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ASMR - Do you experience it?


deboratibi

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I've thought about making this thread a few times and gave up because I was kind of shy, for this is a topic that is often misunderstood.

But now I feel like giving it a shot:

 

Have you ever heard of ASMR? Do you experience it?

 

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It's often described as a tingly sensation you get at the back of your head/down your spine/your limbs/etc when trigged by relaxing sounds, such as a whisper or soft speaking voice, soft tapping sounds, crinkly sounds, and so on. The number of possible triggers are endless and each person has different triggers. For most people, it is NOT sexual.

 

I won't get into the history and scientific aspects of ASMR, because I don't know much anyway, but what I can say is that it's a relatively new thing (well, not the thing in itself, but the whole discussion, community, etc) and therefore there isn't any research to support it's existence or explain it. But thousands of people do have these very similar experiences, and there is a whole community on youtube, where people make videos in order to trigger this feeling. These videos usually feature someone whispering or speaking in a soft voice, and deliberately making sounds that would otherwise be considered ordinary and boring, such as tapping their nails on a hard surface, playing around with paper, plastic, sand, coffee beans, anything really... And there are also roleplays, where people pretend to give you a hair cut or to give you a cranial nerve exam. For those who don't experience ASMR and/or are unfamiliar with the community will usually find these videos creepy and uncomfortable to watch. But for those who do, these videos are very relaxing and are often used to deal with anxiety and insomnia.

 

Anyway, I could go on and on about it, but I think this will suffice for now. If you're confused, try these links:

 

http://www.asmrlab.com/

Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_sensory_meridian_response

http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/asmr/

 

Or just ask, and I'll try my best to answer!

 

 

I was hoping to find other people who experience ASMR here on the forums :)

 

 

Also, there is a research project going on, and they have a survey up for anyone to answer! So even if you don't experience ASMR, your input will be helpful.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ASMRsurvey

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I love ASMR! When I first became aware of it, I was watching some video a few years ago called "virtual haircut" and it actually felt like I was getting a haircut. At the time I thought it was really weird, but I did get a tingling sensation in the back of my head/ears. I've always loved certain types of peoples voices, but I frequently listen to Bob Ross (The Joy of Painting) and a few people on Youtube. They make me feel so relaxed and calm me down when I'm in a bad mood, it's really therapeutic for me.

 

I'm glad there are other people that understand it, because anyone I've ever mentioned it to in real life look at me like I'm crazy. Thanks for the survey, I'll be sure to fill it out :)

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AHAHAHA YES. My friend sent me a video once (because she guessed I'd be sensitive, who'd have thought someone could guess something like that?) and I had my headphones plugged in on my phone and it was early morning and I was still in bed when I clicked this video of this lady speaking. Her soft voice and made all the fine hairs on my neck stand like a cat getting stroked behind it's ears, and it was such a pleasant tingle just listening to her voice I just fell right back to sleep. I can't remember her username on Youtube but she's one of the more popular ASMR video makers and she's really pretty to boot. Crinkly noises and gentle blowing also do it.

 

*tingles just recalling it*

 

I don't talk about ASMR with other people because again, I'm afraid I'll look like some sort of crazy deviant hedonist but I'll gladly go take the survey.

 

Edit: I should probably add I have mild Misophonia. I love the people around me but the sound of chewing makes me crazy. My mother understands I love her when I have to get up and leave the room because the sound of someone slurping a hot beverage from a mug is physically painful. Even typing that sentence out hurt.

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First time I've heard of it... I don't recall ever feeling what you describe, probably because I'm a stressed person, I'm tense most of the time, I have been told that I need to relax a lot. I don't think that simulate going to the hairdresser would work for me, I don't even like going in real life, I cut my hair myself. But it sounds interesting, I will check those links.

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How weird is this coincidence... I'd never heard of ASMR before I read your thread a little while ago. Just now I was looking at some YouTube tutorials on doodling when I came across one with this title -

ASMR Doodling (Quality sound, ASMR drawn in real time, Doodling, Zentangle, No Speaking)

If I'd not seen your thread, I would have have had no idea what that was about. I can't believe life sometimes...

 

I tried to just do a link, but the forum seems to have inserted the vid for me, so here it is:

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I read about it, and I still don't think I ever experienced it, I would remember it I guess. Also, the common triggers don't work for me (I have to watch the videos), I don't find any of those things relaxing. The other option mentioned was something that I'm not sure what it is, but if it is what I think it is, a friend of my mother had one, and I think I tried it, and I don't remember feeling that either...

I decided to send an email to someone asking about ASMR, because she usually is well informed about this sort of things, and because I will be seeing her next week so... perhaps she could give me some input in the matter.

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I'm so glad I'm not alone here! haha

 

@stebenjos Bob Ross is an angel! lol. I had trouble finding full episodes, but recently I found this link!

I have the same problem talking about ASMR with people in real life... No one understands it. Not even my family members... :\

 

@kawaiicurls Was it Maria GentleWhispering by any chance? She's like the Beyoncé of ASMR videos. She's one of my favourites too.

It seems a lot of people in the ASMR community have that issue... That's why mouth sounds videos are the least popular (I'm not bothered by them, but I'm not a fan either).

 

@delshnya Well, there are many different kinds of roleplays! And they are specifically made to be more relaxing than the real thing. But some people who experience ASMR don't even like roleplays at all, and only stick to sound videos. Anyway, I think it's cool that you're interested in the subject, even if you're unsure whether you've experienced it or not!

 

@nicolelouise Haha, wow, what an awesome coincidence! I bet a lot of people come across ASMR videos by accident and have no idea what's going on.

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@delshnya Well, there are many different kinds of roleplays! And they are specifically made to be more relaxing than the real thing. But some people who experience ASMR don't even like roleplays at all, and only stick to sound videos. Anyway, I think it's cool that you're interested in the subject, even if you're unsure whether you've experienced it or not!

 

 

I don't think I felt it, I would remember it, but I'm curious about it.Thankfully I'm not a cat, or I would have died of curiosity a long time ago.

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Guest JussttBre

Whoa, I never knew this was a thing! But since I was highly curious, I found a sand video and loved the gritty sound, don't know how to explain it! I like the drawing one as well so it must be scratchy-like sounds.

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I'm not sure if I experienced it or not but there are some sounds that I find to be nice like certain sounds on some video game option menu's. I have used an ASMR video that was made to help people fall asleep before though. The video was only 16 minutes but I had fell asleep quickly so if I ever have problems with sleeping I use it. When using the video to help fall asleep I normally wake up feeling more wide-awake then when I don't use it.

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I've experienced it, and I love it!

 

If anyone is looking for videos that have this, try rrcherrypie on youtube. He shows off a lot of Japaense toys and candy kits. The best part is that he doesn't talk, so all the noise comes from the crinkling and the kit/toys he's using. I absolutely love them all! (They're very calming, as well!)

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@kawaiicurls Was it Maria GentleWhispering by any chance? She's like the Beyoncé of ASMR videos. She's one of my favourites too.

It seems a lot of people in the ASMR community have that issue... That's why mouth sounds videos are the least popular (I'm not bothered by them, but I'm not a fan either).

 

 

YES! I went back and looked for the email and still had it and it was a link to Maria GentleWhispering ASMR Awareness Day or something to that effect. It's something about her accent. Although I also like listening to binaural virtual hair cuts (dry cuts), because the sound of the comb brushing hair and scissors snipping is extremely relaxing. I don't mind her speaking and her whispers, but not all whispering voices and binaural videos act as triggers. I suppose everyone has very tailored preferences in this phenomenon, and I'm sure more people have experienced it and not known what to call it.

 

I try to control my misophonia though, it's not something everyone understands when you can't stand certain everyday background noises.

I like loud keyboards too. It doesn't trigger ASMR, and hearing someone else typing is annoying - but when I use loud keyboards it's pretty soothing. Funny how the mind works.

Either way I'm glad you brought up the topic and that I got to see there are others like me.

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My brother experiences it very strongly, but with me I don't really get the experience. Sometimes my PTSD/depersonalization kicks in and usually what helps is listening to certain singers but it's not the same as ASMR (since I'm using it to ground myself). Sometimes I'll listen to something though and my hair will stand on end but I figure that's a pretty common thing.

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It's great to see all you guys' responses! Thank you!

 

I guess it's worth noting that there's also something called Frisson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisson)... I don't know much about it, but from what I quickly read on that link, I think I've felt that before and it's very different from ASMR. But some people speculate they are the same thing. What do you guys think?

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Frisson sounds closer to what I feel sometimes with music and when I'm listening to someone's voice, compared to ASMR.

 

You know how sometimes people are like "Listening to this I just had goosebumps it was so good." That.

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Now that I've read more about it, I definitely know that I've felt that listening to music a few times, and also at the movie theatre and at a ballet once...

 

I searched for comparisons, and I found someone saying this on a certain site:

 

"Two different things. Frisson/chills is pretty common, and you can find a lot of info on it. One thing is clear : it's linked to the dopamine released in your brain. Usually triggered by music/emotionally intense moments.

ASMR, on the other hand, seems to be somewhat common but it's quite hard to find any documentation on the subject. But most people tend to associate it to serotonin release. Mostly triggered by close, personal attention, ambiant sounds, calming voices.

While I believe it is possible to get ASMR from music, it's not the most common trigger, so that tingly feeling you get from music is most likely just a frisson. Most people get those."

 

(I won't link to it because I don't know if we're allowed to mention this specific site, but if you look up "asmr vs frisson" it should be the first result.)

 

I'm now 100% convinced they're different... I believe I've experienced chills listening to music (especially when it's loud and powerful), but I've also experienced ASMR listening to music (only when there's a stereo effect, like so and so). Completely different!

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Huh, I'd never heard of this! I experience something similar, but it's by no means relaxing or nice for me. When I have a noise like a whisper or scratching directly in my right ear, I get tingles/pains in my right side to the point where I will do anything to move away from the noise. It does have to be directly in my ear, though, and if the noise is coming through headphones, I can usually cancel the effect out by putting both earbuds in.

When my hair was really short, I had to have my neck shaved. It was unbearable, and I'm pretty sure the stylist thought I was crazy--I involuntarily jerked away from the clippers at least twice.

 

I wonder if what I experience is connected to ASMR? I've found others with similar reactions to mine. And the videos on that first website definitely trigger it for me.

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Doesn't sound like it. ASMR is not supposed to be painful like that, but you can get aversions to certain sounds. It could be something similar but not really ASMR.

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Hmm I think I might have experienced it before. For me, my triggers would be tapping and scratching. I tried listening to a video of it the other day before falling asleep and got a lovely, indescribable feeling that spread through my body for a few seconds. It wasn't exactly a tingly sensation, but it just felt really good.

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Doesn't sound like it. ASMR is not supposed to be painful like that, but you can get aversions to certain sounds. It could be something similar but not really ASMR.

It's not really aversions to certain sounds, per se, but when certain sounds go directly into my right ear. ASMR is just the first thing I've heard of that sounds even remotely similar. Most people think I'm weird when I try to describe it.

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@Wildbreeze Hm, I've never heard of that specific reaction. The closest I can think of is when I showed an ASMR video to my brother, and he claimed he felt something, but it was uncomfortable. He said it was like nails on a chalkboard... Anyway, I guess that feeling could be connected to ASMR. Or perhaps to some sort of hypersensitivity (I don't know much about that, though).

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