ASMR videos could be a new digital therapy for mental health
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Thomas Hostler, Manchester Metropolitan University
You may know “ASMR” as the niche genre of YouTube video which people watch on tablets and laptops to help them relax, perhaps before bed or in the lull of a Sunday afternoon. These videos typically involve someone role-playing a mundane professional service, such as giving you a haircut, a massage, or booking you in for a doctors’ appointment.
The role-plays are usually performed in whispered voices, with the “ASMRtist” (the term for the creators of these videos) focused on building a feeling of intimacy and emphasising any crisp sounds or slow hand movements. But what exactly is ASMR, and why do people watch these videos?
Although ASMR has been adopted as the name for these kinds of videos, it actually refers to the sensation that they are designed to induce: Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It ...
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