Need some opinions on drowning as a method

[MrWebBrowser]

I can't swim, and I live in a city of open water. Let's assume I don't care all that much about pain: how good is this method?

I'm considering it purely because I can't swim, and thus, can't back out of it. Bonus points if I hit my head on a rock mid-backflip into the bay.

My main concerns are with what happens after. I intend to do it at night, but how long does drowning take to be impossible to come back from? There are still people watching the water sometimes, even at night. And do I need to worry about floating? I weigh a good 260 pounds.

 

[HNR_]

Heard that it takes a while and it's extremely painful to the point that it's highly inadvised to go for that method

 

[burninghill]

Not just painful but also incredibly stressful and just downright horrible in my opinion to put it bluntly. This would be my absolute last resort unless it involves jumping off a bridge into the water and being unconscious.

 

[pluvio]

Just got this from skimming Wikipedia, so take it with a heavy grain of salt.

People who can't swim typically struggle on the surface for 20-60 seconds before submerging. Once submerged, you reflexively hold your breath until you start taking on water, and then esophagus spasms force water out. Can't find a good number but I'd guess this takes ~4 minutes before you lose consciousness. After this, it'll take about 6 minutes of no oxygen to undergo brain death. The whole process will be even longer if you are in cold water.

The others are right, it will be a torturous experience that will feel even longer because of intense panic. Not to mention that if you are rescued before that 6 minute window, there's a good chance of surviving with brain damage.

 

[MrWebBrowser]

I appreciate the insight, y'all. I checked the resource megathread and read some other posts about drowning too.

it's uh, not my first choice now. Might try something at home first, but hey, push comes to shove I'm okay with the stress so long as it gets the job done.

 

[BradGuy123]

I think that drowning would involve a lot of panic. I don't think it would be a peaceful way to go.