I have synesthesia AMA

[ShinyWorthKeeping]

I have synesthesia.

The way I experience it is, when I see a person I see them as colours, usually blocks of colours sometimes with lines running through. Only twice have I seen 'swirly' colours.

I also can see names, these aren't blocks of colours, these tend to be 'things' very rarely I can smell a name too!

I understand lots of people won't want to out themselves with photos and names but I'm happy to do celebs or if anyone wants to name change etc I'll read your colours or names/baby names or answer any questions.

I'm pregnant and feeling rough and have my 7 month old here with me but I'll be back and forth here today.

AMA

I have it too. mainly with names,‘I have a visual for every name, proper noun etc.

as I’ve got older it’s become less prominent though - is this the same as you?

How interesting thanks for starting an AMA!

How do you feel about having it, in general - is it enjoyable, frustrating, something else?

Is it a disability or akin to a disability (please excuse my ignorance)? What if anything does it make harder in your life?

@FannyBawz oh I've never met anyone else with it, so this is interesting, people always ask if I see the same as other people with synesthesia soaybe we can test that.

I'm the opposite actually, I'm 34 and it's getting stronger, I've always seen the colours over people but the names thing has only appeared in the last few years.

Did you acquire it after a brain injury or have you always had it? Have you been formally diagnosed? My main familiarity with the condition is people who acquire it after brain injury.

@ThatAgileGoldMoose
You're very welcome!

To be honest it doesn't really affect me, as I didn't realise it wasn't normal until I was a fair bit older, it doesn't affect my life all that much... although discussing baby names recently with DP I had to veto one he liked as to me it was a snotty nose!

I wouldn't describe it as a disability at all, it's just seeing a picture that isn't there. Like if you were to talk about someone I knew and I would think about him, I might think, oh yes, Bob, he's the pink and yellow bloke, as much as I might think, oh yes he's the bloke with the mustache or whatever. Hope that makes sense!

Cool! What colour is Hugh Grant?

@ShinyWorthKeeping Do you mean you physically SEE colours over/in front of people?

I unfortunately have aphantasia. So I can’t picture a single thing. Just blackness. If I imagine things, it’s more a feeling, or imagining a smell I know or how something feels in my hands but no image.

@ConflictofInterest no brain injury or formal diagnosis, the colours have been then forever and the names is newer. I have been through a very traumatic event (physically and mentally) and it has perhaps got a lot stronger since then although I've never thought to make the connection before.

@zaxxon his is a wide vertical block of navy, a skinny vertical line of cream, then a block of yellow on a smaller block of red

My name's Heather, what colour do you see?

This is fascinating btw!

@ShinyWorthKeeping I read somewhere that Pharrell Williams has the same condition and experiences music as colour.

@AwakeNotThruChoice the best way I can describe it as if I'm experiencing a memory, so I can see it but I know it's not physically there. Like I went on a blind date once and as soon as I saw the man I thought, 'blue and orange' alongside what he actually looked like.

This is interesting. My 14 year old DS says he sees numbers as colours. he thinks everyone does. I have questioned him but it only seems to be the case with numbers as far as i can tell.

@Twixtmasjigsaw so I see people as colours and names as things, to me Heather is church in the rain.

Fascinating! How do you see Mirabel?

That's so interesting. I could honestly listen to you talk about this all day....

@MantleStatue I see this too but much more vague than the faces and names

Oh, and FWIW he is a very visual person and has the most amazing ability to put colours together really beautifully (with clothes, bedroom decorations mainly). Actually I have just realised that while i insist his favourite hoodie is British racing green he insists it is blue green with more blue in it than green. He's probably right now i come to think of it.

Wow! Thanks, that's so interesting. Sounds a bit Mondrian - I wonder what that says about Hugh

@DownWithTrump oooh mirabel is pretty, its a small still amount of water (like a pond but like a natural one somewhere nice - not sure if it has a proper name!) With sunlight sparkles on it.

@Twixtmasjigsaw Thank you!

I don't think my colours mean anything, they're just there! My two 'swirly' colours couldn't be more different people!

Very interesting! I like to think I'm quite artistic too, during lockdown I painted a lot

Love this thread 😊 I see colours for some numbers, and the days of the week. I also ‘see’ patterns of vivid colours when I’m tired before bed. Usually geometric patterns or sort of bar codes of different colours.