Why Do I Feel A Sensation Of Touch When I See Someone Else Being Touched?

Do you experience a sensation of touch on the opposite side of your body as another person is touched?

Do you feel pain in the opposite side of the body when another person feels pain?

Do you feel a sensation of touch when you see another person being touched?

Do you experiencing different sensations of touch when another person is touched, such as itching, tingling, pressure, and/or pain?

Are the sensations mild, or do they feel like a deep, stabbing pain?

Based on your answers, it is unlikely that you have the symptoms that are related to a condition called mirror touch synesthesia. Someone with mirror touch synesthesia feels a sensation of touch when they see someone else being touched. The term ‘mirror’ refers to the idea that a person mirrors the sensations they see when someone else is touched. This means that when they see a person touched on the right, they feel the touch on the left, and vice versa. Because there are no specific tests that can diagnose the condition, researches are trying to find the right tools to help doctors diagnose mirror touch synesthesia.

Based on your answers, you are displaying one or more symptoms typically seen among individuals who have mirror touch synesthesia: you may feel a sensation of touch when you see someone else being touched. Some people may find it beneficial because they can better relate to others. For other people it may be negative because they experience strong, negative emotions, sometimes even pain. Therapy may help to learn how to better process your sensations, in other cases medications can treat some emotions evoked by the condition. If you are avoiding daily activities due to a fear of the touch sensations, it may be important to talk to your doctor.