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

Bridget is a bright red telephone box, I wanted to call DD2 that!

I used to have a brilliant memory but it's all gone now, I wish I could make myself warm when it's cold, I have hypothyroidism which affects me in the cold

Katie = a small brown creature, like maybe a worn out dog puppet - sorry that's a rubbish description l, it's like I'm seeing this out the corner of my eye.

Selena= a tall glass of milk.

Lucy= a small blue jelly, but not an edible jelly, like a jelly slime squishy toy type thing.

Since I was a toddler if I heard a name, I saw a colour, so for example, if someone said 'Mary' I saw red. This is what I think you experience too. The days of the week are all coloured and Friday is patterned (diagonal black and white stripes). Numbers and months of the year also coloured. When I was younger music had colour too. This has faded, sadly. Interesting that yours has got stronger. I quite enjoy my synesthesia, but saw a documentary about it and one man they featured got terrible tastes when he heard certain words. That was horrible for him.

Thank you ShinyWorthKeeping a red phone box has lovely memories for me. My dad died last year and I used to call him from a phone box in the 70s when he was away.

Only trick myself in thinking am warm, have a tricky thyroid too. Memory for names and words is terrible - just visual.

You're most welcome and I'm glad you found a connection, sorry for your loss

Wow that is really cool! I'd be terrified my name smelled bad

I'm struggling to understand what OP means, it's actually hurting my head to think about it 😅 I have aphantasia too, wondering if that's why

I think my younger son has this. When he was very young he used to describe people as colours and said someone was "sparkling black" 😂so I've suspected he's had this since very young. He's 12 now and describes it more effectively - it's not people, its feelings and moods, so if someone is anxious (or he is) it feels pink etc
I find it absolutely fascinating!

Hi! How unusual, not heard of that and you're so kind to offer, thank you. Please can you let me know what you see for the name Lin? Thank you x

This is absolutely fascinating! I’ve read about this a few times and it’s so interesting to me, especially the fact that different people visualise it in different ways. Could I please ask what you see for Michelle, or Shell and also for Elliott?

My husband and son both have this! What's weird is that they have different colours for the numbers, so it must be a personal connection to the number. I suppose there must be a genetic thing going on as they both have it. My son was surprised everyone can't see things this way. My dh has colours for names and people too.

What do you see for Rebecca, OP?

@BellissimoGecko for
me - crispy bacon. Specifically the rind.

Oh... 🤔

Same here. Aphantasia, no internal monologue, when I read I don't "hear" the words in my head and I don't hear my own thoughts.
I don't know how everyone else isn't overwhelmed by all this inner-brain stimulation!

Hi, Lin is a lime green egg cup!

Elliot is an orange jelly, same as Ellis further up the thread which is unusual as generally names that are similar/shortened are different things.

Michelle is a mermaid barbie doll.

Rebecca is a red bucket (seaside circular kids one) with a yellow spade inside.

Can you tell when you meet someone by the colours that they're not a good person or would all colours be the same for a particular name?

How do you know what your thoughts are if you can't hear them/see them/ no inner monologue? This blows my mind, I think I'd be lonely without the constant chatter in my head 😂

Thank you, @ShinyWorthKeeping ! How about Jane?

The colours disappointingly mean nothing! I met a man with the most lovely swirly pastel colours - at that point the only person I'd ever met whose colours weren't just blocks and he went on to assault me, DD2 is the 2nd person who appears swirly, she's pastel yellow and pastel pink.

You're most welcome! Jane is one of those big leafy indoor plants in a terracotta pot

This is so interesting!
what do you see for the following names:
Hannah
Travis
Will
Fiona

So interesting. DD sees numbers, days and months in colour. We only found out last year when someone gave DH a calendar with each day of the week marked a different colour. DD took one look at it and said they had got the colours wrong!