[Voices of ASMR] Can ASMR be triggered on command or spontaneously?

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.

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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94 thoughts on “[Voices of ASMR] Can ASMR be triggered on command or spontaneously?

  1. Yes, I am able, from the base of my skull, send a wave of energy through my body, at any time, in various degrees and wavelengths, I can summon a wave, send it to my legs, forget about it, then remember it and bring it back from my tingling legs, all the qay to the base of my chest, deep in my heart. It can be transferred to other people that have never experienced ASMR by embracing them securely and sending the waves as strong as you can make them to the other person. You should feel them move or they might become slightly but severely uncomfortable and have to shift right away. You should ask them if they felt something. Most likely, yes.

    Itsamerabbit@gmail.com

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    • I’ve never tried to transfer it to someone before. I’ll try that soon and see if it works. But I too have full control of it and only when I make it too intense do I feel I lose that control.

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    • I have had the same experience of the ASMR transferring to other people. I’ve experienced it undeniably about 5-6 times over my life. I can’t explain it and try not to think about it because of how weird it is.

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  2. Hello! I have seen posts from people who have Type A ASMR, but I have never met one. So if you would like to compare notes, feel free to email me at: philip bruce johnson at gmail .com (no spaces)

    Can you stimulate ASMR on command? If so, how do you trigger it?
    Yes, I have been able to cause physical ASMR goosebumps for as long as I can remember. I am 58 now. To trigger it, I am “doing” something in my head as opposed to “thinking” something. It feels like I am affecting a passageway near my ears or something. Although I do not have to breathe in or out to trigger it, it is easiest for me to inhale and then begin to exhale but immediately stop exhaling. That seems to produce pressure of some kind that is followed by the tingly feeling. If I repeat that for ten seconds, the tingles increase to physical goosebumps.

    Does it ever happen spontaneously/randomly?
    No.

    Do you consider this meditation or something else?
    Something else. I am “doing” something in my head as opposed to “thinking” something. However, it is very relaxing, and I often do it for the purpose of relaxing.

    Do your immediate surroundings make a difference?
    No. I can produce the goosebumps whether in a sauna or in Winter. However, there are some positions that seem to make it easier than others.

    How is the sensation similar or different from ASMR triggered by a video or by a real world stimulus?
    I do not know. I have never watched an ASMR video or experienced the ASMR effects except when I desire to. That is not to say those stimulants wouldn’t work for me, I have just never tried them.

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    • I have a very similar experience and have been able to do this for as long as I can remember. I’ve always thought of it as a super power or something. Only since publicity of ASMR have I known that this is something others can do as well. It feels like opening a portal to the connectedness to some sort of collective consciousness.

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  3. I have always been able to initiate this feeling since I was a young boy. I jokingly felt like it was my own little superpower that would make me stronger and sharpen my senses. I can do it all the time but do get worn out after several episodes in a short time span. I don’t do it as much these days not sure why, but when I do I can make it much stronger than it was as a child and somewhat controlled. Funny thing too is it seems more centered around my groin area since puberty and I can become quite aroused if I focus on that area.

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    • youre the only other person i have seen to feel it in their groin. everyone says they feel it in the back of their head, but I have never felt it there.

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  4. I can trigger ASMR manually. For me, it’s a meditation technique. I know what the feeling is, and can just stimulate it mentally causing it to happen. I’ve been able to do this as long as I remember, no single point I can remember where I learned how to do this. I’m not 100% convinced it can be taught either.

    Where this can happen spontaneously in a way, it’s still conscious when it happens. I can suppress it if I so desire, even if something (I.E. music or whatever) is helping trigger it.

    As I stated previously, this is a meditation technique I use. I’m able to use this to center myself, and calm myself. Reducing the heart rate and relieving any built up anxiety.

    Location does not matter one bit for using this. In fact, I use this in stressful scenarios, where I need to calm my body and mind (either just to calm myself, or to help focus my energy).

    As far how powerful the stimulus is, it’s hard to explain. When triggers help it go off (the most common trigger for me is good food), it’s always maximum strength. When it’s self triggered, it can be that powerful. But the strength of the feeling can vary. And the more I trigger it in succession, it will somewhat diminish the feeling. At full power, I can feel it quite literally to my toes. But while diminished, I can sometimes only feel it between my shoulders.

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