Synesthesia

A few years ago, as I watched a documentary from National Geographic on my TV, I first heard of synesthesia. The more I learned about the phenomenon, the more excited I became. Finally, I had a name for the connections I had been making my entire life! My strange and seemingly random associations between various senses were recognized, if not explained. Rifling through my school folders tonight, I was reminded again of the condition, and decided I might as well discuss it here.
Put simply, synesthesia is a neurological condition that forms connections in the brain between two otherwise unrelated senses. The severity and frequency of the connections vary from person to person, but synesthesia in general is not uncommon in the general population. It is especially prevalent in musicians, visual artists, and writers.
For myself, synesthesia is primarily color-based. I visualize certain numbers and letters in my head as being a specific color—for example, the number four and the letter H are always yellow, five is always blue, the letter R is red, and J is purple. I also perceive sounds as colors; loud, chaotic noises are red, while soft piano music is baby blue. Of course, baby blue piano is not to be confused with deep, resonating sounds, which are a dark navy blue. Also, triangles are always yellow. I don’t know why.
In addition to these connections, I also associate school subjects with colors (English is yellow, Spanish is red, science is green, etc.), but I’m not sure if this is considered synesthesia or just years of dedicating certain folders to certain classes.
Discussing my newfound knowledge with my family, I learned that color-number and color-letter association is quite common. My sister is convinced that science is green, while English is red and math is blue. Of course, she’s wrong (how could English possibly be red?), but that’s besides the point. My mom has strong connections between colors, numbers, and letters, though she isn’t here at the moment for me to interrogate. My dad doesn’t experience any type of synesthesia.
While color, number, and letter synesthesia is the most common form, it can also manifest itself as links between sounds, shapes, even tastes. Some visual artists have taken to painting what songs look like in their heads, creating stunning colors and forms just by listening to the radio.
One final bit of information I have about synesthesia is that it sometimes links to other mental conditions, like anxiety. This I know primarily through personal experience, though I have heard of mental effects related to the condition. When I have a panic attack, all my senses are heightened, and often take form as colors and sounds. For example, as my level of panic rises, I begin to see my surroundings in brighter hues, like strong reds and neon yellows. An otherwise quiet room begins to sound loud and grating. My sense of touch, sight, and hearing all connect, propelling each other upwards to debilitating heights.
Synesthesia is a perfect example of seemingly rational thoughts permeating the brain, illogical to everyone around you. Despite this, however, it is present in the minds of plenty of people, simply taking different forms. An incredibly unique experience that is shared by many.

Olivia