As a female in her mid 30s. I love being choked. Have since as far back as I can remember. I didn't open up about until my late 20s and with someone I really trusted. The more we played the more I liked it. Each time taking it further and further.
There is a difference between light play choking and strangulation. My personal kink started out as light play choking. Until one day I went from standing with a belt around my neck to sitting on the floor several feet away from where I was at. My body was twitchy, every sense I have was heightened to the max. It was to me, the very best feeling in the world. Once it goes that far your body naturally releases all kinds of chemicals at the same time, and whoa. I don't think there is a drug on this planet that could make me feel that way. Then there is the Depersonalization right before passing out that is on the verge of being a out of body experience.
That is where the safety issue comes into play when you take it that far. If your partner is there, they can not use a safe word, they can not give you a signal. No matter what you think, or they think. It is not humanly possible. It is the equivalent of being roofied (which I unfortunately know about firsthand). Nobody should ever really take it that far though. I trust my partner not to kill me but it could still happen. That was how I went out the first time. I wanted to stop it but I couldn't. Then just as quick as it started it was over.Although I may just be a bit groggy for a little while afterwards and I generally feel just fine. But who is to say there isn't unknown long term effects down the road.
In essence, Even with what I like I still don't think people should do it past just light play choking. That may sound like hypocrisy. But there are times I thought I may die. Once he thought I was stuck between being unconscious and consciousness. It can go bad really quick and without warning, while everyone is being as safe as possible. NOBODY should be doing it without reading valid research on the effects it can have.