Based on your ASMR experiences…
Explain if you can stimulate or experience ASMR on command or spontaneously, include details like:
- Can you stimulate ASMR on command? If so, how do you trigger it?
- Does it ever happen spontaneously/randomly?
- Do you consider this meditation or something else?
- Do your immediate surroundings make a difference?
- How is the sensation similar or different from ASMR triggered by a video or by a real world stimulus?
Note: Sometimes self-induced ASMR is confused with self-induced frisson. If you feel chills, see your arm hairs rise up (piloerection), or experience goosebumps then you may be experiencing self-induced frisson (AKA voluntary piloerection) rather than self-induced ASMR.
- Read about frisson here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisson
- Read about voluntary piloerection here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6071615/
If you think you are experiencing self-induced ASMR (rather than self-induced frisson), then please do share your answers and experiences in the Comments section below.
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ASMR University 
I used to do it to myself all the time as a kid, and still do to this day now as a form of cathartic release. I didn’t know the term ASMR until recently when I saw a video of this fat Santa looking guy slapping his boobs and making popping noises with his mouth. Lol, the video didn’t give me any sort of sensation or anything, it just made me look up ASMR and then I realized that I had been doing that since childhood(around the age of 5). It felt good, and it was kind of a game where I would enjoy watching myself give myself goosebumps(lol, wouldn’t that be like, the lamest X-Man power or whatever?) It’s easiest when I’m by myself and not distracted by my surroundings, but I can do it whenever I want. It’s kind of a light exercise in meditation I guess you could say; I just think of the sensation itself and it’ll come on. It’s really helpful to me now that I’m processing a bunch of PTSD related stuff; when I’m having a panic attack, if I close my eyes, identify what’s brought on the attack, and tell myself I’m ok, it’ll start pouring out in waves, and it’s very cathartic. I’m not able to cry 95% of the time, so I’m glad I can achieve the same relief through this.
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Oh, I just noticed another guy right below me also named Andrew, lol. Figured I’d clear up that I’m not the same Andrew as him, and also I’ll take this time to be a little more specific in the feeling/location of the sensation itself. It’s a tingly sensation that starts at the base of my neck, and then radiates down my spine, and even across my shoulders and down my arms when I trigger a really strong one. That’s when the goosebumps will start to appear. If I’m laying down or reclined(not putting pressure on my legs), I can do something similar-ish, but instead of manifesting in my nape and then traveling down, it starts in my thighs and moves across my body from there. I can do that anytime, anywhere, and if I maintain it long enough I’ll nearly wet myself, lol. It’s not ASMR(the leg stuff), but I’m mentioning it because it has some similarities to it, and I have no idea what it’s called, lol. It’s not restless leg; I can turn it on and off 100% instantaneously and at will. So if anyone knows what that is, feel free to let me know.
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I can. No goosebumps, so it’s not voluntary piloerection, and it’s not based in any external stimuli so it’s not Musical Frisson.
I very specifically and very gently contract some set of muscles at the back of my throat and the nape of my neck, and boom.
Some observations:
1. There is a limit in frequency. I can do this repeatedly, but after a few cycles it gets weaker and weaker until I can’t seem to do it again for an hour or two.
2. The feeling begins in the upper back portion of my skull if I just don’t think on it, settles into the shoulders. But it definitely “migrates”.
3. During the experience, which usually lasts between 3 and 7 seconds, I find it difficult to focus, but after it passes my sense of (specifically) hearing is slightly heightened for a little less than 30 seconds.
This is the most useless superpower, but I’ll take it.
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Edit: My theory –
There are probably a number of neurochemical reactions that can trigger this type of response to varying degrees in everyone. Which you are most sensitive to is probably unique to you, but they all do the same basic things by triggering the releases of Oxytocin and a slurry of crap that activates the mPFC and Somatosensory regions of your brain. This results in crosstalk between the physical somatosensory portion of your cognition and the empathic/emotional monitoring portion of your cognition. So it feels like your emotions are being hugged.
I think this explains why I can’t just rock this feeling all day every day. Eventually the receptors are full or the compounds are depleted and need to be replenished. I’m not a brain science man, so don’t expect any fancy brain science man talk. But that’s how I interpret my personal experience.
-Same guy as above.
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I actually didn’t know what ASMR was until I Googled, “I can make my brain tingle”, because I wanted to find out what is happening when I do it.
I can ASMR at will, regardless of my surroundings. I’ll do my best to explain how. I first started doing it, years ago, to try and relieve headaches that I occasionally get behind my eyes and forehead. Lately I’ve implemented it during meditation daily and it has changed me tremendously. Basically I relax my eyes as much as possible (I prefer them closed but either is fine). Then I concentrate on “feeling” my brain, the same way you can relax your arm, concentrate on and “feel” your arm through awareness.
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I can make it happen on command.
I first noticed the sensation when I got this game where you move a ball around a track with your mind. I noticed it would happen when I was meditating or trying to will something to happen. Sometimes I’d get chills but only if it was a really intense vibration in my head. I didn’t even know what ASMR was really i just came across this and emailed someone connected with this page and they asked me to share.
I listened to my first ASMR audio and was astonished to feel that feeling so powerfully and suddenly. When I did it myself it slowly built up
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Can you stimulate ASMR on command? If so, how do you trigger it?
Randomly when scratching my head/arm/whatever, brushing my hair, doing my makeup.
Does it ever happen spontaneously/randomly?
Yes, that’s only when it happens.
Do you consider this meditation or something else?
No, unless I am watching a meditation type of ASMR.
Do your immediate surroundings make a difference?
Yes.
How is the sensation similar or different from ASMR triggered by a video or by a real world stimulus?
Similar to real world stimulus.
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