8 Quirks You Might Have That Are Actually Super Rare
4. ASMR
Weird question: have you ever been watching somebody do something very carefully and experienced pleasurable "brain tingles"?
ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response, is a sensory phenomenon. It has seen a surge in popularity of late, with thousands of "trigger" videos posted to youtube and reddit designed to set you off. Enthusiasts can spend hours surfing through the weird, whispery videos in search of the perfect trigger.
Eye examinations, aura cleansing, haircuts, even just crinkly wrappers - in a certain group of people, these set off a series of intense, pleasurable tingling sensations which are described as originating in the brain.
Due to its relatively recent surge in fame, there has only been one published scientific study on the phenomenon to date. There are many theories as to what is behind the sensation, some believe that it has something to do with grooming behaviours in mammals. Interestingly, the study revealed that there might be a link between ASMR and synesthesia, which make sense if you think about it.
Mention this to a room full of people and some will know exactly what you're talking about, even if they don't know the name, the rest will think you're a straight up weirdo.