How To Stop Tickling Trick, Why Am I Ticklish - Refinery29

Skip navigation!ADVERTISEMENTStory from BodyADVERTISEMENTHow To Stop Yourself From Being TicklishSarah JacobyApril 17, 2015, 7:20 PM Photographed by Nina Westervelt.Sometimes, tickling can be great. But, it seems like 99% of the time, it goes way too far. Thankfully, this new video from The Royal Institution includes a genius trick for ending the giggle fit. As we've written before, there's a bit of uncertainty around the concept of being ticklish. Although scientists don't know exactly where the reaction comes from, many suspect there's an evolutionary reason for it, since other primates show similar behavior. Tickling and the resulting laughter may even have developed as a defense mechanism to show little ones where they're vulnerable during play. But, as Emily Grossman, PhD, explains in this new video, a lot of our ticklishness stems from action in one brain area: the cerebellum. This thing does a lot, including predicting how sensations on your skin will feel — but only if you're the one causing them. This means that, as demonstrated in the video below, you can stop the involuntary laughing by tricking the cerebellum into perceiving the tickling as coming from you. To do so, simply put your hand on top of your tickle-attacker's to show the cerebellum what's up. AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT Health TrendsIf You’re Itchy & Uncomfortable It Might Be Bacterial Vagin...If you’ve ever experienced bacterial vaginosis, otherwise referred to as BV, you’ll know how uncomfortable it is. But you’ll also know, iby Tanyel MustafaWellnessSkinnyTok Isn’t A Trend — It’s The Latest Iteration o...Trigger warning: This article discusses disordered eating in a way that some readers may find distressing. At 30, I’d hoped diet culture and fatphobia weby Chloe LawsUnbotheredMy Abortion Was My Lifeline—Getting It Felt Like A Battle For Sur...As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted an abortion. The immediate decision didn’t come from fear or confusion; it came from clarity. by Taren HollimanAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTReproductive HealthHow The Real Housewives Helped Me Through My Own Black Mat...Content warning: the following story contains details of pregnancy loss, surgery, the Black maternal health crisis, and fertility struggles At her Los Angeby L'Oréal BlackettUnbothered“It Took Years To Be Heard”: 4 Black Women On Their S...Sophia Umoh, 31, was diagnosed with endometriosis in her mid-twenties after first presenting with symptoms in her early teens. “It started with painful pby Carly Lewis-OduntanTaking CareEndometriosis Could Be Linked To Trauma, ActuallyTrigger warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault and trauma. I was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2011, after years of investigationsby Lucia Osborne-Cro...BodyIf Your Period Seems Watery, This Might Be WhyLet’s face it: Periods can be weird. At various times they might be clumpy, brown, and, yes, smelly — and usually this is all totally standard. Buby Erika W. SmithMost WantedAthena Club Is Your One-Stop Shop For All Things WellnessAll linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. Whether it was pads, multivby Karina HoshikawaBodyHow To Tell If You Have A Yeast Infection & Get Rid Of ItYeast infections are the most common type of vaginal infection and up to three out of four people with vaginas will get a yeast infection at some point in by Cory StiegMy PeriodHelp R29 & Period Law End The Tampon TaxWe’re getting personal about our periods. The path to menstrual equity starts with talking about it. There’s a lot of feelings around getby Refinery29 StaffMy PeriodIt’s 2024 — Why Isn’t Every Workplace A Period-Positive One?We’re getting personal about our periods. The path to menstrual equity starts with talking about it. Debbie Herrera has been working on the influenceby Elizabeth GulinoMy Period5 Women On The Effect Of Having A Good First Periodby Elizabeth GulinoAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT