Many people are capable of answering this: What's it like to not have synaesthesia?

Question

Synaesthesia is a condition where you perceive letters and numbers as colored. I have this form and another form where numbers/letters have genders and personalities in addition to colors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia

What are your numbers like when you don't have synaesthesia? They are just numbers with no gender? Are they neutral? Or do you not think of them as having gender at all? Plus, how do you remember sequences of numbers?

(I know this sounds weird, but please be patient, I find this extremely puzzling.)

Every letter, number, month, and day has a gender, color, and personification.

Your string of numbers: 25479743

2-orange-yellow, female
5-male, orange-red
4-male, green
7-bright yellow, male
9-male, dark-blue
7-bright yellow, male
4-green, male
3-pink/red, female

I never have to think about it; The numbers just are what they are.
It makes remembering phone numbers a lot easier. :)

It's really hard for me to understand numbers just being numbers.

Usually you see all these questions on Y!A asking the synaesthete what it's like.

I started wondering what other people see, so I've reversed the usual asker/answerer.

Answer 1

I envy you, to know numbers so well and see life in so much colour and detail.

For me a number is just that. If I think of a number 1, I see that image '1' in my head, it has no personality, gender. Its just a numerical value. As for remembering a sequence, I break it up into smaller bits, say 25479743. I'd try to remember 2547, them when I know it off by heart I learn 9743 and put then together. It is just a line of eight letters, no meaning, they just are.

What's it like to have synesthesia?

Answer 2

That is really interesting because that is exactly how I am. I have been like that ever since I was young and I tried to explain it to other people how I see number and letters. I never know there was an actual name to it. Guess its because I have a natural talent for the arts and have been drawing and painting ever since I can remember. Now that I'm older I see my drawing and painting in a similar way. For me I see number as if they were people, whats weird is that to me it looks as if there are number that get along fine and others that don't match and with their personalites.
Thank you for posting your question now I understand it better.

Answer 3

That's not weird. I bet alot of people are like that. Now that you mention it, I actually do that as well. I never knew there was a term for it. I thought I was just imaginative or something. I don't see them as colors, though, they are just black to me. But I picture them as having genders and personalities. Like "A" is female and confidant to me, "B" is male and shy. "C" is male and playful, etc. I also see colors with a gender and personality. But alot of people probably do, they say that colors bring out certain emotions. But I don't think that is weird at all. It's actually kind of interesting. I know I didn't answer your question, but I felt the need to write in because I thought that was strange that I do that as well. Maybe it is more normal than you think.

Answer 4

It's not just numbers and letters. I have synesthesia, and I see color and movement when I experience sound, smell, and taste. Every inanimate object around me also has an inscribed personality. I've tried to seperate letters and sounds and smells and things from the synesthetic reactions I get from them, but I can't. I don't know what sound would be without the colors and movement and shapes it evokes.

I can't imagine not having it. : )

My, my, my, there are lots of synesthesia questions on the psychology board here!

Answer 5

i find it weird how ppl find letters and numbers as colored! its cool! i wish i was like that....

well for us
their just regular... lines and squiggles
and numbers to us dont have genders o_o
to remember sequences and numbers, i usually just say it over and over and over again till i remember the numbers. however the most numbers i probably could remember together is 10 numbers but it would take me like 30 minutes