bigger than you want it to be, which prevents a quick retreat.
   • Nor is it helpful to pass out during an important event that is important to other people, such as your girlfriend's wedding day, when someone gets a prize, or during the test you're trying to get over. Plan the passing out before the event you are trying to get over.
5. Think about where you will pass out. Will you stand or sit? What symptoms do you think you can effectively mimic? Which side are you going to notice when you pass out? How long do you pretend to be unconscious? Make sure you can answer these questions.
   • It is important to practice fainting beforehand. Don't think you're going to get it done just to realize during the act that you're afraid of falling and bumping your head, or that you can't hyperventilate without smiling. You should also make sure you fall as safely as possible to avoid possible injury.
   • Know exactly what you are going to do so that your play will go smoothly.
6. Plan your escape. Do not pretend to be unconscious for more than a few seconds (maximum 20 seconds). Once a person falls to the floor or leans back enough so that his or her head is level with the heart, blood flow to the brain, as well as consciousness, will be restored almost immediately.
   • As soon as you act like you're coming to, don't immediately jump up like everything is fine. Eat food for a few minutes as it takes about that long for a person to recover from actual fainting. This is important to remember.
   • Don't think you can pass out during a time-sensitive event expecting to leave immediately afterward. Also keep in mind that you can explain the passing out as something not that serious so that when you supposedly feel good enough to get up and walk away, you can leave the place as soon as possible.

Method 2 of 2: Fainting in public

1. Set the stage for your fainting play. Now that you've made the preparations to make the fainting look real, you can make it happen. Once you get to where you want to pass out, you need to make sure the conditions are right for it to act as you intended.
   • Are there enough or the right people present? Is the event you are trying to prevent still going on? Is the hall too busy?
   • Once you feel the conditions are right, go to the location you want to do if you pass out. True fainting usually happens quite quickly from the onset of symptoms.
   • Make sure there are no dangerous objects nearby that could cause serious injury if you accidentally hit them while falling. And make sure you don't hit anyone.
2. Complain about having the symptoms before passing out. When you're done, start pretending you have the symptoms that precede fainting. This should take no more than a few minutes. If you don't want to use breakfast as an excuse, indicate that you are very hungry. If the room is overcrowded or busy then you can complain about the heat. When you walk, slow down a bit, tilt your head slightly, and say you're dizzy. You can squint or blink your eyes. Complain of nausea. Pretend you are suddenly out of energy and say you feel weak. Continue this last symptom for 1-2 minutes.
3. Go to the location where you want to pass out. While clearly showing the symptoms, go without drawing attention to the place where you think it is safest for you to fall. If you plan to pass out while sitting, pretend you are too weak to stand and sit. You can say that you have a strange feeling and that you need a glass of water or some fresh air.
   • Ask someone to open a window. If there are no windows or no water, tell them to sit down or go outside for fresh air. Sit for a moment and then slowly get up. Then you stumble a bit and fall over. Before doing this, say something like, "I ..." Do not complete the sentence unless it is short.
4. Pretend to pass out. Make sure you fall safely. You are not supposed to hit your head and hurt yourself. When standing, bend your knees and let them touch the ground before falling forward with your torso. Make sure you go fast enough without looking like you were hit by a 5000 volt shock or else it will look fake.
   • When you sit, relax and imagine actually passing out. Let yourself slide out of the chair as it is unlikely that you would be left seated if you actually passed out.
   • Try to fall on the back of your thigh, and not on your hip or tailbone. Then you quickly lower your torso. Just close your eyes and let go of all your muscles completely; just relax.
   • Pretend you have no bones and fall to the floor in a crumpled heap. This will seem real.
5. Pretend to be unconscious for a few seconds. Stay on the floor. Make sure you're not stiff and if someone lifts and shakes your arm, let it rest completely, and when your arm is released, just drop it. This is a common test to unmask "drama". Unconscious people have no control over their limbs. Someone has to come and see if you're okay, and create a distraction from the event or event.
   • Don't hang around for too long, otherwise bystanders may decide to call in emergency services. If you don't want this to happen, make sure you are not "unconscious" for more than 20 seconds.
6. Open your eyes and take a deep breath. People who have passed out often will not remember after waking that they passed out. Say that you can only remember that you were hot and that it seemed like someone had dimmed the lights in the room.
7. Get up slowly and get up again after a few moments, or ask someone to pull you up. After a few moments, try standing up and rocking back and forth so people think you might pass out again and all rush to help you. At this point, when people start asking questions, you can start explaining that your fainting was harmless.
8. Get out of the way fairly quickly. Rest for about ten minutes or so to pretend you are recovering from the passing out. When you're done, apologize to go home to rest or make an appointment with your doctor. Someone can offer to take you somewhere, and you can accept their offer or explain that you can safely get to your destination yourself.

Tips

• Avoid smiling or laughing while pretending to pass out or you will fall through the basket.
• To practice this as safely as possible, use a carpet, or better yet a bed and bare feet when you start.
• Try to pass out against a wall so that the wall can accommodate your fall a bit.
• When falling into an open area, make sure you don't hit anything or anyone as this could cause unintended consequences or injury.
• In most cases, fainting is a loss of complete control, but not all control, such as with a gradual blackout, so don't fall on the floor like a flabby cloth.
• Make sure to bend your knees so that your knees touch the floor first and then your upper body.
• People may tickle you and try to wake you up, so don't laugh or smile when this happens or you will fall through the basket. So you will have to practice on this.
• Keep your eyes closed.
• If you can, pretend you just saw something disgusting.
• With one or two henchmen, you can play this joke too - just make sure you don't tell too many people or people you don't trust.

Warnings

• Don't keep passing out or overdo it; people may think something is seriously wrong with you and call an ambulance.
• If you "fall" quickly, make sure that there is an open area to fall so that you do not hit something or someone and possibly cause injury. Always be careful!
• If you immediately resume your previous activity, it will appear suspicious. Take a moment to sit, resting your head between your legs.
• Don't use this in an attempt to stop the police from arresting you. It can get you in even bigger trouble.
• Don't hyperventilate if you don't want to be called an ambulance. If you're planning something along those lines, make sure your heart rate is a little higher than normal.
• Don't say something like "What happened?" Right after you passed out. That is a cliché and often comes across as fake. However, you can ask someone a few minutes later what happened, and maybe add something like "Did I look weird?" Or something similar.