ASMR - Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

Let's talk about ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) here, so the happy and cheerful thread won't be saturated with it, because it seems to be a topic with various opinions on what it really means.

Someone was going to make a thread like this, but they had to go, so I made it for them. :P

I usually feel amazing sensations when listening to music with nice and smooth beats to them, and if I watch an animated music video, if the person who made the video syncs it well, I could just repeat the video with the song over and over until I can't take it anymore.

What are your thoughts and experiences? Do you believe ASMR is a valid term for the sensation tingling from head to spine?

Let's discuss here.

ASMR, although a dubious a naming, is not really that fluid a thing. Some people experience it, some people don't. I can't remember ever not experiencing it.

Also, judging from what you're saying, you are not experiencing ASMR, but frisson.

Personally I get ASMR sensations from watching people do things meticulously, such as drawing something very slowly, constructing something delicate or giving a massage. Also get it from massages and generally people lightly touching me. It's an incredibly hard to describe sensation, 'tingling of the scalp/brain' really is the best way.
Very specific sounds can also do it for me. Here is an interesting video that works for some people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6zVF...feature=relmfu

Actually watch it, don't just listen. Use headphones. Focus on the video and the video only. Turn down the volume a little bit if it's too loud.

edit: And ASMR generally, it's an interesting thing. It's not scientifically explored in any way, which suggests it's new or rare, possibly both.

Come to think of it, I wonder how ASMR mixes with lucid dreams. That should be my goal.

Is ASMR this weird relaxed feeling in ones head?

This is probably the best article I've read on it.

ASMR: What is This Tingling Sensation in my Head?

But keep in mind, the "ASMR" name is kind of weird. Most people want to do away with it, but it's just kind of stuck.

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Originally Posted by Linkzelda

Someone was going to make a thread like this, but they had to go, so I made it for them. :P

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That was me :P

Anyway... i don't seem to get ASMR from watching a video of something done meticulous... I only seem to get it from certain songs, sounds and i can also induce it myself... but that's weaker than when it's induced by an external factor. But the longer i induce it myself, the more powerful it gets.

I haven't really tried it with whispering, but maybe that would work too... i have some blurry memories like that... but i doubt that a video would do it for me. I guess it would work out if that whispering would be in real life. Maybe even the meticulous activities would affect me in real life.

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Originally Posted by Marvo

Come to think of it, I wonder how ASMR mixes with lucid dreams. That should be my goal.

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Read my latest DJ entry, i tried it yesterday :)
Althrough i didn't describe it too much, so if you want to ask something about it, just feel free to :)

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Originally Posted by littlezoe

That was me :P

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Of course I knew it was you, I just don't like calling people out like that when making a new thread, since it'll be stuck in the forums for years for other people to see later on. :P

As for the whispering, I think I should look up on that, I think Wolfwood likes the thought of someone whispering, even if he doesn't know what they're saying (correct me if I'm wrong Wolfwood). :P

But again, with what Marvo said with Frisson, it could be just that instead.

I believe whispering can lead to both frisson and ASMR. In a few rare casses, I get ASMR from whispering, though most of the time I just find it creepy. More so with girl whispering than guy whispering.

I get it from certain triggers and a lot of the time I can induce it in myself. I get it sometimes from really good music, from getting my hair shaved, and from chewing on ice. To trigger it on my own, I have to concentrate on the base of my neck/head in an odd manner, I cannot really explain it. It basically makes my head and spine tingle, sometimes gives me goosebumps, and in general kind of feels like I'm having a head orgasm. I experience it quite a lot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy1N4qv7790
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcPoXFVV44c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8_KYo_s4AI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpuZ4eDenWI

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Originally Posted by Linkzelda

Of course I knew it was you, I just don't like calling people out like that when making a new thread, since it'll be stuck in the forums for years for other people to see later on. :P

As for the whispering, I think I should look up on that, I think Wolfwood likes the thought of someone whispering, even if he doesn't know what they're saying (correct me if I'm wrong Wolfwood). :P

But again, with what Marvo said with Frisson, it could be just that instead.

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Yep - I don't have to understand the words. I think the common underlying aspect in most triggers is that you're absorbed or concentrating on what's going on. It is difficult to separate the two in description.... until you feel it, then it's obvious. ^_^

Watching someone do something meticulous, having my hair cut, and women whispering does it to me.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXEzxaBJVD0

She sums up the difference between ASMR and Frisson....in an ASMR-triggering way. ^_^ And yeah, mirror-touch synaesthesia is related to ASMR as it allows what you observe to be felt on yourself, e.g., massages, haircuts, make-up application etc in videos.

I get it too, though not as strongly as some others seem to. I like whisper videos and some with people doing quiet things, but I haven't pinned down a specific trigger for those, besides maybe sliding sounds.

I also get a weird feeling in the base of my neck when I listen to something with sounds that move between left and right. Certain music does it. It goes along with the head feeling, but in mostly that one spot, and stronger. Like with this, even though I don't understand it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaCq4ocY0g4

I've also been falling asleep to WhisperCrystal a lot lately, haha.

I think I should try that out when doing a WBTB...I'm biting my lip just listening to her whisper.

That would definitely be worth a try. I used this once doing a WBTB:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz99QvWup20

Some people find this stuff creepy, but I think it's nice. This one just has rain sounds for a while at the end. At one point when I was trying, the rain suddenly sounded really distant, and I felt like a wave was slowly washing over me. I ended up not being tired enough to fall asleep, though.

A long time ago I found this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flw80lPoa5Y

It was the first ASMR inducing video I ever found. I think I watched it like 10 times. Probably 6 years ago or so. It was before YouTube I believe.

edit: before YouTube got big, that is.

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Originally Posted by snoop

I get it from certain triggers and a lot of the time I can induce it in myself. I get it sometimes from really good music, from getting my hair shaved, and from chewing on ice. To trigger it on my own, I have to concentrate on the base of my neck/head in an odd manner, I cannot really explain it. It basically makes my head and spine tingle, sometimes gives me goosebumps, and in general kind of feels like I'm having a head orgasm. I experience it quite a lot.

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Good to see that i'm not alone with being able to induce it myself :)

I focus more on my spine when inducing it, then the feeling just goes down from my head through my spine. If i keep doing it, it gets more and more powerful and my whole head starts to be dizzy and the feeling gets even to my toes... It goes all over my body... now that's awesome when it goes that well :D

I'm not sure if it's like that for you too, but if i do it for too long, i feel like i run out of battery after a while and i can't do it anymore for a while... so i have to rest if i want it again.

Also... i can only induce it when i'm staying still (and preferably sitting). If i move i just can't do it. Closing my eyes also help, because it helps focusing on the feeling more and not my environment :)

Wolfwood was the one who told me I experienced ASMR in some thread long ago.

Instead of tingling from the head to the spine, I would say my head tightens a little and I start getting a little muffled. Although I'm still conscious, I can slip out of consciousness any time I want. I think I got something close to an ASMR once when I had a curry too spicy and my head couldn't think.

And ASMR is related to some sexual feelings if I'm not wrong.

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Originally Posted by Carrot

Wolfwood was the one who told me I experienced ASMR in some thread long ago.

Instead of tingling from the head to the spine, I would say my head tightens a little and I start getting a little muffled. Although I'm still conscious, I can slip out of consciousness any time I want. I think I got something close to an ASMR once when I had a curry too spicy and my head couldn't think.

And ASMR is related to some sexual feelings if I'm not wrong.

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To me it's completely non-sexual.

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Originally Posted by Marvo

To me it's completely non-sexual.

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Same.

I think Carrot mixed this up with something else.

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Originally Posted by littlezoe

Same.

I think Carrot mixed this up with something else.

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Let's wait for Wolfwood to clarify, he's the expert. But some of the videos are killing me. The zen garden was over-exaggerating.

Edit: I've checked it up, ASMR doesn't contain sexual feeling. Maybe because the girl in the video is cute. :P So does ASMR put people in a daze? Because after listening to all those, even a Pokemon music makes my head feels light now.

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Originally Posted by Kitties

I get it too, though not as strongly as some others seem to. I like whisper videos and some with people doing quiet things, but I haven't pinned down a specific trigger for those, besides maybe sliding sounds.

I also get a weird feeling in the base of my neck when I listen to something with sounds that move between left and right. Certain music does it. It goes along with the head feeling, but in mostly that one spot, and stronger. Like with this, even though I don't understand it:

I've also been falling asleep to WhisperCrystal a lot lately, haha.

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WhisperCrystal is great, isn't she? I like the peculiarities in her voice and pronunciation. Does it well for me. In one video, she said: 'Pink bubblegum'. Had that replaying for ages. >.<

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Originally Posted by Carrot

Let's wait for Wolfwood to clarify, he's the expert. But some of the videos are killing me. The zen garden was over-exaggerating.

Edit: I've checked it up, ASMR doesn't contain sexual feeling. Maybe because the girl in the video is cute. :P So does ASMR put people in a daze? Because after listening to all those, even a Pokemon music makes my head feels light now.

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*door slams open, and the crowd roars....as Wolfwood -- the expert -- enters* :roll: lol @ suddenly being appointed the expert.

In itself alone, it's very sensual (like back/head massages), and so non-sexual -- especially when induced from videos. However, in real-life, it can be a precursor to sexual tension when induced by the right person, for it brings you 'closer' to the person causing it. You feel hypnotized by them; under their spell. I've had ASMR from a casual head massage by a uni friend.... let's just say it made me see her in a whole new way. ^_^

So, the feeling in itself is non-sexual, for sure. But, it certainly has the potential as a catalyst to sexual feelings.

I first got it years ago watching an old lady meticulously put library books on a shelf -- I couldn't help but just stare at her, stuck in this zone of fizziness. Though it made me 'like' her... it didn't in a sexual way.

Any level of mirror-touch synaesthesia will greatly enhance the realism when watching videos of massages, hair cuts, make-up application. I think this is why some people don't 'get it' when watching 'person touching' videos (but they do from having it done in real life).... for their level of mirror neuron activation is minimal. And just a note: those with mirror-touch synaesthesia tend to have higher empathy scores than those who don't (literally feeling the pain or pleasure of others).

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Originally Posted by Wolfwood

when induced by the right person, for it brings you 'closer' to the person causing it. You feel hypnotized by them; under their spell. I've had ASMR from a casual head massage by a uni friend.... let's just say it made me see her in a whole new way. ^_^

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That's exactly my problem with these videos. They are non-personal at all... they don't make me feel anything other than that a random person is talking to a camera... o.o

Well, it doesn't matter if you can self-induce, right? :D

But yeah, that's where people differ when watching those videos: some can make the video feel real, and others can't derive anything from it -- they need it to be real. That's where mirror neurons come in.

Haha true.

For some reason i find it hard to induce right now as i write this... I'm not sure what causes this but sometimes it takes more effort than at other times... Maybe i'm not relaxed enough or something... hmm...

Most people who self-induce derive it from meditation; that euphoria and bliss. So, I'd assume you're not currently relaxed enough, yeah. Do you meditate at all? And are you susceptible to hypnosis?

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Originally Posted by Wolfwood

Most people who self-induce derive it from meditation; that euphoria and bliss. So, I'd assume you're not currently relaxed enough, yeah. Do you meditate at all? And are you susceptible to hypnosis?

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Hmm.. interesting. I don't meditate. I planned it since long, but i never get around it.

Most of the time when i induce ASMR i'm just sitting somewhere, close my eyes and it just happens almost instantly... then when it goes better i can keep doing it for a while and i feel the waves going all over my body. It's surely euphoric.
These times i don't do any preparation, i just close my eyes and do it instantly.

As for hypnosis, i have no experiences about that :)

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Originally Posted by Wolfwood

But yeah, that's where people differ when watching those videos: some can make the video feel real, and others can't derive anything from it -- they need it to be real. That's where mirror neurons come in.

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I just have a thought. Does mirror neurons help in feeling the emotional pain or happiness of someone else?

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Originally Posted by littlezoe

Hmm.. interesting. I don't meditate. I planned it since long, but i never get around it.

Most of the time when i induce ASMR i'm just sitting somewhere, close my eyes and it just happens almost instantly... then when it goes better i can keep doing it for a while and i feel the waves going all over my body. It's surely euphoric.
These times i don't do any preparation, i just close my eyes and do it instantly.

As for hypnosis, i have no experiences about that :)

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You should try meditation, you might have an advantageous disposition to it, i.e., you can relax easily.

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Originally Posted by Carrot

I just have a thought. Does mirror neurons help in feeling the emotional pain or happiness of someone else?

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That depends.

If someone is happy and it can be visibly perceived on their face or body, then you, too, can share that feeling through mirror neuron feedback. Especially when you understand their situation, e.g., what caused it. This applies to any feeling you can directly, visually perceive in someone.

However, if you're referring to feeling someone's happiness or sadness without any visual stimulation or through direct, traditional perception, then you're speaking of 'Empaths'..... :P That's metaphysical. When it comes to that, I remain silent. ^_^

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Originally Posted by Wolfwood

You should try meditation, you might have an advantageous disposition to it, i.e., you can relax easily.

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Hmm now that you say it might be a really good idea. Maybe once i get to a really relaxed state of meditation, i could keep inducing ASMR for a lot longer than usually... maybe it would be even stronger if i'm focused enough because of the meditation... :)

The interesting thing is that inducing ASMR also helps me with inducing Sleep Paralysis. Even before i knew how ASMR is called i used it for inducing SP when i woke up from a dream and didn't move. Just focusing (the same way as i do when inducing ASMR) caused me to enter SP instantly.
Around 3-4 times i kept doing it while already being in SP, which made the tingling feeling more and more powerful... then after a while i felt some kind of pain too... but it was enjoyable for some reason.
You know... it's hard to explain, but it was like i was floating in an endless void and something was about to crush me from all possible directions... but yet it felt good.

Once it was over, i got a little headache, but that experience was worth it :)

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Originally Posted by littlezoe

Hmm now that you say it might be a really good idea. Maybe once i get to a really relaxed state of meditation, i could keep inducing ASMR for a lot longer than usually... maybe it would be even stronger if i'm focused enough because of the meditation... :)

The interesting thing is that inducing ASMR also helps me with inducing Sleep Paralysis. Even before i knew how ASMR is called i used it for inducing SP when i woke up from a dream and didn't move. Just focusing (the same way as i do when inducing ASMR) caused me to enter SP instantly.
Around 3-4 times i kept doing it while already being in SP, which made the tingling feeling more and more powerful... then after a while i felt some kind of pain too... but it was enjoyable for some reason.
You know... it's hard to explain, but it was like i was floating in an endless void and something was about to crush me from all possible directions... but yet it felt good.

Once it was over, i got a little headache, but that experience was worth it :)

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Sounds promising then. I was just about to point out the obvious advantage of practicing meditation and inducing lucid dreams -- increased concentration means increased stability and clarity. Given the dreamworld is constructed from your thoughts, then it naturally follows that the more erratic those thoughts are, the more erratic and unstable the dream and its contents become.

And inducing sleep paralysis depends on a level of 'relaxed concentration' and visualisation ability -- both of which are cultivated in meditation. Be interested to know how you get on with it, given your natural 'skill points' in it already.

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Originally Posted by littlezoe

Good to see that i'm not alone with being able to induce it myself :)

I focus more on my spine when inducing it, then the feeling just goes down from my head through my spine. If i keep doing it, it gets more and more powerful and my whole head starts to be dizzy and the feeling gets even to my toes... It goes all over my body... now that's awesome when it goes that well :D

I'm not sure if it's like that for you too, but if i do it for too long, i feel like i run out of battery after a while and i can't do it anymore for a while... so i have to rest if i want it again.

Also... i can only induce it when i'm staying still (and preferably sitting). If i move i just can't do it. Closing my eyes also help, because it helps focusing on the feeling more and not my environment :)

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I feel exactly the same as the bold, I even feel like if I do it often enough in a row it loses it's potency before I'm unable to do it again, like it'll still work but feel weaker. I feel I get it a lot more if I'm on some sort of stimulant. I'm a self proclaimed caffeine addict, I usually take in ~400-900 mg of caffeine a day. It works if I don't have caffeine too, but it's like a thousand times easier with it and happens a lot more on it's own without my trying.

You guys are strange, I have no idea what you're talking about. >.>

Watch some of the videos, and see what you get. ^_^

This version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star gives me serious ASMR :cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRXQsQKGqIU

You're sick.

:P

Here you go, you may like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yguDnFiKpk

Haha yeah, i always liked their voice ^^

I think this creepy singing works well for me :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nTZ0w-NVm4

Holy shit

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Originally Posted by Kitties

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nTZ0w-NVm4

Holy shit

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Huh, this was surprisingly good. It's almost like you can feel the whispers, which is a big part of it.

Seems like I have Synaesthesia...? I thought everyone gave colors to days and numbers, don't they? And certain shapes with colors tend to give me a pleasant taste in my mouth, espeially circles. Like in that last ASMR video.

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Originally Posted by Kitties

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nTZ0w-NVm4

Holy shit

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With headphones on.... :shock:

That does nothing to me :(

Yeah, well you like twisted children voices. Anddd you can do it yourself... O_O

So you say it would be unfair if that would do it too? lol.

Exactly that! :D *jealous*

Holy s@#% I now know why people actively search for these videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKGIe_WR0O4&feature=player_embedded#!

I'm not sure if this is the same as what you guys are talking about but here goes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuA9FoUpgoE

That whine at the start, sounds like that make me shiver (it looks more like a minor seizure) and I experience a few moments of orgasmic bliss. Occasionally I'll end up dfdfsadg. :P For that very reason, I have a playlist full of certain songs that I never listen to unless I'm home alone or in my room while everyone else is asleep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA4jpq8Q128

The lilting of the saxophone (?) at 2:45 - 3:00 would be another example of what I described above.

A downtempo tune with a rolling bass and a sax or trumpet also puts me in a heavy haze. After a while the muscles in my throat tighten to the point where speaking becomes difficult, my eyes water, and my face swells up a bit. My eyes eventually start to droop and get a little puffy and squinty. I think it mainly has to do with blood rushing through the veins.

I didn't know this was an actual "thing," I just thought I was weird. :P

I find it interesting that so many people have this triggered by music and whispers. None of those videos do anything for me. The only time anything happens while I listen to music is if a particular part of the song is flat out fucking amazing, and the tingling comes due to very subtle conscious effort. I experience how good the song is, and at the same time I make it more. It's a very difficult concept to explain. The only ASMR I get as a result of an external trigger is if I am getting my hair buzzed off or sometimes if I run my hands through my hair (they're nearly the same cause). Otherwise I internally trigger it myself. Though, I do remember as a child that I experienced this phenomenon, but it was entirely at random--it was never caused by anything. I tried explaining it to people but they told me I was just having chills, but it's distinctly different. I couldn't argue with them though, I didn't even know what it was myself.

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Originally Posted by snoop

I find it interesting that so many people have this triggered by music and whispers. None of those videos do anything for me. The only time anything happens while I listen to music is if a particular part of the song is flat out fucking amazing, and the tingling comes due to very subtle conscious effort. I experience how good the song is, and at the same time I make it more. It's a very difficult concept to explain.

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Actually, i fully understood that :P It happens the same way for me too ^^

I used to get these alot when I was younger. Mine could be triggered by a a really great song, though the whispering part never happened to me. I don't know if this has happened to anyone else, but I used to get it sometimes whenever I had a really exciting thought. I always chalked up to some kind of weird sporadic chill. I never knew there was a name for this; interesting. I also want to point out that the only thing now that gives me that feeling is the sound of styrofoam. Yikes!:armflap:

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Originally Posted by snoop

I find it interesting that so many people have this triggered by music and whispers. None of those videos do anything for me.

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Me either. The video I just posted only works on the part where she's scratching the microphones. You need both headphones on otherwise it didn't do much.

And yeah, I sort of have to give the subtle conscious effort too. In fact I can do it by just using my mind.

Can't remember whether I posted this before, but here is an explanation.

People who become euphoric over music unleash dopamine, a brain chemical that also induces the sense of reward that comes from food, psychoactive drugs and money, a new study says. McGill University researchers in Montreal, Canada, recruited eight volunteers aged 19-24 among 217 people who responded to advertisements requesting people who experienced ‘chills’ - a marker of extreme pleasure - when listening to music.
After careful selection, the volunteers were put into a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, which is able to spot a tagged chemical, raclopride, that works on dopamine receptors in brain cells.
Neutral music leaves listeners emotionally cold
They were also wired up to sensors that measured them for heartbeat, respiration, temperature and skin conductance.
Listening to their favourite piece of spine-tingling music, the volunteers showed a rush of physical activity and also unlocked a release of dopamine in the striatum area of the brain. The effect occurred even in anticipation, before the ‘chill’ peak occurred.
But no such dopamine surge was seen when the volunteers listened to neutral music which, previous tests showed, was known to leave them emotionally cold.
Discovering music’s exclusive appeal
Seeking to find out more, the scientists then put the volunteers in a frequency magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner, which highlights flows of blood in the head, thus showing which part of the brain is being activated.
A part of the striatum known as the caudate was involved during the anticipation phase. But during the peak emotional response, a different striatum area known as the nucleus accumbens was involved.
The results shed light on the exclusive regard that humans have for music, say the researchers.

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/3...same-chemicals

And I find this bit extremely interesting:
One possible explanation for this is because of the emotions invoked by music - "expectations, delay, tension, resolution, prediction, surprise and anticipation," among others.

Maybe we just love music so much because it contains those elements. And the reason we listen to it so much is it's readily available.
I remember going to a play last year, and I felt that surge far more powerfully than most of the times I'm listening to my favourite music.
And plays definitely have all those elements.

As another aside, it also sort of reminds me of the relief you get after you carry out an OCD thing.

I don't think you're experiencing ASMR. It sounds a lot more like frisson to me, or some other thing.

I'm saying this, because ASMR is nothing like getting chills. It's an extremely distinct sensation.

You still get sensations in your spine/neck.

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Originally Posted by tommo

You still get sensations in your spine/neck.

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Well that, but also the back of the head, a little above the neck. That's where the sensation is the most pronounced for me, and from what I've read, a lot of other people.
Could be that we are simply confusing each other, the greatest challenge in this stuff is to put proper words on what we are trying to explain.

But basically, music is very rarely an ASMR trigger, so your music explanation is kind of pointless here. ASMR is not an emotional sensation, it's physical.

edit: watch this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7VJ4lP-05A

This will cause a reaction in you, most likely. This is called frisson.

Love that game. Didn't get it from that though. I do get it from Sigur Ros.

The reason I use that study is that I think ASMR is just a dopamine surge.
I get the same feeling which people would think is the chill/shiver thing if I described it, but it's not. I also get it if I hold off on doing an OCD ritual and then do it. And OCD is connected to dopamine as well. And since all of those feel the same as when listening to some ASMR videos....
It's pleasurable and doesn't make me shiver, it's more a constant thing rather than tingly.

You say it's not emotional though, which makes me wonder if you're just experiencing the chills. Everyone else says they feel pleasure from it.

I agree though, no one seems to be able to explain it very accurately, which makes it hard to pin down.

When I say "not emotional", I mean I don't feel sad or happy from it directly, it's just a pleasurable feeling. Obviously that makes me happy, or well, satisfied, but the feeling itself does not feel connected to any emotions in my opinion.

"Let's talk about [long biology acronym]."

(does not define acronym in first post)

gj, OP.

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Originally Posted by Abra

"Let's talk about [long biology acronym]."

(does not define acronym in first post)

gj, OP.

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You can't really set out a definition for said long acronym, especially when people are clustered fucked how it actually feels like.

Lulz

Ambiguity for the win!

Sorry if I made you type a long acronym. :c

EDIT:

WHY ARE YOU GIVING OP credit instead of me on a job well done!!?

(Omnis, you are a genius).

General post.

Where you feel the tingles is unimportant, the question is: how does it make you feel?

It should be highly parasympathetic.... you feel relaxed and zombiefied, trance-like. If you feel excited or motivated in any way, then it's indicative of sympathetic nervous system activation... and so isn't ASMR (more likely to be frission or cold/fear shivers etc).

In fact, if you've experienced ASMR, you'll be able to easily distinguish between three sensations: frisson, ASMR, and the shiver feeling from cold or fear. All very clearly different -- if you can't notice a distinct difference, then obviously you've not experienced ASMR. Simple really.

Excited (sympathetic) = not ASMR (typically from epic music and epic battles; intense moments and anticipation).
Relaxed (parasympathetic) = ASMR (typically from meticulous stuff or what some may even consider boring).

As you can see, they're functionally disparate.

Frisson is the cold chills/tingly spine feeling. At least according to wikipedia.

Yeah, I meant shivering, which is different to frisson.

"Frisson..... unlike shivering, however, it is not caused by temperature, menopause, or anxiety but rather is an emotionally triggered response when one is deeply affected by things such as music,[2] speech[3] or recollection."

Whether there's much difference between those two isn't particularly important. The important point is that relaxed (parasympathetic) = ASMR, and excited (sympathetic) = not ASMR. Both frisson (excited) and ASMR (relaxed) are great, but very different.

A lot of the ASMR video watchers have insomnia or sleep issues and use those videos to help induce sleep through relaxation. Contrast that with listening to your favourite epic music... the last thing you want to do is sleep; the response is exciting and empowering. Though both result in what you'd call a tingling sensation, each sensation feels qualitatively different to the other, and each accompanies a different resulting state (relaxed/tired/trance-like or excited/motivated/empowered).

Heh, I'm repeating myself as usual. But you get the gist.

Alright, I know what ASMR is. I feel it for a full 30 minutes whenever I get a haircut. Or when someone else brushes my hair (sadly, a rare occurrence these days), or gives me a back massage (a much more common one. :3).

And, well, some music (good n' swelly classical). But it's usually not as intense or reliable as the physical contact triggers.

30 minutes? Good jesus, lasts at most 10 to 20 seconds for me

See, during a haircut would be frisson. I don't care about this topic too much.
But no one here knows what the fuck anyone is actually talking about. Which does make this seem a little pointless.

lol, true enough. It's one of those things that once you've experienced you're certain of it. It's almost like trying to discuss qualia.

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Originally Posted by tommo

See, during a haircut would be frisson. I don't care about this topic too much.
But no one here knows what the fuck anyone is actually talking about. Which does make this seem a little pointless.

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Haircut isn't always frisson. People touching my hair is an ASMR trigger for me, just like massages are.

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Originally Posted by Marvo

Haircut isn't always frisson. People touching my hair is an ASMR trigger for me, just like massages are.

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Yeah I'm p. sure it's not frission. It's not a spine tingle at all. Or cold chills.

Of course, it would've been neat if all these terms were defined in the first post or something, so we wouldn't have to google a term that's fresh on the lexicon (seriously, the second link is "know your meme") and still being researched/scientifically defined.

I really hope some scientists will pick up on ASMR and do some research. Would be nice with a guy like LaBerge.

This is all so extremely interesting but even more confusing to me.
I thought such shivers were common for everyone. I've always thought of them as either a physical or emotional reaction to some external stimuli. I get them frequently so I must be experiencing something very different.

Getting my hair cut or people lightly touching certain spots on my body (shoulders in particular) trigger massive shivers. I've always thought that's a physical response to the movement. The body has lots of tiny hairs that are extremely sensitive. Moving them gently could change your perception of temperature etc (?) which causes the shiver?
I get massive "goosebumps" (which start at the base of my neck it seems) while listening to certain sounds or music. I've always written it off as an emotional reaction.

Watching people do things does absolutely nothing for me. BUT, I thought it was extremely interesting that when I watched the video of the person tracing shapes with the sharpie, I SMELLED the sharpie. But as soon as I noticed, it went away. I'm not aware of that ever having happening (happened?) before.

Thank you, Wolfwood for further breaking it down. Most of the time, the shivers invigorate me. Not physically though, it's more a creative or spiritual awakening sort of feeling. Other tingles though (like hair cuts) relax me immensely. I just wrote it off as being a relaxing and pleasurable activity.

Whispers drive me insane. I could barely tolerate those videos. But some of them would give me the beginnings of a tingle (a slight tightening sort of feeling that dies there), but I wrote that off on the sensual nature of the speech.

So, I asked my son, my hubby and his daughter if they get prolonged goosebumps from watching activities or from music. They looked at me like I was crazy and my hubby said "I call BS" :crackle: My son says he gets them a little but usually only if some intense music is accompanied by something visual. My step-daughter admitted the same.

That's very curious to me. I thought it was common among everyone lol.

As for bringing them on without help. I can rarely. But it makes me sad. The physically triggered ones depress me as well. They make me feel lonely so I usually avoid them and pretty much all touch.

I'm also curious about the "mirrors" mentioned. Doesn't everyone feel the emotions of other people to one degree or another? But isn't it just a matter of reading body language and micro-expressions?

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Originally Posted by Marvo

I really hope some scientists will pick up on ASMR and do some research. Would be nice with a guy like LaBerge.

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Nah, if LaBerge picked up research again, it'd probably be more dream sex stuff.

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Originally Posted by Stephen LaBerge

Mmm, sleep paralysis erectionssss...

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Originally Posted by Abra

Nah, if LaBerge picked up research again, it'd probably be more dream sex stuff.

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Haha, by LaBerge I simply meant a guy who sees past all the occult and paranormal stuff, and simply focuses on what is real.

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Originally Posted by Marvo

Haha, by LaBerge I simply meant a guy who sees past all the occult and paranormal stuff, and simply focuses on what is real.

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I know. I was purposely misinterpreting you, dear. ´･ω･`

Anyone got an EEG in their shed/loft? :P

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Originally Posted by Zhaylin

Watching people do things does absolutely nothing for me. BUT, I thought it was extremely interesting that when I watched the video of the person tracing shapes with the sharpie, I SMELLED the sharpie. But as soon as I noticed, it went away. I'm not aware of that ever having happening (happened?) before.

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Visual stimuli evoking an olfactory response = synaesthesia. ^_^

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Originally Posted by Wolfwood

Anyone got an EEG in their shed/loft? :P





Visual stimuli evoking an olfactory response = synaesthesia. ^_^

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Not really.

Bumping this thread, since ASMR seems to become more popular for each passing day. There's an article on Wikipedia now, although it's not particularly great. I hope it won't take decades for science to investigate this phenomenon, like with synaesthesia.

Your an emotional being. I've had this happen also, where you just kind of bliss out and feel real good while listening to music. The physical sensations your getting means your actually "feeling the music". One of the perks of being able to "feel" and being real


This is a natural human response to feel good when listening to music. Relax and enjoy :D


It's not just music you can feel either..you can actually feel another human beings energy also.

I feel blissed out just sitting here lol

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Originally Posted by Majestic

Your an emotional being. I've had this happen also, where you just kind of bliss out and feel real good while listening to music. The physical sensations your getting means your actually "feeling the music". One of the perks of being able to "feel" and being real


This is a natural human response to feel good when listening to music. Relax and enjoy :D


It's not just music you can feel either..you can actually feel another human beings energy also.

I feel blissed out just sitting here lol

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The majority of people who report experiencing ASMR, do not get it while listening to music. That's called frisson.