[Affected]

So... Anyone here synaesthetic? You know, mixing different sensations and emotions together? I don't quite know all the types there are, but I know there are really odd things, like mixing emotions and numbers (no, really) and such. I think I might be the rarest kind, that may interpret visual signals as sensations of touch. I've had a few experiences where I'm watching TV, looking at someone's face (their nose, to be precise), and suddenly I get this awareness of the form I'm seeing. Not a sensation like reaching out and touching someone, but rather like what you might feel if the mind could sense touch separate of the body. Thorougly odd, I tell you. I've only had it a couple of times, though, so it could be something other than synaesthesia, too.

[ May 23, 2001: Message edited by: Affected ]

[klaivu]

I remember reading somewhere that synesthesia is actually some connections in the brain left over from the time as a baby. That would explain these two weird touch/feeling - sensations that I remember from a dream : http://www.sijun.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=001608

[ May 23, 2001: Message edited by: klaivu ]

[Affected]

mmm, that would make sense. I think I'll go do some searching for info. Hope I don't get too man sites on the FLA side project...

[Impaler]

Synaesthesia is essentially a cross-wiring in the brain, where certain stimuli of one sense also act as a stimuli of another sense. You get cool things like hearing and tasting colors, and smelling a sound.

It's also maddening if not controlled. The brain is only designed to handle so many stimuli per stimuli at once. Can you imagine reading this post and tasting a different shade of blue for every word and letter? It'd be too much at once, comprehending the blues while you're trying to read. A lot of synaesthesia victims have to smoke marijuana to slow the reflexes and such, so they can at least somewhat calm down.

What you experienced is a more advanced, concentrated and evolved level of synaesthesia. Basically, you begin to believe what you're seeing is actually there, and you enter an alpha brainwave state where you lose contact with the things in the room. At this point, all that is your world is what's on the TV, and thusly your mind begins to interpret it as real. Keep in mind that all you see and feel and sense is simply electronic reactions in your brain. Just like you can hear and see things in your head, you can also feel things. They're not that far apart, if feeling just being a little more difficult to accomplish (it IS one of the newer sensations, after all).

Odd how I know these things. *shrug*

[Affected]

most likely, they were just random, isolated incidents (although getting it while looking at a person's nose on TV was common to them, oddly enough), though, since from what little info I managed to gather it seems synaesthetics have usually always been that way.

[klaivu]

I've never heard that it was 'maddening' ?
Or that the synesthetics were suffering 'victims' ?

[Impaler]

Like I said, the brain can only handle so much.

Extreme cases of synaesthesia are often filled with sensory overloads (that's where the phrase came from), causing the victim to black out. I read something about an experiment where they played Bach's Concerto No. 3 to some extreme synaesthetics, where they proceeded to a) scream from the confusion b) swing violently at all the "sensations" or c) faint.

Try to imagine that you're listening to Mozart, FLA, and Johnny Cash, tasting ice cream, beer and steak, drawing while you're reading a book and watching TV, getting punched, tickled, and kissed, while smelling sweat, roses and rain. All at the same time, and you're trying to make sense of it. Now cross all the sensations you would associate with each thing and mix the categories. It would be more than a bit confusing, I assume. That is why a lot of synaesthesia is crippling and can only be controlled through psychotropics.

[TheSourPatchKid]

Impaler is right Synesthesia is not something you can develope. You are either born with it or you're not. And the sensations are always the same.

There is a great book called "The Man Who Tasted Shapes" and in it he talks about a boy who when told a word the boy would form a certain position with his body. They tested the boy years later with the same words and the boy now a man formed exactly the same positions with his body. Amazing, I know but for him its completely natural.

Its extremely rare though. I would be willing to bet that nobody on this forum has synesthesia.

I did a report in college on it. It is very hard to explain what exactly Synesthesia is to someone. I would recommend reading that book. Or looking up info on the internet by the same author. Hes an expert on the subject.

Thats cool that you guys have heard of it though. Impaler thats cool that you seem to know a lot about it. Thats about as rare as finding a person with the gift of synesthesia. In some cases its not that intolerable because it depends on how extreme the connection to the senses.

For example if you sight is connected to another sense it would be a lot harder for that person to drive a car or something like that. But you don't use your sense of smell that much so if everytime you hear something it effects your sense of smell it wouldn't be that distracting.
So it all depends .
Cool topic though.

[Frost]

(I thought this was a thread about the FLA spinoff label by that name...)

[Silybum]

Frost... me too... lol

[TheSourPatchKid]

Nope sorry guys just pure education in here.

By the way what do you mean by FLA spinoff label in case you come back to this thread??

[Frost]

Sour: FLA also works under many other names, including synaesthesia. (you can check out an unofficial FLA-fan website at http://www.delerium.com/)

[ May 24, 2001: Message edited by: Frost ]