Why Can't I Tickle Myself?

There are different sets of nerves in the body, that deal with different types of sensations. There are nerves that know where you are in space, and don't communicate about anything else. There are nerves that deal only with firm contact, and nerves that deal only with gentle/light touch.

When you're tickled the sets of light-touch nerves get hyper-stimulated. They are getting lots of very sensitive touches (which we are fine-tuned to try to be very specific about) all at the same time. The brain is working frantically to figure out where the next touch is coming from (like if you needed to pick an insect off your skin). You can't do that, though, if somebody else is tickling you because even they can't tell you which nerve is about to be stimulated. It's all to do with surprise, and the slightly unnerved feeling you get when unsure what's going to happen next.

When you touch yourself, though, there's a feedback mechanism. Your brain can work out where the hand is touching and cancels out the over stimulus feelings coming up the nerves.

You may be able to almost tickle yourself in the most sensitive areas, palms of the hand or soles of feet.

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