Is Mirror-Touch Synesthesia Real?—The Pain and Pleasure of Physical Empathy

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Is Mirror-Touch Synesthesia Real?—The Pain and Pleasure of Physical Empathy
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Mirror-touch synesthesia is a real condition that creates tactile sensations in a person's body when they see someone else being touched.

henever my dogs accidentally bump their heads on the coffee table, I swear I can feel the pain radiating through my skull. It’s either aor that I’m an over-protective dog mom, but most likely a combination of the two. Empathy is the ability to imagine yourself in someone’s place and understand what they’re experiencing. People with a neurological condition called mirror-touch synesthesia, however, aren't just cringing at the thought of pain. They’re actually experiencing it.

There are no specific diagnostic criteria that professionals have formulated to determine the scope of mirror-touch synesthesia in an individual, making it tricky to study and track. That said, doctors typically treat the condition as a sensory processing disorder, in which the brain has trouble receiving and communicating information obtained through the five senses.

Structured clinical assessments “typically involve detailed questionnaires and interviews to gather comprehensive information about the frequency, consistency, and context of the experienced sensations,” Dr. Frank says. The clinician may show videos or live demonstrations of people being touched and ask the individual to report any corresponding sensations. In addition, a person may undergo imaging tests to determine if their symptoms are consistent with mirror-touch synesthesia.

Given these mixed findings, perhaps it’s more accurate to describe the relationship between mirror-touch synesthesia and empathy as being complex and multifaceted. Since their mirror neurons seem more active, they can easily simulate and empathize with other people’s experiences. This shows an extraordinary level ofFor someone with mirror-touch synesthesia, having heightened empathy and sensory experiences can promote deeper connections and compassion in their relationships.

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