ASMR

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I feel somewhat apprehensive about posting this topic, as there is a scarcity of research by the medical community, and relevant internet resources seem to be few and far between as a result. Nonetheless, I found the following link to be of great interest:

http://i.imgur.com/FTtTe.png

I hope the link works; I am not very internet-savvy.

To summarize the above, the phenomenon to which my topic refers is called "Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response", commonly shortened to ASMR. It is characterized by an intense "tingling" sensation in the scalp and spine, resulting from sensory stimulation. For example, some people who experience it (source: www.reddit.com/r/asmr and others may be provided upon request) report the sound of whispering, conversations in foreign languages, and the crinkling of plastic as triggers. Personally, I am quite taken with whispering "videos" in French and Russian, which are surprisingly plentiful on Youtube.

You are probably wondering why I have posted this link on WrongPlanet. Well, in my short time here, I have encountered numerous posts from diagnosed aspies experiencing heightened sensitivity to auditory and tactile stimuli. My interpretation of the above link is that ASMR is a physical manifestation of these hypersensitivities, and thus, I am wondering if there could be any link between ASMR and the autistic spectrum disorders.

I get tingling in various places on my body but I'm unsure what triggers them. Sometimes it's flashing lights, so I think it's seizure related.

Edit: Ok, so I read the first link. Pleasurable? There's nothing pleasurable about them. It's more a sharp pain or even an achy pain.

Yes, I know about ASMR. I sometimes listen to ASMR trigger videos on Youtube like you. I like the sound of pencil on paper, and various other sounds of objects. Whispering kind of makes me feel mad at times, but I like the sound of a voice spoken very softly.

I personally don't think it has anything to do with autism though.

It doesn't happen to me -- might very well have something to do with autism, though -- it's that _kind_ of thing. The only synesthesia that I get is the pure PAIN from nails on a blackboard, and since it's entered into the language, I suspect that that happens to everybody with that sound. Except all you young kids out there: they don't seem to have the old slate "blackboards" in schools these days.

Come to think of it, remembering my grade school days, maybe it _doesn't_ bother everybody. There were always one or two kids who would do it deliberately, and pretend it was an accident if they thought they could get away with it, just to see everybody else cringe and cower. If they'd felt it in the same way, they wouldn't have done it.

I didn't know that there was a name for this tingling sensation. I experience this sensation often, even in the absence of recognizable stimuli. ASMR!

I get that very rarely, from certain musical pieces. Some only do that to me the first time I hear them, or if I haven't heard them for a long long time. Some do it to me almost every time I hear them. Some to it every single time. It all depends on the piece.

I can't think of any non musical sounds that do that to me. It's only music, and it is pleasant, but almost creepy too.

I had also read an article proposing a link between ASMR and synesthesia. Unfortunately, online research papers on the topic are so sparse, I will likely never find the source article again.



I sometimes get the sensation from thoughts and memories as well, but these are much more rare than for external triggers.

Oh, so that's what it's called. I get that feeling when I've managed rapport with someone, especially if the conversation gets into the deep subjects I like to talk about. Some church services will do it. Theoretical physics (conceptual), or some other things. Music will do it sometimes.

Like electric shock?

No, not like that. More like a shudder, but nicer.

I've always wondered if there was a name for this, or something like it. I don't really find it pleasurable, though. In fact, I get fairly upset when I hear someone speak in a certain tone, especially whispering, though I don't generally let it show. I get a sort of shocking sensation and an almost ringing sensation in my ears. It feels as though electric bugs are crawling rapidly around my head. I've never told anyone though, because I was unsure of what to say, and I'm fairly good at hiding it, so no one actually knows I dislike whispering.

That's what I feel but given my leg was jerking like mad last night when it happened, it's probably not the same thing.

I have synaesthesia too but more the letter/number/touch/taste to colour, smells to memory, memory to images, days of the weeks and months all given their own position.

I get tingling from music but psychedelic and very fast music.

Edit: I wonder if there's a connection between ASMR and seizures because after watching those videos I felt tingling and a pain behind my eye but now I feel painful tingling on one side of my face. It's more like pins and needles or 'charlie horse.' That type of lack of blood circulation does hurt a bit.
I like to find connections between things so if anyone has some more in depth research on ASMR that could give me a better idea I'd be grateful. Or I could go looking for it myself.

What a revelation this is, I thought I was the only one to get 'that buzzy feeling' but 1 search on google has lead me here which actually is a relief to see others that have it. I find that I get it from whispering or soft talking, and as for the Russian whispers I find that I get a better effect when they whisper in English with their Russian accent rather than just their language but hey we are all different.

Also I seem to experience it in almost a psychic way, like sometimes I would think of one particular episode of a tv show whilst experiencing the ASMR, and then the next day that same episode is on tv! Extraordinary...

Get that pretty often...don't like it's nicknames