Finding comfort in the uncomfortable
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By MARIAH MILLER
o, it isn’t porn. While the feeling many experience has often been dubbed a “braingasm,” the majority of ASMR material is PG. This doesn’t make it any less uncomfortable when your roommate walks in only to hear heavy licking sounds echoing from your laptop. Autonomous sensory meridian response is the tingly sensation that begins at the crown of one’s head and may find its way throughout the body depending on how the listener reacts to any given trigger. When our mom plays with our hair or our partner whispers sweet nothings in our ears, it’s not uncommon for a chill to run down our spine. This is a trigger. It is a pleasurable feeling that really only comes from another person, sort of like tickling yourself just doesn’t have the same affect. At some point it stops, and we’re always left wanting more. Thank God for YouTube. ASMR established its presence on the platform in 2009 and has grown exponentially since. In fact, data presented on a blog post on Ahrefs found that as of April 12, “ASMR” was one of the 18
Orange Appeal | 2020
top searches on YouTube in the US, second only to PewDiePie. Worldwide, ASMR was searched 13,910,000 times, claiming the number three spot following PewDiePie at number two, and to no surprise to anyone, K-pop sensation BTS at number one. So what’s so intriguing that over 13 million people on this planet are tuning in? It appears people are always seeking new ways to relax. Whether your method is yoga, weed, or therapy there must be a way to cope with the physical, mental and emotional weight that’s placed on us by simply just surviving in today’s world. While I’m sure an in-house masseuse might very well do the trick, not everyone has that kind of dough. ASMR may provide the stress relief you need on your own time, while giving you the power to choose what best affects you. In a study done at University of Sheffield’s Department of Psychology in England, researchers found “that those who experience ASMR showed significantly greater reductions in their heart rates when watching ASMR videos (an average decrease of 3.14 beats per minute) compared to those who do not. They also showed signifi-
cant increases in positive emotions including relaxation and feelings of social connection.” Follow This, a BuzzFeed docuseries currently streaming on Netflix, aired the pilot episode in 2018 titled, “The Internet Whispers.” In it, reporter Scaachi Koul explores the ASMR trend and speaks to content makers and fans. “Every day, during the day, I don’t even watch TV,” says Joanna Ortiz, ASMR enthusiast. “I was mainly raised in the inner city, high crime,” she continues. “It wasn’t that great of a childhood. A couple of years ago, I was really sad and depressed and didn’t like how my life was turning out. Coming across the ASMR videos, it took me out of reality. It really helps with my depression and anxiety. Feels like free therapy, I don’t even feel depressed anymore.” Most people that try ASMR will agree that the results they experience are positive, and have lasting affects long after they look away from the screen, but what about those who say they don’t feel ASMR or those who say the triggers affects them negatively? Unfortunately, there has been minimal proper studies done
It really helps with my depression and anxiety. Feels like free therapy, I don’t even feel depressed anymore. causing anxiety instead of relaxation as intended. The demand for this sensation is at an all-time high with this phenomenon growing so rapidly, and people want more than just YouTube videos. Now ASMR enthusiast have more options than ever to get that tingle with apps specifically for the community. Apps like Tingles, Zees, and Silk ASMR feature popular artist while eliminating pesky advertisements and allow for continued play while your mobile device is locked. Along with ASMR focused apps, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora and streaming services alike have
TOP LEFT: MARIAH MILLER; SCREENSHOTS YOUTUBE CHANNELS “GENTLE WHISPERING ASMR,” “ASMR BAKERY,” “TING TING ASMR,” “JOJO’S ASMR,” AND “ASMR DARLING”
ASMR
on ASMR and most of the data there is comes from personal accounts. That being said, no one is quite sure some people experience ASMR and others don’t, aside from open-mindedness to the videos themselves. But for those who absolutely distain the reaction they have while watching ASMR videos, it is possibly linked to a condition called misophonia or the “hatred of sound.” Noises extremely popular in videos, such as chewing, tapping or whispering can be triggering in this worst way for someone with this condition,