[NF] NF personalities and the so-called "head orgasms"

[HorrorFan]

First of all, I strongly recommend you to read through a few pages of this thread on a forum I recently stumbled upon: http://www.steadyhealth.com/WEIRD_SENSATION_FEELS_GOOD_t146445.html

Anyway, ever since I was a small kid I've occasionally had these weird but fascinating sensations. Despite of the nickname it's not a sexual feeling at all, but in my opinion comparable to an orgasm. It's kind of a wonderful, warm tingling that spreads around scalp and inside of head, and sometimes to neck and chest too. It usually comes in kind of pulses or waves and lasts from minutes to over an hour. It's a state of total relaxation and sometimes it also feels like my head is floating, not figuratively but quite literally. It's pretty difficult to explain, but an orgasm inside the head is the best way I can put it. It seems this sensation is something that not everyone experiences. As far as I know there haven't been any researches about it yet, nor does the feeling have an official name, though it's been called ASRM (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) on a few websites and also in Wikipedia.

Now the funny part is when/how the sensation comes. My English skills are limited so I think this little quote from Wikipedia might explain it better:
"Triggers are very individualized, though common themes and specific triggers, (e.g. Bob Ross videos) have been identified. Common triggers cited from those who experience ASMR often include:
-Exposure to slow, accented, or unique speech patterns
-Viewing educational or instructive videos or lectures
-Experiencing a high empathetic or sympathetic reaction to an event
-Enjoying a piece of art or music
-Watching another person complete a task, often in a diligent, attentive manner - examples would be filling out a form, writing a check, going through a purse or bag, inspecting an item closely, etc.
-Close, personal attention from another person
-Haircuts, or other touch from another on head or back
-Exposure in various forms to a topic or sensory input that creates a sense of awe or overwhelms the individual
-Discussions on ASMR experiences
-Listening and/or watching another person eating/chewing food or swallowing
-Listening to someone whisper"

I was thinking maybe this has something to do with NF personalities since most of the people who've had these things have described themselves as very emotional and empathetic persons who are able to read others exceptionally well and relate to their feelings in a very deep level. So, my hypothesis is that some or maybe even quite many of you fellow NFs might have this too.

What do you think?

 

[frenchie]

Wow, I thought I was just weird! It makes me way happier knowing that I'm not the only one. I wonder if this is some manifestation of intuition where our innate curiosity of the world is being fed what it wants most: knowledge!

I get this a lot when I take classes in sociology, poli sci, and when I work in IT. However randomly reading topics on wikipedia does it too.

 

[Inverness]

Personally, I have these experiences all the time. There's a good bit of disagreement between the ASMR vs. Frisson crowds, and IMO, there is a ton of overlap, and for generally speaking, it's the same thing to different degrees.

I'd say the majority of my triggers from the list above are:
-Experiencing a high empathetic or sympathetic reaction to an event
-Enjoying a piece of art or music

While I don't think I have true ASMR experiences (Bob Ross level) everyday, I definitely have a strong internal reaction to someone describing a very personal story, much more than what I would consider basic frisson. And to the best of my knowledge, there's not been much real research on ASMR, so it's been kind of left up to the internet to define it...but I think it's all one in the same.

 

[iwakar]

I experience this too, never guessed it had a name. Wild.

Note: I would not call it a headgasm because it is not sexually pleasurable and may convey the wrong idea. It is not a steady incline to an apex of feeling, more like a rolling wave of nerve tingles. The sensation undulates.

 

[ilovelurking]

Never thought this has a name. Interesting.

 

[Ginkgo]

Has nothing to do with NF temperament.

But yeah it happens to me.

 

[CuriousFeeling]

I experience this quite frequently while listening to music and learning something new.

 

[cascadeco]

Uh.... I dunno. I've had the floaty feeling but I really have no idea if it's the same as what's being described in the OP.

I found the list in the OP strange, though -- certainly not tied to intuition alone, or even to empathy. Half the items on the list were highly sensory and visual - i.e. watching someone complete a task like filling out a form? Or eating and swallowing??? Exposure to speech patterns alone? Watching a boring instructional video? lol. I'm confused. Most of the things in the list seemed very unstimulating to me; I get those sorts of euphoric highs or meditative/floaty states in very different scenarios - but again, I don't know if what I experience has anything to do with what's described in the OP.

 

[Giggly]

Yes, I experience these feelings all the time. I didn't know it had a name, but I have imagined that others experience them as well. Some of the feelings remain in my head and some spread to other areas of my body as well and manifest as physical sensations. When they are good feelings (I say good because they can be bad sometimes ) I really enjoy them. It's like being on a natural high.

 

[Redbone]

I experience something similar (I think?). It's more like when something is right, feels right, or just "is" in a way that I cannot define. Time just seems suspended. And I feel this vibration (?) like a bell being rung in the back of my head and the vibrations expand through out the universe. I cannot explain the feeling; it rarely happens. It doesn't last long. It was explained pretty well in Kim Stanley Robinson's Galileo's Dream. I vaguely remember it having to do with an overlap or the experience of being very briefly in another dimension.

Wow...I shouldn't try and communicate in a post-migraine state. Re-read this and it sounds totally nutty.

 

[Lily flower]

I have never experienced this, but one of my children has a similar experience. It is different because it is a highly negative experience for her.

 

[nomoreshallwepart]

I do get this with some music that is really transcendant; Svefn-G-Englar by Sigur Ros is a prime example. Also Wind on Water by Eno & Fripp.

 

[Randomnity]

I think I might feel something like that? Hard to tell from the vague description. It lasts seconds though, possibly occasionally minutes, but definitely not hours....

The triggers are strange though. Some of them seem obvious and apply to me:

-Exposure in various forms to a topic or sensory input that creates a sense of awe or overwhelms the individual
-Experiencing a high empathetic or sympathetic reaction to an event
-Enjoying a piece of art or music

The other ones seem completely bizarre and insane to me. Watching someone eat giving a feeling of ecstasy?? watching someone write a cheque? watching instructional videos?? wtf?

maybe I'm thinking of something completely different...

 

[Unkindloving]

Hmm I tend to experience this the most with music. Some vocal tones of people I am close to, as well. Not all of the time, but when they are in tune with something and discussing it, then I'm more likely to experience such a reaction to it. So, so much with certain music though. It's a reaction I seek out without really seeking, just because it's such an obscure response, imo.

 

[ThatGirl]

I think it is called "stroke".

 

[violaine]

I get it too. I have roamed all over the internet trying to figure out how and why. The closest I ever came was in reading about chakras. It feels like the back of my head is tingling with a small electrical fire that spreads. Zappy little feelings. The most intense sensation I ever feel and the one which originally led to me to try to figure out what was going on, is a really euphoric sensation I get right in the centre of my chest. I love it more than almost any other sensation. It makes me feel extremely open-hearted and strong and connected to something.

Of course, I also get the shivers all over when I listen to certain types of music. Or when I watch something that strikes me as very beautiful in it's message. It makes me feel like a weird, little tuning fork.

 

[OrangeAppled]

I thought this was just a "human thing". I think most people, at one time or another, in response to something will have a profound, emotional reaction that has a physical sensation. It would not surprise me if Feeling types were a bit more prone to this though, being more in-tune with emotional reactions & valuing their significance.

So, yes, this does occur to me, and it feels like all the common ways used to describe it: takes the breath away, butterflies in the stomach, lump in the throat, a weightless/walking on clouds feel, an out of body sensation, etc.

The following from the list affects me the most:

-Viewing educational or instructive videos or lectures
-Experiencing a high empathetic or sympathetic reaction to an event
-Enjoying a piece of art or music
-Close, personal attention from another person
-Exposure in various forms to a topic or sensory input that creates a sense of awe or overwhelms the individual

 

[Sunny Ghost]

I always thought it was like a release of serotonin or something. I get the head orgasm sensation usually during really good foot rubs or other massages. The relaxation seems to cause my head to tingle.

The only other thing that's caused a similar head tingly to this was taking ecstasy, which is why I figured it had to do with serotonin.

 

[iwakar]

-Exposure to slow, accented, or unique speech patterns
-Experiencing a high empathetic or sympathetic reaction to an event
-Enjoying a piece of art or music
-Watching another person complete a task, often in a diligent, attentive manner - examples would be filling out a form, writing a check, going through a purse or bag, inspecting an item closely, etc.
-Haircuts, or other touch from another on head or back
-Exposure in various forms to a topic or sensory input that creates a sense of awe or overwhelms the individual
-Discussions on ASMR experiences
-Listening to someone whisper"

^ I typically experience it with the above.

Also if I hear certain textures rubbing together like fingernails on firm fabric, or cardboard against cardboard... I get uncontrollable shivers and it's annoying as hell... and frankly, unpleasant in this specific instance.

 

[CzeCze]

I think it is called "stroke".

Kekeke.

I feel left out.

I have felt something similar - BUT VERY UNPLEASANT - in regards to 'negative stimuli'

I just thought it was me having a proto-panic attack.

I think I am resistant to warm fuzzies. I'm not sure reiki would or does work on me. People have asked me to try something and say "can't you feel the chi moving?" and I'm like...uh....sure buddy.