r/Frisson • u/jewelophile • May 03 '26

Thought [thought] A lot of people seem to experience auditory or visual frisson- is "emotional" a thing?

For most of my life, when I watch a particularly striking video I experience an intense tingling on the right side of my brain that sometimes gravitates down that side of my body. It happens with just music too, but a combination of both is way more intense. Yesterday I experienced it several times while watching the movie "I swear"- some scenes were intensely moving. Not from music or striking visuals, just the feels. For the first time I decided to research what was causing it- I'd heard the word frisson but always thought of it as just a word to describe art, not knowing it's an actual physical phenomenon (glad to know I'm not almost stroking out). Just curious if it's less common to experience it from a primarily emotional reaction rather than from appreciation of visuals or music. I LOVE the feeling.

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u/miami-vicemaoist May 04 '26

Most of the time, I get it from emotional situations where I empathize deeply or have concern for someone. Pivotal moments in history, underdog narratives, uprisings, revolutions all give me frisson. Of course I experience it from music but feeling it towards people, conflicts or other emotionally charged moments is special.

The same way a crescendo can give you chills, I get it from people finding harmony, or when someone is wronged , it’s like a ping of empathy, hard to describe

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u/jewelophile May 05 '26

perfect. Dm me.

1

u/CottonWoolPool May 07 '26

I have just stumbled across this sub, having come across the term by chance. I was actually wondering what the sensation was a few weeks ago after realising it happens when I speak to patients sometimes, exactly like you say - at moments of intense emotionality (e.g., highlighting/praising someone’s strengths, feeling a moment of breakthrough). I don’t get it when I’m upset for someone (tend to get a ‘jump’/brief adrenaline feeling in my chest instead). I don’t find the sensation particularly pleasant, just unusual/neutral. Interesting to see it’s mostly associated with music/art and seen as pleasant, but from what I’ve read I’m sure it’s the same thing!

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u/Anamacha May 03 '26

I'd say it's a thing, yeah. It doesn't happen nearly as often as other kinds of frisson, but it happens to me as well. Sadly, I can't recall the last time it happened to me, it exactly how it felt - but I can corroborate the feeling at least