What is ASMR?
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. A pleasant form of paresthesia, it has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia and may overlap with frisson.
ASMR signifies the subjective experience of "low-grade euphoria" characterized by "a combination of positive feelings and a distinct static-like tingling sensation on the skin." It is most commonly triggered by specific auditory or visual stimuli, and less commonly by intentional attention control. A genre of videos intended to induce ASMR has emerged, over 13 million of which had been published on YouTube by June 2018.
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The pleasure people gain from listening to ASMR comes from the release of certain neurotransmitters--dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, endorphin--that can make us happy. Commonly, it is created by tapping some objects and whispering. Though a majority of people enjoy this exciting sensation, some report rage or even hatred after hearing it, as they may have misophonia. Personally, I think it is both soothing and exciting. It may also have the function of calming me down whenever I am too stressed out and anxious.
Since it is a comparatively new concept, there isn't plenty of research about it scientifically. My great enthusiasm for it triggers my curiosity to further delve into the scientific research of it about how the auditory input affect our mood and behavior. Maybe ASMR can be a non-pharmaceutical therapy to mitigate some undesirable problems like mild depression, insomnia, anxiety, etc.
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my first step is to create my own ASMR, sometimes associated with white noise.