Dear Dish-it: Is There Something Wrong With Me?

Dear Dish-it,

All my life, I’ve associated colors with everything: words, numbers, people, places. I always thought it was normal, like everyone did that. But when I talked to my friends and parents about that, they didn’t understand. Is there something wrong with my brain?

Color Freak

Grapheme Color Synesthesia

Dear Color Freak,

First of all, you’re not a freak at all. There’s nothing wrong with you. What you likely have is called synesthesia. While there are over 60 different types of synesthesia, yours is one of the most common. It’s called Grapheme Color Synesthesia. Those with this condition tend to associate colors with letters and numbers.

Color Association

Everyone who has this will have different associations. For example, to you the letter “A” might be red, while someone else might see it as blue. You might look at the number “2” as pink while others see it as green. Oftentimes, people will also associate colors with sounds and textures.

You're Normal

Just know that this does not make you weird. Nor does it make you unhealthy. While we call this a “condition,” it’s really nothing to be concerned about. All it does is make your life a little more colorful!

Have Your Say

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