What is Synesthesia?
Synesthesia is a neurological condition when stimulation of one sense involuntarily triggers another. It’s not imagination; the brain is literally cross-wiring sensory pathways. For example, when you eat a chocolate, you sense the shape of it on your tongue.
About 2–4% of the population experiences synesthesia. Many don’t even realize they have it because it feels “normal” to them.
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Synesthetes often have enhanced creativity (artists, musicians and writers are overrepresented).
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It reveals how flexible and interconnected the human brain really is.
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Research on synesthesia may give clues about memory, learning and even autism spectrum conditions.
Common Types of Synesthesia:
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Grapheme–Color Synesthesia: Letters and numbers appear in specific colors (e.g: “A” is always red).
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Chromesthesia: Sounds (like music or voices) trigger color sensations.
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Lexical–Gustatory Synesthesia: Words evoke specific tastes (a rare but real form).
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Mirror-Touch Synesthesia: Feeling a physical sensation when seeing someone else touched.
Fun Fact: Famous synesthetes include painter Wassily Kandinsky, who “painted music,” and musician Pharrell Williams, who describes sounds in colors.
Synesthesia reminds us that the world we perceive isn’t fixed, our brains can shape reality in ways most of us can’t imagine.
MBH/PS