Sensory – about the senses or sensation.Autonomous – spontaneous, self-governing, with or without control.Allen chose the words intending or assuming them to have the following specific meanings:

In 2010, Jennifer Allen, a participant in an online forum, proposed that the phenomenon be named 'autonomous sensory meridian response'. Įarly proponents of ASMR concluded that the phenomenon was generally unrelated to sexual arousal. However, the argument for sexual arousal persists, and some proponents have published videos categorized as 'ASMRotica' (ASMR erotica), which are deliberately designed to be sexually stimulating. Many differentiate between the euphoric, relaxing nature of ASMR and sexual arousal. Ī genre of videos intended to induce ASMR has emerged, approximately 25 million of which had been published on YouTube by 2022, and categories of dedicated live ASMR streams exist on Twitch, Kick, Instagram, and TikTok.Īlthough many colloquial and formal terms used and proposed between 20 included reference to orgasm, a significant majority objected to its use among those active in online discussions. It is most commonly triggered by specific auditory or visual stimuli, and less commonly by intentional attention control. ASMR is a subjective experience of 'low-grade euphoria' characterized by 'a combination of positive feelings and a distinct static-like tingling sensation on the skin'. A pleasant form of paresthesia, it has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia and may overlap with frisson. For other uses, see ASMR (disambiguation).Īn illustration of the route of ASMR's tingling sensation Īn 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.

Calming sounds