Why can't we tickle ourselves ?

Question

Why can't we tickle ourselves ?

Answer 1

I have always thought it is due to the fact that we know that it is coming, we know our own touch.

Even if someone says that they are going to tickle us, we do not know when/how/where etc, whereas doing it to yourself there is no surprise.

Answer 2

You can't tickle yourself because your brain clicks in that your touching yourself and pays no mind to it... unlike hitting yourself nerves say somethings damage.... however when someone els is tickling you your nerves send messages to your brain that something is there that shouldnt be kinda like when a bugs on you >.<

Answer 3

we expect it so it's not that enjoyable, the human brain anticipates unimportant sensations, such as your own touch.

http://www.livescience.com/health/050628...

Answer 4

I figured out ages ago that the trick to tickling people well was to mess with the surface energetic field (since I do chi gung etc that's quite easy for me to do), and I have since exploited that to it's full potentional :D

When I've tried tickling myself, purely from noticing what occurs energetically, most of the pathways/movements that get activated when another bodies energy come into contact with yours (aka someone else tickling you) don't occur (since it's not really a big deal for the your own bodies energy shift around a bit, it does that continuously...it's a much bigger effect when another one comes into contact).  I just spent ten minutes sitting down and messing around with it, and I could somewhat get the flows to start, and in turn a tickling sensation (which also sometimes comes up in various energetic movement practices, like tai chi), so that's the answer I'd wager.

Of course, that probably seems a bit odd if you don't believe in this stuff, but it's better than "uh, no one knows."

Hope that helps!

Answer 5

I cannot tickle my own feet......WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

The rest of my body is fine.

Answer 6

to phyically tickle ourselves is not possible as we know what is coming and the mind defends the area, you could use a prop like a feather on feet......theres other ways to tickle ourselves....go out and see some of the sites to see i am sure you'll find a tickle or two

Answer 7

the reason we cant tickle ourselves thay our brain thinks weare performing some action for ourslves,and it holds tight ur nerves blockin blood circulation for that time period!!!!!!!!!

thank u!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

I am very capable of tickling myself...

All ya'lls is just weird.

No joke, I've never understood why other people can't..

It's absolutely no challenge for me. I've even tried the whole mind over matter thing "I'm not ticklish, I'm not ticklish" and it doesn't work at all. XD

And it's not like I aim for a special tickley part or use a particular technique...

No object necessary

>.>;;

:]

Answer 9

In the last two weeks there was an interesting article in the New Yorker magazine about itching (also mention of the tickling phenomenon).  You can go to the library and look it up for an answer to your question.