Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR); a.k.a. "brain orgasm"

[Le Socialiste]

Anybody else ever experience this? I've been running into these sensations for as long as I can remember, but didn't know it had an actual name until today (ASMR). According to the ASMR Research & Support Website (http://www.asmr-research.org/), ASMR is "a physical sensation characterised by a pleasurable tingling that typically begins in the head and scalp, and often moves down the spine and through the limbs." Here's another description (http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/nicholas-tufnell/asmr-orgasms-for-your-brain_b_1297552.html):


ASMR is a strange beast to describe to those that have never experienced it. Some people, it seems, simply aren't susceptible, whilst others (like myself) are highly sensitive to its effects...I simply listen to someone gently whispering to me until I feel I've had enough for one evening, or until I fall asleep in a soporific haze of sweet, sweet braingasms.

ASMR is typically stimulated by a variety of things, often depending on the person. These triggers include: exposure to slow, accented, or unique speech patterns, viewing educational or instructive videos or lectures, experiencing a high empathetic or sympathetic reaction to an event, enjoying a piece of art or music, watching another person complete a task, often in a diligent, attentive manner, close personal attention from another person, and haircuts (or other touch from another on the head or back.

I honestly don't know if this falls under the science sub forum or not, and if it doesn't someone can feel free to move it. I just wanted to see if anyone else has felt and/or experienced these sensations. Triggers typically vary from person to person (I've included videos down below that work particularly well for me). If you have experienced ASMR, what usually brings it on? Share links or videos if you can (provided they don't violate forum policy - I don't think any will). If anyone has further insight into it, I'd love to hear more. I'm personally thrilled to know there's an actually name for what I've been experiencing since childhood. It's kinda cool. :)

Here's the videos I mentioned earlier:

Relaxing eye test video - softly speaking
aiYokJg40ko

Soft-Spoken eye exam - ASMR
LyoclgCRsbk

Cranial Nerve Exam Role Play (ASMR)
RqQQm_EZF54

Cranial Nerve Examination Role play - ASMR
MwjM1CF6m34

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Judging from the description you give, I get these.

I'm pretty sure it's happened to me during an optician's examination, and I can get it from educational/scientific videos, although not reliably if I think about it.

Also, I have to wonder if one of my habits is part of that, or somehow related. I love collecting and viewing pictures of technology, fictional and otherwise. I have to say that I do experience a visceral reaction when I see an especially appealing picture. Although checking now I have ten times as many files in my porn folder, so I'm not sure of the significance of the techie pics.

[bcbm]

tmi noxxy

[citizen of industry]

It all seems very human to me. An intense high from specific things. Certain music at certain times, certain tales at certain times, people's accents, art, etc. Do you still feel the same way about the things that set it off when you are sleep deprived? Or if you felt it during sleep deprivation does it happen when alert?

Just seems like taking intense pleasure from something based on one's mood, i.e., liking stuff.

[Le Socialiste]

It all seems very human to me. An intense high from specific things. Certain music at certain times, certain tales at certain times, people's accents, art, etc. Do you still feel the same way about the things that set it off when you are sleep deprived? Or if you felt it during sleep deprivation does it happen when alert?

Just seems like taking intense pleasure from something based on one's mood, i.e., liking stuff.

The guy who's quote I used started searching for videos to "trigger" this ASMR because he suffered from insomnia - listening or watching these videos helped him fall asleep. I've only experienced it when I'm more or less in a state of alertness. Can it happen regardless? I don't know, but I feel like it would. At the very least it probably varies from person to person.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

tmi noxxy

Oh come on, it's not like I supplied a detailed description... ?

[Sea]

enjoying a piece of art or music,
I get this, definitely.

oh Pachelbel you sly fox~ :wub:

[Welshy]

I use to get them randomly my junior/senior year of high school during school. Sadly I have no attention span to watch those videos and the music I like is usually to purposefully cacophonous to get them. So I only get them when get my hair washed at the place I get it cut or that might just be massages feel good.

EDIT: finally listened to them and holy shit is that whole soft spoken stuff obnoxious. Who knows maybe I'm too angry, stress, sleep deprived and just in general unpleasant to have these anymore.

[campesino]

google scalp massager

[Silvr]

Uh, isn't this just a ridiculous name for getting chills down your spine in response to some external stimulus, i.e. music, touching, etc.? That happens to everybody. This doesn't seem like a real thing to me.

[Lynx]

Waves of goosebumps driven by a fever are awesome.

[Jazzratt]

Uh, isn't this just a ridiculous name for getting chills down your spine in response to some external stimulus, i.e. music, touching, etc.? That happens to everybody. This doesn't seem like a real thing to me. I can't speak to the specifics of the article (I'm drunk and I can't be arsed) but I think if this "happens to everybody" then it's very likely to be a real thing. People have visceral reactions to all sorts of stimuli (thanks to shit like 5-HT, dopamine and all that gumf)...

[Ostrinski]

Omg i always get these when i get a haircut and they use that trimmer thingy on the back of my neck. Never knew what it was though