What Happens When You Die: Four Stages Of Human Decomposition

What Happens When You Die: Four Stages of Human Decomposition

What Happens When You Die: Four Stages of Decomposition

Have you ever wondered what happens the moment you die? Not where you go in the afterlife or how your body will be handled, but have you ever wondered what happens internally? Around four minutes after your heart fails to pump oxygen to the rest of your body, it begins to self destruct. This method of self destruction is universal in its stages and in its purpose; it has no bias of character or of monetary status. Without this process of death and decay, life would cease to exist.

Stage One: Autolysis (Self-Ingestion)

Autolysis begins the moment your circulatory system and respiratory system cease to pump blood to your muscles. Without oxygen being pumped into your cells, excess carbon dioxide begins to cause cell membranes to become acidic. Once these cells rupture, they release a digestive enzyme that begins to consume your cells from the inside out.

Rigor Mortis begins generally within an hour or two after death and lasts for around 24 hours. Rigor Mortis occurs when lactic acid buildup in the muscles causes them to stiffen at unnatural angles, a lot of times defying gravity. Small blisters filled with nutrient-rich fluid form on internal organs and under the surface of the skin. When these rupture, it causes the body to form a shiny or sweaty appearance. The body begins to cool at the time of death and slowly drops an average of 1.5 degrees an hour, pending on environmental factors. Within 24 hours, the body will be the same temperature as its surrounding environment.

What Happens When You Die: Four Stages Of Human Decomposition

Fact: In cases of violent or traumatic deaths, lactic acid is built up in such high amounts in the muscles that rigor mortis can occur at the exact moment of death. For example, if someone dies from drowning in a lake, they may still be clutching a chunk of grass from trying to grab onto the bank at the moment of their death.

Livor Mortis causes areas of the body exposed to external pressure such as gravity to turn a reddish-purple color. Tardieu spots form in these areas as well due to increased pressure. These spots often resemble traumatic hemorrhaging but are a normal part of the decomposition process.

Fact: If a body is moved after death and the livor mortis is on the wrong area of the body, investigators can determine that the body was moved after death. For example, if someone died laying on their stomach, livor mortis would turn the abdomen the reddish-purple color. If someone moved the body after death and flipped them onto their back, it would show that the blood pooled in a way that would defy gravity, showing that the body was moved unnaturally.

At this point, purge fluid is often leaked through the nasal cavity from internal gases building up in the abdomen. Despite this resembling a traumatic death, it is a natural step in human decomposition. Depending on the amount of stomach contents that are left in the body, it generally takes half an hour up to six hours for the body to finish digesting and eliminating the waste from the body.

After about 24 to 26 hours the abdomen begins to turn a greenish color that generally begins in the lower quadrant of the abdomen near the pubic area. Right around this time, bloating begins to take form within the abdominal cavity due to bacterial gas build up that causes the body to bloat and change form almost to the point of the corpse’s race being undistinguishable.

In step three, or active decay, the skin begins to slip from the body in a process known as “degloving.” Degloving happens when the top layer of skin pulls away from the muscle and essentially falls off. When bodies are at this stage of decomposition and the skin makes it impossible to pull fingerprints, morticians will often slip the skin of the patient over their own fingers and extract DNA prints this way. As the body is going through active decay, internal organs and external tissues begin to liquefy and seep through open orifices on the body. Dawnie Wolfe Steadman, director of the Forensic Anthropology Center at University of Tennessee Knoxville, claims that the main cause for the large amount of tissue loss during active decay is because of fly maggots that feast on bacteria and tissues.

Did you know that a body decomposing in water decomposes at a much slower rate than a body that is exposed to air? The slowest rate of decomposition is a body that has been preserved with formaldehyde and buried in the ground, similar to American funeral customs. A body that is submerged in water while going through active decay will have a wax-like appearance that replaces the normal look of external tissues. However, the tissues of a body that decomposes in a warm and humid environment will have external tissues that have completely dried out; the body will essentially mummify itself. In cases where a person dies in a traumatic way and is mummified from external factors, any wounds they received before and after death will be preserved, though distorted in size and shape.

After soft tissues are consumed by maggots, the corpse is partially skeletonized but the tougher soft tissues like cartilage still remain. Once beetles consume the cartilage, ligaments, and tendons the final stage of decomposition begins.

Skeletal decay is the process of the surrounding environment breaking down the remainder of the body for fertilization for future plants and life. Bones generally disintegrate with time if they are subjected to a constant flow of water, gnawed on by scavengers or any other external forces that have the ability to erode them.

Did you know that the “decomposition smell” you smell when coming across an animal carcass is actually caused by a mix of gases called putrescine and cadaverine that is caused when amino acids within the body begin to break down? Although seemingly harmless, if you are in a closed environment with a corpse, these gases have the ability to compete with or displace the oxygen within your body.

A University of Kent psychologist and Arkansas Tech University behavioral scientist hypothesize that the chemical putrescine creates a fight or flight response in humans due to it signaling in the brain as an olfactory threat. In the journal ‘Frontiers of Psychology,’ four different tests were published that proved exposure to putrescine elicited cognitive reactions, similar to escaping threats.

In the first trial done in this series of studies, 60 people were given the task to open a jar and sniff the contents inside. The control group smelled ammonia, a similarly pungent smell to putrescine and the rest of the test subjects were given putrescine. Afterward, the test subjects that were given the task of smelling putrescine reacted quicker to a red dot randomly presented on a screen in the lab; this indicates that the smell made these subjects more vigilant to their surroundings.

Two of these four tests were completed on a university campus when random people were stopped and asked to participate in a smell test. In the subjects that smelled putrescine, they walked away significantly faster than those that smelled ammonia or water. This experiment was timed with a hidden stopwatch.

In the fourth and final experiment, 65 people were asked to fill out a questionnaire that was slightly scented with either putrescine, water, or ammonia; the smell was faint enough that the subjects were unaware of the scent. The subjects were given an essay that was written by someone who didn’t share their views; in this particular case, the essay was written by a Middle-Eastern exchange student in the UK who criticized Western values and predicted their decline. They were then asked to fill out the questionnaire asking how likable the essay’s author was and whether or not his ideas should be publicized. The subjects that had papers scented with putrescine were significantly more hostile towards the foreign student than those with the ammonia soaked questionnaire. This suggests that subconsciously, the scent of putrescine elicited a subsconscious defensive response.

The scientists that ran this experiment hypothesize that the chemical compound in putrescine could serve as a warning signal in the brain that is the forefront of protective responses that help us protect ourselves from potential threats.

Cold Case Blogger

Hybristophilia – The Ultimate ‘Bad Boy’ Complex

*while this post focuses predominantly on women falling for serial killers, men can also experience this too, it is just less common*

With the new Ted Bundy movie screening at Sundance this weekend it seems like an appropriate time to discuss the topic of hybristophilia. Not heard of it? Well keep reading…

Hybristophilia – The Ultimate ‘Bad Boy’ Complex

So this year Zac Efron is taking the lead role in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (yes, it is a very bad title), he plays one of America’s most notorious serial killers. Bundy committed over 30 brutal and sexually sadistic murders in the 1970’s before he was eventually caught (for the final time) and executed in Florida. Charming, handsome and charismatic he was far from what most people would picture as a deranged monster, rather he was the stereotypical “all American” boy.

The nature of his crimes were so shocking and disturbed that they sparked a huge public outcry for his immediate execution. However, a strange phenomenon occurred during his murder trial. Women were showing up at the court proceedings to express their support and profess their love for the killer. A bench in the courtroom was reserved for the “groupies” who would smile warmly at Bundy as he took the stand, giggling joyously if he glanced over at them. But why? Well, the term for this is hybristophilia – a paraphilia (think: paedophilia, necrophilia etc) that describes women who feel a strong sexual attraction to men who have done bad things. Like, really bad things. Murderers. Rapists. Armed robbers. Crazy right? Well, actually not so much. There is some psychological logic behind all this madness…

Why do they feel this way?

One of the first reasons that could be attributed to this is the basic animal instinct to feel safe and protected. In nature many animals pick their mates based on their predatory abilities, the ability to hunt and kill, the physical strength and violence needed to become an alpha male is what attracts female partners. Females naturally choose the strongest male to mate with. Transferring this logic to human behaviour works to a certain extent. But a man who kills women? That’s not strong? Well, no it is not. But the feeling of danger and fear combined with the branding of him as a predator may trigger a natural animal instinct in some women who will then perceive him as a viable sexual partner.

There is also an element of narcissism to hybristophilia. The idea that this violent, savage man with impulses to murder women would choose not to kill you, but rather to be in a relationship with you, well that must make you pretty damn special right? That was certainly a contributing factor to Bundy’s groupies. His victim profile was typically young, attractive, intelligent ladies. Many of the women who showed up to Bundy’s trial no doubt thought that if he was released (which was delusional as it was) that he would see them as more than he saw his victims, he would spare their lives because their lives were worth saving. That is also the premise of basically every vampire love story ever.

The last thing to mention is Nightingale Syndrome, which relates to Florence Nightingale and is used to describe when a doctor falls for a patient under their care. How is this relevant to women falling for serial killers? It boils down to the basic principle of wanting to save someone. Saving them from a physical disease or a mental one are really quite similar. Sometimes people see a severely damaged person and a strong desire to save them is triggered within. Doctors and patients, women and serial killers, no difference. Okay, well maybe a big difference.

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ryuusghost

5 years ago

What is the difference between Psychopathy and Sociopathy?

When you hear the term ‘psychopath’ what do you envision? Do you see an axe-wielding maniac murdering entire families while they sleep? According to Hollywood cinema, a psychopath is someone you can pick out from the crowd based on a pair of retro 70’s glasses, a thick mustache, and a windowless van. However, a psychopath is generally someone who is meticulous in their thinking, effortlessly manipulative of those around them, and often someone who is very successful and popular amongst their peers. A sociopath, on the other hand, is someone who is often erratic, lacks critical thinking skills, and commits violent and impulsive crimes.

According to the Fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders, or more commonly known as the DSM, both psychopathy and sociopathy fall under the category of being Antisocial Personality Disorders. Due to both of these disorders falling under the same category, they share very similar traits. Some of these shared traits are a disregard for the law and authoritarian figures, a general disregard for the rights of others, a failure to feel remorse or guilt and a tendency to display violent and aggressive behaviors. Despite many shared similarities between the two disorders, the one thing that sets them apart is calamitous: a psychopath has an inability to feel empathy for others or form meaningful emotional attachments to those around them.

A sociopath is described as someone with extreme antisocial attitudes and behaviors that lack a conscience. However, a sociopath does have the ability to form meaningful connections with one specific person or group while not feeling anything towards those outside of that group. A sociopath is often a nervous individual that is easily agitated, volatile, and prone to emotional outbursts; these outbursts can include fits of rage. Due to this mental disorder causing someone to feel inferior or displaced in society, they often live on the fringes of what is deemed normal. They often have a hard time holding down jobs or staying in one place and are viewed as being outwardly disturbed and erratic. Their crimes are often frenzied, unplanned, and messy; they are the type of killer that is likely to kill while upset and angry.

Unlike psychopathy, the origins of what causes someone to become a sociopath are slightly more muddled. In cases of psychopathy, there is a distinct under development in the prefrontal cortex, or the part of the brain that is responsible for impulse control and emotions. Sociopathy, on the other hand, is more closely linked to childhood trauma such as physical and emotional abuse.

In a research study performed in 2005 by Martha Stout, a practicing psychologist and instructor in the psychology department at Harvard University, research results found that as much as 50% of the cause of sociopathy can be attributed to heredity and the remaining 50% is caused by outside forces such as trauma.

An example of a sociopath is Jodi Arias; Jodi was known to grow obsessed with the men in her life and had tunnel vision for that single person. When the man she was having an affair with, Travis began to show signs of losing interest in her, she began to become increasingly hostile and persistent in keeping her relationship with him. When she murdered Travis, she did it in a frenzied attack while they were in the shower together and continued to take pictures during the entire murder. After being arrested, she continued to lie about her involvement in the crime and when she did admit to it she claimed that it was because he was a sexual predator.

After her arrest, one of her future cell mates came forward claiming that Jodi made her uncomfortable because of her total disregard for the atrocity she had committed. She reported that Jodi would tell her that Travis was a child molester and she did the world a favor for getting rid of him. Whether or not she actually believed Travis was this monster, she felt no remorse for killing someone she supposedly loved in such a brutal way. During recorded interviews, she was known to ask the camera crew to stop recording so she could fix her hair or powder her nose; she relished in the attention she was receiving for Travis’s murder.

Psychopathy, on the other hand is more neurologically rooted within a person’s mind due to the under development of the emotional control center of their brain. Due to this under development, psychopaths are unable to feel any form of empathy. Without the ability to form emotional attachments, it is easy for psychopaths to view people and animals as objects. The biggest difference between a psychopath and sociopath is the fact that psychopaths commit crimes with every step and action planned out, with contingency plans in place. They thrive under pressure and learn how to mimic necessary emotions to manipulate those around them. These killers are often referred to as “cold blooded” and are often narcissistic, with a strong belief in their ability to evade the law.

Often times, a psychopath is the most educated, sought after and successful person in the room due to their ability to read a crowd.

An example of a psychopath is Ted Bundy; he worked as a crisis prevention helpline worker and was known to protect people from being robbed, yet had the ability to turn off his “empathy” and brutally beat numerous women to death. While on trial for Kimberly Leach’s murder, he was able to convince a majority of people that he was innocent. It wasn’t until the cast of his dental impressions were taken that the true conscience-lacking nature of Ted Bundy was revealed.

Now that you know the official difference between a psychopath and sociopath, what killers come to your mind when trying to label them under a category?

What Is The Difference Between Psychopathy And Sociopathy?

Cold Case Blogger

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ryuusghost

5 years ago

New England Gothic

You’re walking in the woods in late autumn. A crow caws, somewhere. You step on something, and hear a sharp crack. You look down. It’s a bone.

The clocktower in the town square has been broken for as long as anyone can remember. One day, it rings.

The leaves are turning. Last year, the brilliant oranges and reds lasted well after they fell. Now, the leaves are grey. They crumble into ash when touched.

The ocean is cold, and unrelenting. The waves crash against the cliffs. A captain yells out to his crew, but there is no ship.

You have been walking in a graveyard for hours. Someone is watching you. You turn, but no one is there. You read the gravestone at your feet. Your name is carved into it. A rabbit darts in front of you, and you shiver.

The mountains stretch on for miles. Endless, repeating mountains, stretching so far into the horizon that it seems that once the mountains end, so does the world.

You drive down the backroads at midnight. The trees are impossibly dark. Something runs in front of your headlights. It was a deer. It has to be a deer.

There are four churches on the same street. At five p.m. on the dot, the bells ring. They are deafening.

The sunflowers have died. They stand all winter, bleak omens of what’s to come.

You are looking for witching stones in the river. Something shiny catches your eye, and you fish it out. It’s an iron cross. It’s cold. You toss it back.

dark academia playlist

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0arpg4QrCy5HWOMooTKgrh?si=dJ-ysuXBTCCQVbii9rNyZw

The Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe is arguably one of the most influential Gothic writers of the last century. He has become a symbol of horror and mystery not only in his work, but also in his death. On October 3rd, 1849, he was found delirious and wandering the streets of Baltimore, Maryland. A witness from the time reported that Mr. Poe was “In great distress and in need of immediate medical assistance” although nobody was quite sure what was wrong with him. He was rushed to hospital where medics worked around the clock to find a solution to the author’s state. After a short stay in hospital, Edgar Allan Poe died at 5 a.m. on the 7th of October.

Many theories surround his mysterious death, although none can be proven. Suicide, murder, the flu, syphilis, even rabies are all likely explanations as to how Poe died. Many newspapers reported that he had died from an “inflammation of the brain” after rumours from hospital staff emerged. One particularly dark theory dating from 1872 suggests that cooping was the cause of Poe’s death, a form of electoral fraud in which citizens were forced to vote for a particular candidate, sometimes leading to violence and even murder. To this day, his death remains unsolved.

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ryuusghost

1 year ago

I have never loved a post more <3

👻 corpsecourse Follow

dni if you support relationships between vampires and the vampire they sired. i am so serious, i dont care what your justification is, that is an unforgivable power imbalance. its almost as bad as vampire human relationships (and if you support that i hope you get a splinter in the heart)

🧛‍♀️ vampbites Follow

op what the fuck is your problem? more maggots in your brain than usual? go out into the real underworld and touch some graveyard dirt. i know at least 7 vampires who are in happy healthy relationships with the vampire who sired them. me included! this may shock you but we started dating when i was human and she was a vamp!

👻 corpsecourse Follow

i hate to tell you this but you're in a toxic relationship and i sincerely hope youre able to get out.

🧛‍♀️ vampbites Follow

HELLO???????

🦇 battybrained Follow

i keep seeing people saying this shit and honestly i think it stems from the infantalization of humans. humans are capable of making decisions for themselves. do some vampires abuse their powers over humans? of course! but you cant assume that every single human vampire relationship (or sire and sired relationship for that matter) is some unhealthy power imbalance, especially when you dont even know them!!!

⚰ fangs4fags Follow

i think op is forgetting that humans can be just as harmful to vampires as they can be to humans. dont tell me you completely just forgot about the existence of vampire slayers

🧛‍♂️ coffincreeper Follow

next thing you know op is gonna be saying that a hundred year age gap between fully fledged vampires is problematic

👻 corpsecourse Follow

it literally is. i dont care if you are a 1000 years old vampire, if your significant other is 100 years older than you they have more life experience than you. god you guys are stupid why dont you all step into a sunbeam

🩸 f33d3r Follow

hey guys i just went to ops account and their pinned post was about how they dont consider werewolves part of the monster community cuz theyre not undead. just block and move on it is NOT worth it

🐺vamplovingwolf Follow

isnt it funny how whenever theres some rancid discourse like this its always made by coffinscrews

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ryuusghost

5 years ago

Not into it juts dark and interesting

Paraphilia Classifications

Attack Paraphilias

1 .Amokoscisia- arousal or sexual frenzy with desire to slash or murder

2. Anophelorastia- arousal from defiling or ravaging a partner

3. Biastophilia- those preferring to violently rape their victims

4. Dippoldism- sexual arousal from abusing children

5. Pedophilia- sex with minors

6. Pyromania- arousal from deliberate or purposeful fire-setting

7. Sadism- empowerment and arousal derived from injuring others

Prepatory Paraphilias

1. Agonophilia- person who is aroused by partner pretending to struggle

2. Altocalciphilia- high heel shoe fetish

3. Alvinolagnia- stomach fetish

4. Anililagnia- arousal from older female sex partner

5. Autonecrophilia- imagining oneself as a corpse or becoming sexually aroused by simulated corpses.

6. Bondage- physical or mental restriction of partner

7. Dacryphilia- person who is aroused by seeing their partner cry

8. Erotomania- people who develop an unreasonable love of a stranger or person not interested in them

9. Exhibitionism- exposing body to inappropriate and nonconsenting people for arousal

10. Frottage- rubbing body against partner or objet for arousal

11. Gerontophilia- attraction to a partner whose is that of a different generation

12. Hebephilia- men aroused by teenage boys

13. Hyphephilia- arousal from touching skin , hair, leather, fur, or fabric

14. Kleptolagnia- arousal from stealing

15. Mastofact- breast fetish

16. Mixoscopia-orgasm dependent on watching others have sex

17. Necrophilia- sex with corpses

18. Retifism- shoe fetish

19. Scatophilia- arousal by making phone calls, using vulgar language, or trying to elicit a reaction from the other party

20. Somnophilia- fondling strangers in their sleep

21. Voyeurism- arousal by watching others without consent.

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ryuusghost

5 years ago

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ryuusghost

5 years ago

types of vampires

old school dracula: dramatic, probably a theatre kid at some point, loud, likes black n white outfits with accents of red, v into long flowing clothes, fan of sharp eyeliner and a classic red lip, melancholic, sexual tension, will not shut up about being cursed to live as an immortal corpse, rambles a lot, weirdly big on manners, extemely attracted to morticia addams (like. almost too much)

vaguely old immortal: always has at least the top three buttons of their shirt undone, likes muted colors, likes soft makeup but doesn’t wear it a lot, uses weird turns of phrase or speaks poeticly, closed off (especially about their past), long nails for piercing the skin of those they feed on, wears a locket, stares off into space a lot, has called you a random name like “willamette” at least once, bad with technology, always making things unnecessarily philosophical, hasn’t had a haircut in at least a decade, bisexual

2000s bloodsucker: dark hair, emo and/or goth, whiny, dresses exclusively in black and gray, wears a ton of smeared black eyeshadow or no makeup at all (there is no in between), listens to either screamo or stuff like creature feature, big on layers, broods in the shadows, sleeps in a coffin, will throw rocks at your window at night to get your attention, shows off fangs at every opportunity, says a spooky catchphrase before drinking your blood

modern heartthrob vamp: piercing eyes, everything about their look is sharp and clean except their hair which is always messy, sort of preppy, plays a lot of instruments, well-liked but quiet, polite, would walk you home at night if you didn’t feel safe, never kills when they feed, does the single drip of blood falling down their chin thing, really into math or literature, knows a lot of random facts, can work an antique sewing machine as well as a smartphone, cries at sad movies, likes the rain

stressed new turn: anxious, usually confused or lost, disheveled, makes a big mess when they bite someone, has spent at least a week wandering the woods, has lots of cinematic “what have I become” moments while staring into the bathroom mirror, listens to keaton henson and daughter, has been wearing the same outfit for five days, always has a headache, messed up sleep schedule, dissociates, reads books about vampires at the library but is too embarrassed to check any out, existential guilt, secretly wishes they could apprentice with an older vampire, androgynous

goblin vamp: chaotic, shaved head or uncommon hairstyle, never tries to be discreet about being a vampire, likes parties/raves/concerts, drinks bloodbags like Kool-Aid jammers, dresses tacky, loves garlic bread, most likely has shitty stick n poke tattoos, thinks all vampire movies are hilarious, takes selfies in graveyards, trespasses a lot (especially into abandoned buildings), impulsive n reckless, either has a vulture culture blog or a punk aesthetic blog, listens to peppy indie music while feeding, very gay

reverse goth vamp: hair dyed bleach blonde, very friendly and talkative, loves animals, will babysit for you like whenever, likes hawaiian shirts and shorts, favors light and bright colors, surfer aesthetic, vampire positivity, wears a ton of sun screen and big floppy hats so they can go out in the sun, pours blood on snow cones, only drinks from volunteers/blood doners, likes swimming, probably has SAD, loves cartoons (especially fun cartoons about monsters like Ruby Gloom), into pop or upbeat acoustic music, longboards or rollerblades, wears pronoun pins

vampire that everyone thinks is a werewolf: is a jock but only plays indoor sports, fairly hairy, all dogs love them, can drive, either wear their hair in a ponytail or down and unbrushed, cute smile, doesn’t like wearing makeup or dressing up, sweats or athleisure, good at party games, has gotten “yo dude I dare you to drink my blood” more than once, has accidentally gotten alcohol posioning from drinking too much drunk blood, goes out for runs at night, loves sleeping in, hunk/bear or butch

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