Can You Feel Someone Else's Pain? (EXPERIMENT)

Can I

feel

your

pain

? Can I

feel

your

pain

? Let's talk about it. (upbeat music) Good morning Mythical! Life is full of pleasure... ...and pain. So in this episode, today we're going to have the pleasure of playing a game with Robert Kirkman, the creator of "The Walking Dead." And when it comes to pain, did you know that there are people who can physically feel another person's pain? - Are any of us one of those people? - Hmm. Can we feel each other's pain? There is only one way to find out. It's time to... ♪ ♪ (yelling) Yes, there is a rare condition called Mirror Touch Synesthesia.

People who have this can feel their body being touched just by seeing

someone

else

being touched. Yes, this is a real thing. Basically, your visual and tactile senses are mixed. There was this study where they tested over 2,300 people by showing them videos of actors being touched on different parts of their hand, and 45 of those people felt the sensation in the exact same place on their hand. That's not a lot of people. That's only two in 100, so two percent of the population have this. - We make? - Maybe. This condition is not limited to touch. Some people may experience pain - Mm-hmm. - when seeing another person in pain, and usually develops from birth.

Rhett and I have basically known each other since we were born. - Yeah. - Since we've been around, first grade isn't much different, so in a way, taking our version of this test makes it the ultimate buddy test. Can I feel Rhett's pain? Can he feel mine? If so, does that make one of us the best of friends? Let's find out. To the Pain Zone! Okay, Rhett, get out of the Pain Hole. - (groan) - It's crowning. (crying) - Hello. -He is a bearded boy. -(laughs)-he is well here. I don't want to go. Actually, it's nice now, but it won't be for long. - Uh-uh. - Okay, people with Mirror Touch Synesthesia are actually activated by seeing something happen to another person, but since we know each other so well, let's up the ante.

We're just going to look at each other's faces. Well, Rhett will go first, and Chase will be behind the Wall of Pain inflicting pain on a specific part of his body. Now I'll just watch his face react to the pain and then say where I felt the sensation to see if it matches. If he does, I get a point. At the end of this whole thing, this very scientific study, we will know who is the best friend, who he has the most points for. Are you ready to start? No, but I will. Okay, Chase, bring the pain.

It's okay... - Make eye contact with you. - Ok. Yes. (moans softly) Was that the pain? (groan) - What? - You don't understand - what's going on. - (laughs) No-- - (cheats) - (screams) - (Link laughs) - (grunts) - That was the pain. - Yes! Ugh! - There is a lot of accumulation of that pain. - Whoa, buddy! - Um-- - Pain Hole is not nice! (laughs) I don't like Pain Hole! - Whose idea was it? -(laughs) Now he was-- the first feeling he was feeling was---sympathy? - Pleasure... - What? - ...in my brain. - Then you're not a good friend. - (laughs) Uh... honestly, I didn't feel much pain.

I felt-- I was very happy through the whole thing. - I'm a little confused but, um, - That's not right. there was a small pinch in my lower back. So I feel a little bit of tension in my lower back. Well, my back hurts from being in this position, which is interesting. - Link: Oh. But that's not where the pain came from. - Where was the pain? - I feel like... the pain was in my left index finger. I think I know what it was, but Chase, please confirm. Come out and show me what you just did to me.

It sounded like you shot... ooh! - Really? - Yeah, it was a fucking mousetrap. - Shall we start with a mousetrap? - (laughs) - Where is this going? - I feel like I should give you half a point - because my lower back hurts a little. - Yes! But it's going to be every round, so you can't say "lower back" every round. - Half a point this round. I'll give you half a point, "friend." Welcome to Pain Hole, Link. I don't feel very good about this. Chase, when you're ready, do your best. (laughter) (screams) Ouch! (calmly) That was it.

I'm not-- I'm not making this up, I feel something in my right foot. What do you feel? Like some kind of heaviness. Like my right foot got heavier when I looked at your…did your foot get heavy? A little more of my weight was on my right foot, but it was my right forearm that was in pain. - Ah, right forearm. - What... what was it? It's like pulling the hair out of my damn forearm! - You shaved me. - Wax, wax. Did you know? You can clone me with that. - (laughs) - There are no points.

Are you smiling or is it a pea pain? Urinary pain. (Laughter) Grimace prior to pain. I hope it's not a pee pain. - Please do not do that. - (Laughter) Please. Whatever you do, you just gave him ideas. It's okay, give him pain. Look at me. I really want to get it this time. Mm-hmm. (vocalizing) No. "Eee-ahh no?" - (laughter) - (grunts) (softly) Yeah, huh. My... my right forearm hurts, but that's where I shaved. (Laughter) I'm-- I felt, like, a tightness in my belly. (laughs) Oh really? Yeah, kind of... It didn't hurt that much, but it was... - It didn't hurt at all, really. - Mm-hmm. - But it was a tightening, so... - Yes, yes, yes.

I'm saying, the belly. I switched to plant-based protein this morning. - (laughs) - In my milkshake. - Maybe that's what you're feeling. - A little noisy? Um... it's not-- it wasn't that. It's my right foot, believe it or not! - Link: Oh, it was-- - My right foot was stuck in an ice cube. - Oh! - Unless you don't know what ice feels like. - Where is it? If that is. - Yes, your right foot - was in an ice cube. - There it is right there. - It's a bowl of ice. - Without points. This is so fucking stressful.

I don't know where the pain is going to hit. Me neither (Laughter) - I wish I did. Link: Just... just connect with me. Rhett: Can I come closer? connect with me ♪ ♪ Oh what? Oh! Oh no no! No no no! That's enough! That's enough! (Laughter) - Are you done with that? - Yes, they're done. Hahaha - What... - (laughs) ...was that? - Caramba. - Uh... I hope this is making me a better person in some way. Uh... - Left thigh? - (Link laughs) Is that something I ate? There is a numbness in my left thigh. - Maybe I should go to the doctor. - (Laughter) - Like, right here.

Oh, I have fluff. - Ok. - That is what it is. - (laughs) But I'm going to go with the left thigh. No, it was my belly! - (surprised) Oh, really? - I had a premonition of mine - from before. - We keep thinking-- Wait. That is a totally different thing. The damn rug… Was Alex in on this? - (Laughter) - Damn burned carpet-- - Oh, like that? - Yes. Whoa! I can't wait to see that again. What... what the hell? (Laughter) - Oh, wow. - It's red, man. Yes. - I hope this has visitors. - (Laughter) That's our only hope.

It's okay... Give him the pain! Look at me. - (whip cracks) - Link: Whoa. - Oh! Damn - No! Nope! (laughter) (screams) Agh! (yelling) Hey! Screaming like a pig? - (chuckles) - (whining) (making random animal noises) Guess what? I'm not getting a strong signal. - Can we hit him again? - Nope! No no no no no! (singing) No, no, no, no, no, no. (sighs) Where did I feel it? - Are you okay? - No. Damn he was whipped, man. (laughs) (sighs) Your eyes are teary. You crying? (high pitch) Lil-little bit. (Laughter) He's crying. - Yes, I haven't cried in a long time. - Um...

Man, I only know about the-- about the-- whip. It can't be from the front. You shouldn't approach this logically. - Yes Yes Yes. - I should channel what I felt - in the moment. - Just feel it. Still stinging a bit. I feel like it was low. Like, I feel... like, my left calf. Like the back of the leg. Just there. Just a little tickle. Just a little whiplash, - on the back of the left calf. - In fact? - Yes. - It was my booty. - Oh. Was it your loot? - It was my booty. - What the fuck was that thing? - Let me see this whip.

Who... who do we have that is a whip... a master of the whip? - Oh yeah. - (laughs) - Who-- who are you? -Anthony DeLongis. I'm not going to shake your hand, Anthony. (Laughter) - Anthony-- - Well, we already met. - (slaps the end of the whip) - (laughter) Did you hit him on the ass with that? I did it, I did it. - Yes, I felt it. - Show business. - (Laughter) - Are you going out later? (stammering) I think maybe. Now that I'm... now that I've gotten close to him. - That was how my wife and I met. - (laughs) It's okay, Link. - Rhett: Last round. - (Electrical crackling) (Laughter) I have no points! (whining, laughing) I don't care if you get points. -(sighs)-Right now, you're the best of friends unless he can feel… where you have your pain.

Bring it! (zapping) Ouch! - (yelling) - (laughing) It's okay! It's okay! Okay. It's okay. That got you. -Yes. -Are we sure he caught it? I'm pretty sure he's our old friend... the Stun Cane. But where? - Men. - Oh. - You're breathing heavy. - I'm awake now. You didn't get caught right here, did you? The only place where I feel something is like... - Your sausage? - (snorts) - (laughs) - Besides the sausage... - (zaps) - You know how much I like to be surprised with the sausage. I only feel something in the lower part of my body, but I... it's just the left side...

Did I say the right thigh? Maybe something is wrong with my left thigh. Because now I feel it again in my back... in my left hamstring. - Is that your assumption? - Yes. You're very close. It was my left calf! I "prevented" it again! It was my fucking left calf. I give you half a point. - Half point? Because I was the right one-- - Bring it on! Get out the cane! - Oh my God! -(laughs) Oh, I wonder who he is. Reveal yourself, gentleman. - (laughs) - Oh! You! -I thought he was done! -He got you again! - It's not over, Jen. - It never ends. - It has not finished. - Look at those damn boots!

Yes, I sprained my ankle twice there. Oh poor Jen. Twisted ankle, everyone. Okay, I guess the bottom line is that neither of us are very good friends, at least when it comes to feeling each other's pain. We each combine for one point. (laughs) But I'll never forget what we went through together. And I will never forget what you have done to me. - Never. - The list grows! Stick around and watch us make whipped cream with our new friend, The Bull Whipper. (Laughter) What? Rhett: A good friend always has an extra sweatshirt when you forget yours.

Grab a GMM hoodie at the legendary store and be a good friend. (slowed down sound)