mirror-touch synesthesia is the most dramatized version of the forms of synesthesia I’ve seen. It varies in severity from case to case, but mirror-touch synesthesia is a type of synesthesia where the person can sometimes feel physical touch if they perceive it.
For example, I could watch someone grab my friend’s hand, and my hand would feel a vague pressure. Nothing crazy, nothing intense. Just there if I look for it.
When it comes to pain, I see a lot of media saying that the person with synesthesia feels exactly the same pain as the person they’re perceiving to be in pain. This isn’t true— at least for me.
I feel ‘Pain Empathy’, where if I see someone with a skinned knee for example, I would get a deep pang in my knee and chest. It’s much less painful than an actual wound, but it’s not pleasant. If a skinned knee is rated at a 4/10 pain wise, pain empathy would rate as a 2/10. Just for scale.
It makes me not want to look at other people’s wounds, as it makes me feel all wrong, as well as be much more fine looking at my own injuries. If I had to make a comparison for this ‘wrong’ feeling, I’d say that looking at a different person’s injuries is similar to nails on a chalkboard.
I thought it would be a fun thing to give to Avid. For silly reasons! And also write a piece of fiction where the person with synesthesia isn’t screaming in pain because someone else stubbed a toe.
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also GUHHH thank you so much for your kind words ;—; I’m so glad you enjoy my writing!
Comment on Honestly, I should have thought this through.
Anonymous_Mango on Chapter 6 Fri 31 Oct 2025 04:57AM UTC
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