Synesthesia?

[njstone]

I'm wondering if anyone here has any knowledge of the neurological condition known as "synesthesia."

I've recently discovered that my brain operates this way, particularly "Number Form Synesthesia." My brain doesn't show a "mental map" of all numbers, but only in certain situations--especially chronological: I see time, the calendar year, and days of the week in specific mental images and patterns. I've always been this way, and it's an involuntary mental response. I honestly didn't even realize it was abnormal until a few years ago. I just thought I was weird, but now I have something scientific to call it, lol.

Does anyone else here have any experiences or knowledge about various forms of synesthesia?

 

[Gravity]

Interesting, just be thankful you're not the type that hears and tastes colors, can only see numbers in specific colors, smells changing your sights, etc. You have what I would say is the interesting/cool side of synesthesia, seeing time.

 

[njstone]

Interesting, just be thankful you're not the type that hears and tastes colors, can only see numbers in specific colors, smells changing your sights, etc. You have what I would say is the interesting/cool side of synesthesia, seeing time.

I had a good friend in college who could see music ... as in musical notes were visible to him as colors and sometimes shapes floating around, and melodies would change the colors, I think. He's a musician, no surprise there. Some think Mozart and some other famous composers had that ability as well.

I agree that being able to taste/smell colors, numbers, words, etc would suck I think.

 

[Monsterdg]

My wife has a mild form with numbers like you; numbers, days of the week, months all have their own shapes. She also has mild OCD, not sure if the two are connected. LSD can bring this condition on while the drug is in your system.

 

[bugbear]

Interesting

I never knew there was a name for it

I remember numbers by pattern

First time I realized it was a couple of years back when I tried to dial on an old rotary phone

More recently, desktop guys at work thought it was hilarious it took me 20 minutes to enter my 14 + character password on an iPad

I had to print it out and I locked it out four times

But with a regular keyboard I'm fine

Not sure it's quite the same

 

[beckerc07]

While I am thankful I don't have Synesthesia, I think it would be interesting to see a cigar review from someone who can taste colors, etc. I wonder how it would effect the cigar smoking experience...

 

[zama80]

I see time, days of the week, weeks of the month, months of the year, decades, years and centuries in specific patterns/shapes. I always have. Is that what Synesthesia is?

After further review, I guess I have it too. I had never heard of this until now, I thought everyone saw time like I do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia

 

[zama80]

Interesting

I never knew there was a name for it

I remember numbers by pattern

First time I realized it was a couple of years back when I tried to dial on an old rotary phone

More recently, desktop guys at work thought it was hilarious it took me 20 minutes to enter my 14 + character password on an iPad

I had to print it out and I locked it out four times

But with a regular keyboard I'm fine

Not sure it's quite the same

I work in the IT field and that is very common among users.. If they have had a password for a long time, they can't remember what it is unless they type it out. This is especially true if they are assigned a password that is a string of random alphanumeric characters.

 

[mwlabel]

I do the same thing. I remember a number of things as charts, ladders, patterns, etc.

The first time I realized I did it, I was extremely young... maybe 6 or 7 or so. I had to memorize a really long prayer (went to a Catholic school), and I remembered it like a blueprint of a house. Each paragraph/section was a different room, etc. and I would mentally "walk through" the building as I said it.

 

[bugbear]

Interesting

I never knew there was a name for it

I remember numbers by pattern

First time I realized it was a couple of years back when I tried to dial on an old rotary phone

More recently, desktop guys at work thought it was hilarious it took me 20 minutes to enter my 14 + character password on an iPad

I had to print it out and I locked it out four times

But with a regular keyboard I'm fine

Not sure it's quite the same

I work in the IT field and that is very common among users.. If they have had a password for a long time, they can't remember what it is unless they type it out. This is especially true if they are assigned a password that is a string of random alphanumeric characters.

Indeed, I am a Network Infosec dood, probably have over 100 passwords memorized by keystroke only

Another example, when remembering my ATM pin I visualize the 10 buttons and pattern pressed

Wish I could taste colors

 

[bugbear]

I ponder if those who think in a similar way are Sight Word Readers or do you pronounce things out while reading? Anyone who listens to the podcast can guess which I am (after hearing me mangle the Spanish language) ;P

 

[Fourtotheflush]

While I am thankful I don't have Synesthesia, I think it would be interesting to see a cigar review from someone who can taste colors, etc. I wonder how it would effect the cigar smoking experience...

if flavors were #'s to a person w\ Synesthesia that woudl truly give meaninig to a # valued review!

 

[mthhurley]

I am utterly fascinated by this!

I would love to see you both draw what...2pm looks like to you.

 

[bugbear]

I am utterly fascinated by this!

I would love to see you both draw what...2pm looks like to you.

Easy closer to scotch further away from coffee

Ha!

 

[Gravity]

I ponder if those who think in a similar way are Sight Word Readers or do you pronounce things out while reading? Anyone who listens to the podcast can guess which I am (after hearing me mangle the Spanish language) ;P

LOL, no comment!

 

[Gravity]

While I am thankful I don't have Synesthesia, I think it would be interesting to see a cigar review from someone who can taste colors, etc. I wonder how it would effect the cigar smoking experience...

What's interesting is, you may have already read one of those reviews, and didn't know it, because the person didn't know that isn't how everybody operates. I think we're getting a very good picture into just how many people have this and never even realized it. The wiki states that at least 1:23 people have this disorder in some way or another, but that there has been so little research done in it, that that ratio may be much greater than previously thought. From what I've read, doctors freely admit that there are sides to Synesthesia that have yet to be discovered, let alone understood.

I am able to step back into my memories and look around in them, looking at something closer that I may have missed at that original point in time. That may in fact be one facet of Synesthesia, albeit a rare side of it, but with all the different visualizations I've read about concerning this disorder, it seems to fall right inline. With the utter lack of study though, who knows.

 

[zama80]

While I am thankful I don't have Synesthesia, I think it would be interesting to see a cigar review from someone who can taste colors, etc. I wonder how it would effect the cigar smoking experience...

What's interesting is, you may have already read one of those reviews, and didn't know it, because the person didn't know that isn't how everybody operates. I think we're getting a very good picture into just how many people have this and never even realized it. The wiki states that at least 1:23 people have this disorder in some way or another, but that there has been so little research done in it, that that ratio may be much greater than previously thought. From what I've read, doctors freely admit that there are sides to Synesthesia that have yet to be discovered, let alone understood.

I am able to step back into my memories and look around in them, looking at something closer that I may have missed at that original point in time. That may in fact be one facet of Synesthesia, albeit a rare side of it, but with all the different visualizations I've read about concerning this disorder, it seems to fall right inline. With the utter lack of study though, who knows.

I sir do not have a disorder. I am normal, everyone else is weird :bigeyes:
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Gravity]

While I am thankful I don't have Synesthesia, I think it would be interesting to see a cigar review from someone who can taste colors, etc. I wonder how it would effect the cigar smoking experience...

What's interesting is, you may have already read one of those reviews, and didn't know it, because the person didn't know that isn't how everybody operates. I think we're getting a very good picture into just how many people have this and never even realized it. The wiki states that at least 1:23 people have this disorder in some way or another, but that there has been so little research done in it, that that ratio may be much greater than previously thought. From what I've read, doctors freely admit that there are sides to Synesthesia that have yet to be discovered, let alone understood.

I am able to step back into my memories and look around in them, looking at something closer that I may have missed at that original point in time. That may in fact be one facet of Synesthesia, albeit a rare side of it, but with all the different visualizations I've read about concerning this disorder, it seems to fall right inline. With the utter lack of study though, who knows.

I sir do not have a disorder. I am normal, everyone else is weird :bigeyes:
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

LOL, too true!

 

[gui_tarzan]

This is very interesting. I see numbers in patterns too and use patterns for character recognition. I also relate colors to temperatures which I always thought was somewhat odd. Yes, I'm also in IT.

 

[mwlabel]

I fail to see how this is considered a "disorder"... unless they are using the definition as in "out of the ordinary"