Synesthesia is a condition when a person can hear a sound or tone when he sees a color or writing or when he smells a certain smell or smell. People who have this condition are often thought to have a sixth sense. However, this is not true.
The five senses work specifically in capturing the stimulus or stimuli that the body receives. For example, the sense of hearing in the ear can only perceive sound stimuli, while the sense of taste on the tongue can only detect the taste and aroma of food and drink.
However, in people who have synesthesia, the sensory system works in a unique way. People who have sensory complaints can feel a stimulus to one of the five senses, even though the stimulus received is not directed at that sense.
For example, people who have synesthesia can hear certain sounds or tones when they see colors or writing, even though there are no sound stimuli around them.
In other cases, there are also people with synesthesia who can smell certain aromas when they consume drinks or foods that taste sweet or salty, even though there is no source of the smell around them.
Causes of Someone Experiencing Synesthesia
It is estimated that about 3–5% of the world's population has synesthesia. By some people, the ability of synesthesia is still often considered as a sixth sense, even though this is not true. Synesthesia is also not a disease or disorder that is harmful to physical or mental health.
Until now, the cause of a person experiencing synesthesia is not known with certainty. Synesthesia is thought to occur due to biological and genetic factors. People who have synesthesia may have parents or other relatives who have similar abilities.
In addition, there is also a theory that states that synesthesia may occur because certain parts of the brain are too sensitive, so that they are more responsive to certain stimuli from the five senses.
Whatever the possible cause, synesthesia is not a disease or disorder to be wary of, but rather the unique ability of the brain's nerves to receive and process stimuli in the senses.
In certain cases, synesthesia can also arise due to certain disorders, such as epilepsy. Synesthesia can also occur in people who use certain drugs, such as drugs and psychedelics.
Recognizing the Characteristics of Synesthesia
People who have synesthesia can feel the symptoms since they were children and it gets worse with age. The following are some of the signs and symptoms of synesthesia:
- Seeing letters, numbers, or colors when hearing certain sounds or smelling smells
- Smell a certain aroma or a certain taste appears on the tongue, for example salty and sweet, when seeing a color or writing
- Feeling sensations on the skin, such as touch or tingling, when hearing a sound or tasting certain foods or drinks
- Find it difficult or unable to explain their unique sensory responses to others
Signs and symptoms of synesthesia, whether in the form of color, sound, or taste, experienced by the sufferer will remain the same from time to time. For example, if he saw the letter "A" as green, it would be the same as what he saw years later.
In addition, some research says that people who have synesthesia generally have high creativity. This is because of their ability to uniquely process sensory stimuli.
Many world famous artists are known to have this condition. An example is the legendary Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh.
Treatment for Synesthesia
Synesthesia is not a medical or psychological disorder that needs to be treated. However, this condition can sometimes mimic the symptoms of certain medical disorders, such as epilepsy, hallucinations, or psychosis.
These three conditions can be distinguished from the symptoms that appear. Synesthesia only appears when a person feels certain stimuli in one of the five senses, while hallucinations and epilepsy can occur even when there is no stimulation at all.
In addition, people who have hallucinations will often have strange or delusional thought patterns, such as paranoia, as well as restlessness or anxiety. Meanwhile, people who suffer from epilepsy can also experience seizures or headaches.
If the symptoms you experience lead to hallucinations, this condition needs to be treated immediately by a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Synesthesia is not a medical disorder or disease to worry about, but rather a person's unique ability to receive and process stimuli to his or her senses.
If you are experiencing symptoms of synesthesia and want to determine whether they are normal or caused by hallucinations, consult your doctor for a check-up.
