Have you ever tried to tickle yourself? Can’t, right? Everyone has that friend who tickles them when they’re in the most unaware situation and tries to kill them from a heart attack, making you burst out laughing like crazy. However, when it comes to doing it yourself, it just feels like a little scratch.
What is a “tickle”?
A tickle is a sensation that depends on the occasion or mood. It can be annoying or cause laughter. Not all people feel tickling, and some feel more than others, but there is no conclusive research to support why this phenomenon happens in some and not in others (Zawn Villines, 2018).
How does it work?
The answer to this mystery lies at the back of the brain in an area called the cerebellum (Hrala, J., 2016). That area of the brain perceives that we are going to tickle ourselves and cancel it. However, when it comes to anyone else, it can’t predict the sudden tickling. Another fun fact is that the laughter that is triggered when you are being tickled is said to be a signal of survival from our ancestors to avoid stronger beings than yourself, meaning that you don’t want to fight (Hrala, J., 2016).
Is it possible to prevent tickling?
Since tickling is an essential alert, the brain doesn’t hold back to send it (Hrala, J., 2016), meaning if you are ticklish, it’s quite impossible to avoid it. It’s alright. You’re not alone in this misery.
Conclusion
In case you have friends who tickle you, there is actually nothing you can do because, annoying or not, they must love and will never stop doing it. Also, it’s not known why it happens, but because it is said to be a reflex to protect yourself, if you are more ticklish than others, you are doomed since the cerebellum will not stop sending alerts.
References
Hrala, J. (n.d.). There’s a Scientific Reason For Why You Can’t Tickle Yourself. [online] ScienceAlert. Available at: https://www.sciencealert.com/the-scientific-reason-you-can-t-tickle-yourself.
Zawn V.(2018). Why are people ticklish? Causes and prevention. [online] Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322100.
