Synesthesia is a rare neurological phenomenon that couples two or more senses. A study in 2006 proposed that around 2-4% of the population has this condition. Someone with this condition may associate two or more distinct senses using cognitive and mental experiences. They might not only read these words but even taste or feel them. For example, some might see color when they hear a sound, while others can taste distinct flavors when they hear unrelated words.
Once diagnosed, this pairing of senses can remain fixed for life. Also, not everyone will experience it the same way. Someone might associate the color ‘green’ with the letter ‘D’ while it might be more of a ‘yellow’ for others. You could be born with it, develop it in early childhood, or develop it later in life. Either way, it is not seen as a disorder or disease. In fact, research has shown that those with this condition may perform better on specific assessments of intelligence and memory. If you have felt your senses twisting with each other, it can be challenging for you to explain it to others.
Here is how you can self-diagnose it:
- Go through all the alphabets, envisioning each letter one by one. Does any color appear in your mind as you imagine the letters? If yes, then write down the color for each letter on a piece of paper.
- Repeat this activity after some time. Do you find yourself envisioning individual letters with the same color every time?
- Put on a song you haven’t heard before and close your eyes. Do you see yourself associating different colors with different notes?
- Is your hearing complimented with a strong visual element?
If your answer is yes to any of these, you might have synesthesia. Alternatively, you can take any free online test. These can diagnose your condition on the same parameters as above mentioned activities.
What are the Symptoms?
Synesthesia has many types, all of which have different signs. Someone can have only one type or a combination of different types. Specific symptoms may vary, but there may be some common ones:
- Automatic Perception: The nature of perception in this condition is involuntary and automatic. If one has to make a mental effort to associate a color with any random alphabet, it is most likely that they do not experience this condition.
- Consistent Sensory Triggers: The same trigger causes the senses to twist. And the reaction to that trigger will be the same every time. If someone associates the color ‘red’ with the number ‘9’, they will always see 9 in red.
- Objective and Simple Sensation: All visual sensations and perceptions result from simple geometric patterns of letters or colors. It is never a random visualization.
- Irregular Sensory Experiences: This condition’s definition is its most determining symptom. The mixing of senses from a young age causes the child not to realize this not-so-ordinary experience. Yet, the adults around them can determine through the child’s reaction if the child associates taste with eyes or vision with ears.
The Different Types
This neurological phenomenon can manifest itself in many different combinations. Any two or more senses can cross paths to result in a different variation. The following are the most commonly found types:
Grapheme-Color
With this type, a synesthete would associate each individual letter or number with a specific color. No two people are likely to make the same color-letter/number association. This is one of the most common types.
Lexical-Gustatory
People with this type evoke a certain kind of taste when they hear particular phonemes or words. The taste could only be one of the things they experienced in their life. The word ‘jail’ might induce the taste of ‘cold bacon’ for a Lexical-Gustatory synesthete.
Ordinal-linguistic Personification
A person tends to associate numbers, letters, colors, and so on with personalities. For example, If someone thinks of the number ‘8’ as rude and arrogant, they might have OLP.
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Sound-to-color
This particular type occurs when sound triggers the visualization of colored shapes. In some cases, it could be that only certain sounds trigger the perception, while for others, a wide range of sounds could act as stimuli. The visual aspect usually includes generic shapes like circles, squares, etc.
Number-form
This essentially is a mental map made up of numbers. When a number-form synesthete thinks of numbers, they tend to visualize a mental map of numbers involuntarily.
These are just a few of the most commonly found types. Even if we take into account the five basic senses, we can make many pairings. So, there is a huge possibility for different variations.
Testing Criteria
The only criteria while evaluating this condition is ‘Test & Retest’. That is because a synesthete while associating color with any word, may usually be specific about the shade of that color. They might also stick with the same association throughout their lifetime. But, people who don’t have this condition will not be specific about the exact shade or shape. They are more likely to change their associations, if any, over time. The repetition ensures that people do not fake the condition.
How Spontaneous is it?
Someone with this condition never makes the connection consciously. The interconnection of senses is involuntary. So when a stimulus triggers that specific sense, the brain gives a multi-sensory response as a reflex. If one has to think about involving a different sense other than the one required before responding, then they might not have this condition. For a synesthete, the processing is so spontaneous that they don’t think of it as something unnatural.
Can You Control it?
No, as per the limited research on this, you cannot control it. Being an involuntary nervous system process, one cannot willingly stop it from happening once triggered. For some people, the multi-sensory response can be overwhelming, especially if developed later. Some might also feel ashamed for their unique perception.
However, deep breathing exercises or meditation may help a synesthete restrict any outside stimulation. Talking to others with the same condition can also help in finding ways to limit the outside input. One can also try identifying triggers and avoid coming across them as much as possible. But there is no study to suggest that one can control the twisting of senses.
Is it Triggered by Something?
Different types have different triggers. A trigger may also vary from person to person. For some people, a certain sound may trigger a specific visual or bodily sensation. Letters, numbers, and sounds can trigger different reactions in different people. Even witnessing someone getting touched could be a trigger. For example, people with mirror-touch synesthesia feel the sensation of being touched when they see it happening to someone else.
How Do You Perceive Feelings and Sensations?
People born with it or develop it in infanthood might not feel the multi-sensory response as unusual. For them, this could be the normal way their brain processes and reacts to outside input. It is usually at later stages that they become aware of their condition. Some synesthetes may find their condition enhancing their experience and helping them function better, while others may find it overwhelming, especially if their outside environment is full of stimulus.
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It can be hard to notice the indicators as one is usually born with them. The interlinking of senses for a synesthete is then normal. They don’t see the mixing of sensations as something unnatural. Additionally, no two people with this condition have the same perception, making it even harder to realize. Many synesthetes may assume that everyone perceives the world the same way they do.
The only thing to remember is that it is not a disability. There is no need to shy away and understate the symptoms. The first thing you should do is educate yourself about this condition as much as possible. For questions and doubts, you can schedule an appointment with our trusted consultants at DocVita.
It can be easy to feel ashamed of this and isolate yourself from others, but that does not have to be the case. By talking to one of our mental health professionals, you can learn to use this unique condition as an asset and see the world differently.
All you need to do is visit our page and schedule your first session today!