I Wish I Could Faint

Okay, actually I am still not convinced that anybody can do this. I know that people faint when they have had severe blood loss. And I know they faint from heatstroke which I gather is what afflicted all overdressed Southern ladies back then. And I know that some weirdos faint when they see blood or some other phobia-specific thing.

But does anyone ever get so emotionally overwhelmed that they just pass out? That would be so handy. You would be able to escape from embarassing, uncomfortable, or just awful situations, and receive sympathy for doing so. When somebody is scolding you or you have done something humiliating, the *only* correct response is to faint. And that is just not an option open to me, as far as I can tell.

Is there anything you can do to make yourself faint? Hyperventilate? Hold your breath? I don't think either of those would really work. I wish I could faint.