Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Recognize the Signs of Synesthesia
• Part 2 of 2: Establishing a professional diagnosis
• Tips
• Warnings

Synesthesia is a rare phenomenon of mixing of feelings (sight, hearing, taste) in which stimulation of one sense leads to a predictable and reproducible response of the other. For example, a person with synesthesia may hear colors, sense sounds, or taste objects when touched. Sometimes these feelings are completely subjective. Most people with synesthesia are born with synesthesia and do not consider their feelings to be strange. When they tell people about how the world around them appears before them, they begin to be treated like crazy. The diagnosis of synesthesia is usually a real relief for them. Please note that the medical community does not agree that this condition exists at all, and therefore some doctors do not consider synesthesia to be a real disease.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Recognize the Signs of Synesthesia

1. 1 Synesthesia is a rare phenomenon that is often misdiagnosed. Synesthesia is considered a rare neurological disorder that affects the patient's perception. Most cases of synesthesia are either not diagnosed or not noticed by the patients themselves. It is not known exactly how many people with synesthesia in the world.
2. 2 Note that not all people with synesthesia experience it physically. If you actually see colors in the air, smell, hear or see different things, then you have projected synesthesia. This form of synesthesia is even rarer than associative synesthesia and is what people think of when they hear the word synesthesia.
   • Some people with synesthesia (called synesthetes) hear, smell, taste, or pain in color. Others are able to taste when touched or see letters and words written in different colors. For example, they may see the letter "B" in red and "P" in yellow.
   • Some synesthetes are able to see abstract concepts, such as abstract forms, units of time, or mathematical equations floating in space. This form of synesthesia is called "conceptual".
3. 3 Identify risk factors. According to one US study, there are several factors that are closely associated with synesthesia. For example, synesthesia is three times more common in women than in men. Synesthesia is much more common in left-handers and is inherited in 40% of cases.
4. 4 Don't confuse synesthesia with hallucinations. Oftentimes, people mistake someone else's synesthesia for hallucinations or drugs. Real cases of synesthesia differ from hallucinations in their repetition and predictability. They are also not overly fanciful or casual. For example, if you taste strawberries while listening to a song, then in order to be considered a synesthete, a similar reaction must be repeated each time with the same result. However, it should be noted that triggers are not always two-way.
   • Synesthetes are often teased and ridiculed (usually starting in childhood) for describing sensory experiences that other people lack.
5. 5 Note that each synesthete experiences things differently. Synesthesia is a kind of network of nerves and synapses in the brain responsible for the five senses. Moreover, each synesthete has its own network diagram. For example, the most common is grapheme-color synesthesia, in which numbers and letters have their own color. Each synesthete has a different color projection on the letters, but in most cases the letter "A" is red. Another common form is chromaesthesia, or color hearing. Sounds, music or voices evoke images of color. But the same word for one synesthete can be associated with one color, and for another - with another. Each synesthete has its own unique experience.

Part 2 of 2: Establishing a professional diagnosis

1. 1 See a therapist. Since the sensations of synesthesia can be similar to some medical conditions and head injuries, you should see your doctor to rule out serious problems. The doctor will check brain function, reflexes, and feelings to determine if there are any physical problems or impairments. If he decides that you have something serious, he will refer you to a neurologist. Keep in mind that people with synesthesia usually complete all standard neurologic examinations and are considered healthy. If you have a neurological disorder that causes visual sensations, the likelihood of synesthesia is also extremely low.
   • Head trauma, post-concussion syndrome, brain tumors, brain infections, migraines, seizures, epilepsy, stroke, reactions to toxins, LSD flashbacks, and hallucinogens (mescaline, mushrooms) can all cause visual sensations similar to synesthesia ...
   • Synesthesia is a congenital condition and is therefore extremely unlikely to occur in adulthood. If it suddenly appears in adulthood, see your doctor immediately for a check-up, as this may indicate a brain or nervous system problem.
2. 2 See an ophthalmologist. Some of the visual sensations of synesthesia may mimic certain eye conditions, so you should see an optometrist or ophthalmologist and have your eyes checked. Eye conditions that can cause visual phenomena and color distortions include eye trauma, glaucoma (pressure in the eye), cataracts, retinal or vitreous detachment, corneal edema, macular degeneration, and optic neuropathy.
   • Most people with synesthesia do not have physical eye problems.
   • It is better to see an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) than an optometrist. An optometrist mainly determines visual acuity and selects glasses and contact lenses for people.
3. 3 Note that some doctors do not believe in synesthesia. You may meet doctors who do not believe in the existence of this disease. Moreover, compulsory medical insurance and voluntary medical insurance do not cover the treatment of synesthesia. You should still see your doctor and rule out other conditions that may have caused the same symptoms, but keep in mind that your doctor may make a completely different diagnosis.
   • See several doctors if you think the doctor was not taking your problems seriously.
   • If your doctor tells you that you have not synesthesia, but a completely different disease, trust him and go through the course of treatment prescribed by him.

Tips

• Ask relatives about their feelings. They may feel the same way as you and can be supportive.
• Accept that synesthesia is unusual and not a disease or disorder. Don't think that you are strange.
• Join an online group of people with synesthesia to learn more about it.

Warnings

• If you suddenly start seeing colors and / or unusual shapes, it could be due to hallucinations, seizures, migraines, or stroke. Don't immediately assume that you have synesthesia. Consult your doctor if these sensations are new to you and are accompanied by discomfort.