Combining ASMR and Magic Mushrooms

Yes, millions of people globally search videos with these exact keywords, and many other odd phrases besides. ASMR is a sensation based on sensations that has taken the world by storm. Some people adore it — some people can’t bear it — but either way it causes a reaction. But what actually is it?

*Photo by Karolina Grabowska via Pexels*

What is ASMR?

Well, ASMR, which stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is the term for the sensation people get in response to certain stimuli. This stimuli can be audio or visual, and causes a tingling sensation that spreads from the head, down the back of the neck, and the spine. The sensation can trigger feelings varying from relaxation, to sleepiness, to euphoria.

Although it sounds pretty technical, there is actually currently very little science or research behind ASMR. In fact, the term was only coined in 2010 by Jennifer Allen, a member of a Facebook forum where people discussed the phenomena. Allen chose the term to differentiate the sensation from sexual feelings — something ASMR is often lumped in with. ASMR means;

Autonomous – spontaneous, self-governing, with or without control
Sensory – about the senses or sensation
Meridian – signifying a peak, climax, or point of highest development
Response – referring to an experience triggered by something external or internal

— via Wikipedia

What Causes ASMR?

ASMR response varies significantly from person to person. Some people don’t get it at all — and these folks are probably in the majority. It is estimated that around 20% of people experience ASMR — a sizable chunk, but not quite large enough for it to be ‘mainstream’, as such.

ASMR is caused by various triggers. Some of the most popular videos, that attract millions of viewers, feature people gently whispering into the camera and giving the impression of close personal attention. Others include hairbrushing, crinkling paper, stirring soup, scratching, or turning the pages of a book. A huge portion of the videos show people chowing down on vast feasts of various foods — from noodles to boba pearls — on the quest for the perfect ‘mouth sounds’.

Conversely around 20% of people suffer from something called misophonia in varying degrees. For these people the idea of watching a video of someone slurping spaghetti is a literal nightmare. Rather than head tingling it triggers feelings of intense disgust. The human brain is a wacky thing! 🤷‍♂️

The Potential of ASMR

When ASMR came to prevalence a few years ago it was sometimes perceived as being purely sexual in nature. However, although as sexual content sells and quite some of the content creators make appeal to this to increase views, and though ASMR itself being called ‘whisper porn’ and its trademark tingles being dubbed ‘headgasms’, fans insist that’s not an inherently sexual pursuit. Many people turn to ASMR for the more wholesome reasons it originally was intended for.

Makers of ASMR videos aim to keep their material fresh. As with so many things, people tire of seeing the same stuff over and over again. It can also depend on the viewer’s mood or even the time of day whether they prefer swooshing noises or more a care-based role play.

Snip snip! Haircut videos are popular *(Photo by Jonathan Cooper on Unsplash)*

A 2015 study, published in PeerJ, researched ASMR and found that it could be used to improve mood and reduce stress. Some participants in the study even reported using ASMR videos to manage chronic pain conditions.

Most people who experience ASMR tend to first feel its effects in childhood — while having their hair brushed or playing games with friends. When identified in adulthood, most people will say that either they assumed everyone felt these sensations, or that they thought themselves to be the only ones.

Combining ASMR and Magic Mushrooms

There are a wealth of threads on Reddit, and many other forums discussing ASMR experiences. An interesting crossover is when the topics of ASMR and psychedelics meet. Psychedelics, such as magic mushrooms and truffles, are well known for their ability to increase the sensitivity and the receptiveness of the body to sensations, often providing tingling feelings of their own. They have also been known to temporarily cause synaesthesia, in which senses seem to switch over — i.e. seeing sounds as colors. Both of these sensible alterations, increased sensitivity and synaesthesia, can help to make the ASMR experience more magical.

It makes sense that people would be keen to combine the two. On a Reddit thread titled ‘Anyone else enjoy some ASMR while tripping?’ user u/FretOne92 shares;

“…I love a good ASMR while tripping. Especially mic scratching, feels like someone’s actually scratching my head and I’m just melting into nothing”

Sounds pretty nice huh? And, while some people use ASMR videos while tripping, and others use shrooms to try and feel the ASMR effects they do not naturally experience, some use them to mediate a comedown. Reddit user u/Window_panes on the thread ‘Drugs Effecting (sic) ASMR (Question)’ shares;

“…ASMR really helps out on the comedown of LSD or shrooms. It just has to be a favorite video for comfortability.”