How to Stop Being Ticklish

Before we proceed to discuss the methods, let’s clarify things a bit. There are two types of tickles.

· Knismesis: It’s a sensation or a bug-like feeling that forces you to rub that tingling area instantly.

· Gargalesis: It’s that main tickle that you feel in those specific zones and you are forced to laugh out loud.

It’s a Mind Game!

Tickling is a sensory and neurological act. Generally speaking, there is no proven way of not feeling that ticklish sensation. But experts suggest that this forceful laughter can be overcome by controlling your mind. If you succeed in getting yourself convinced that you do not feel the tickling anymore, it really can help. To prove this idea, take the example of an angry man. How would he respond, when you tickle him? Obviously, he would not laugh. That’s because his anger has taken up his mind for the moment.

Next time, when you are attacked by a tickler, apply the same method and try to divert your focus to something serious and try to ensure yourself that you are not a ticklish person.

Once and for All!!

You cannot overcome your sensitivity but overcoming your fear (of tickle) is quite possible. Just avoiding the tickle is not the answer. Then how to stop being ticklish? The best option is to face your fear once and for all. Let someone tickle you as much as he/she wants. Bear that sensation to get used to it. It would not only lessen your fear but would also leave you with enough experience to face it in future.

Daily Foot Rubbing

Rubbing your feet daily with lotions, scrubs and salts would make you experience different sensations. It can increase your stamina to bear that prickling on your feet. Remember that this is not a permanent solution. Once you stop that touched-based desensitization, you will be a victim of tickling again.

One Minute of Tickling

Put up with one minute of tickling each day and you will feel the difference. It would sound weird to many but it really works. This would make all sorts of tickling bearable for you.

Practice More!

Get help from some friend to practice the endurance of tickling. Get your most vulnerable area tickled by someone on daily basis. And check how long you can bear that. Repeat the same process by changing the tickling zone. It’s a good way to increase your endurance level.

Hand on Hand

Sometimes people are so ticklish that even a thought of being touched by someone sends a tingling sensation in their body. As a result, such people would hardly let anyone touch their body. For a condition like that, when someone tries to touch you, place your hand on theirs. It would be helpful in protecting you from being tickled.

Deceive the Tickler!

When you find no answer to how to stop being ticklish, it’s time to deceive the tickler. As you get tickled, try to maintain a serious and straight facial expression. It would make them believe that you are not a ticklish person and they would let you go eventually.

Get Physical!

There comes a stage in tickling, when you are left with no other option but getting physical. If you feel helpless without any way out, try to protect yourself even at the cost of a few punches or kicks (in a light-hearted way).

Tickling is a pure matter of sensation and our brain is the essential reason behind this. The following video explains in a fun way the theory behind why people laugh when tickled and more ways to cope with this:

While looking for the ways about how to stop being ticklish, we have come across another query. Why we laugh on being tickled? Our hypothalamus is the part of our brain that signifies the feelings of pleasure and displeasure. Same is the case with tickling. As we face a tickling sensation, this part of the brain naturally alerts the body about it.

Being tickled in various sensitive parts like armpits, ribs, neck and feet, is referred as a defensive mechanism. Whenever our mind detects any new sensation, it sends an alert to the body to keep it protected from any possible danger. So, when we are sent an alert about tickling, we feel a sensation like something is crawling on our body. And when we find no threat, we start laughing and enjoying that tickling.

But we don’t laugh when we tickle ourselves. The reason is simple. Our cerebellum already knows what we are going to experience. So, the brain does not interpret the signals and we do not laugh.