Synesthesia, really?

[beandelphiki]

New self-discovery!

Apparently, I am mildly synesthetic. Specifically, I have that really common type, grapheme-color synesthesia, where I associate letters (as well as numbers, days of the week and months) to colors. I also have pain-color associations.

Up until a few days ago, I assumed I wasn't really a synesthete because I thought synesthetes

Comments

[haleth]

I'm mildly synesthetic(? what would the word for that be, really?). Letters have colors, but it's most pronounced in groups of other letters. Numbers, too. Also I can taste some colors. I'll play with those tests when I have time.

[beandelphiki]

"Synesthetic" is right, so far as I'm aware. That's what Wikipedia uses.

Tasting colors, that's neat! Since you also have some grapheme-color associations, does that mean letters sometimes have taste?

My mother was telling me she smells colors, and I was like, "...Seriously? You've never told me this before." Apparently red smells like cinnamon, and her favourite colors are blues because, "they all smell fresh, like fresh laundry, and rain."

[griffen]

Yes, I'm a synaesthete. Mine is sound-color (although I hadn't thought about it, and it's only certain sounds), touch-color, and one they don't have listed: grapheme-texture. Letters and numbers for me are vaguely colored, but some are also heavily textured. B feels like little flat bumps, with a rubberized tackiness to it - think of a very flat Lego made of flexible rubber. G is round, kind of like a dowel. X feels furry, like a bearskin. Y is... I can't figure how to say it, but "wispy" comes close. Maybe like silk, except it fades out at the points? It's hard to describe. And all of them are colored, but I "feel" the colors. I don't see them.

Not all letters and numbers are heavily textured for me, and not all the time. Mostly it's initial letters. Like the "L" in this sentence - it feels like yarn, really heavy acrylic yarn. Itchy.

I've never read of anyone else having this particular form of synesthesia.

[beandelphiki]

I had a feeling you might respond... *grins*

I was skimming through synaesthesis, and I think I might actually have seen someone mention that one. That's really interesting, though.

And yeah, it's pretty much only the color of initial letters of words I'd notice most of the time (if at all). I can't imagine what it would be like to be able to perceive each separate letter color all the time (if that happens to anyone) - it seems like it would be exhausting.

[feebeeglee]

Nope, but I think of numbers as having a gender, and a personality. I had the same feelings as a child as you did, feeling sorry for the less likable numbers.

[beandelphiki]

Actually, grapheme-personality is a recognised type, so maybe you do. (You don't get it with letters, too? Just numbers? You can have only one or the other, or both.)

[feebeeglee]

I don't get it with letters, but my best friend does. She says W is very untrustworthy and to watch out for it.

[weird_fin]

Wow that's all really interesting! I have heard of stuff like this before but seeing so many different types. It does seem that it would get exhausting or very stimulating (as that's what it is). Even though most people who have it would probably think nothing of it on a day to day basis...me without anything much like that, feels pretty boring now. *chuckles*

[beandelphiki]

Huh, so do letters really not have a color to you? Like, if I asked you what color C is, you couldn't give it a color that you'd remember later?

[weird_fin]

No I really don't associate colours, feelings, touches, sounds with either numbers or letters.

I'm sure if I practiced associating colours with letters I could, but it wouldn't be an automatic response ever. Unless something remarkable occurred during my association phase like I saw a lot of blood therefore I'd remember red.

It would have to be this is a letter C, the colour I associate is...turqoise blue it would be a lag in time obviously. I could see it getting very confusing though I admit. But I understand your confusion over people NOT remembering only 26 colours to a letter. It does seem quite simple. It's a really interesting topic this.

[beandelphiki]

That's interesting. I mean, I have what feels like a brief lag (like a second or two) where I call up the associated color, but the color's been the same all my life. You're saying you'd have to think for a bit to come up with a color, and it might not be the same unless you have some conscious reason to associate that color with that letter, yes?

I guess that shouldn't actually be that hard to understand. I don't have colors for musical notes, for example, although that seems to be a very common type. (And honestly, it seems like music SHOULD have color!) I guess it's the same.

I suppose not having letter-color only seems extra weird to me because, wherever you look...letters do have color! On advertisements, on alphabet blocks, etc. To me, it seemed as though surely everyone must have letter colors...the "evidence" is basically everywhere.

People must just choose letter colors for blocks, fridge magnets, etc. on the basis of what looks pretty, I guess.