ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is said to create a relaxed, comforted and sometimes euphoric feeling for people who experience it, starting with tingles in the back of the head, neck and scalp and resulting in a deep state of relaxation or sleep. These tingles can be triggered by noises, such as whispers, or visual stimuli such as drawing, tracing and touching. The strangest thing about it is that nobody knew it existed until a few years ago when people started talking about it online.

While no solid evidence and no research studies have been published on the topic, there is a lot of buzz online suggesting that it exists. There are entire YouTube channels dedicated to whispers and other ASMR triggers with thousands and sometimes millions of views. There are Facebook Groups and Reddit pages of people sharing the noises and visuals that give them the tingles. People also use social media to share stories about how ASMR helped them overcome anxiety, insomnia and depression.

Most of the information available on ASMR is through a few articles like this one that have been published on the growing online community dedicated to the things that “trigger” their tingles. However, until recently, nobody knew of the condition and couldn’t accurately explain what it was or what it felt like.

What was once an inexplicable sensation, is now being talked about all over the internet. As people all over the world come together to support ASMR and further its research, we as healthcare marketers are reminded of how influential the internet can be on patients. Social Media and user generated content connect patients to one another, to talk about their symptoms, remedies for ailments, injuries and diseases, and for emotional support. The ASMR phenomenon is only one example what can happen when patients use the internet to generate buzz around a condition.

Sources: Mashable, The Washington Post