Identical Twins Helen and Kirsty Besgrove Explore Their Synaesthesia Experiences
Helen Besgrove and Kirsty Neal are identical twins who share a rare neurological condition known as synaesthesia. This phenomenon causes them to experience visual elements like colours and textures in their minds' eye when exposed to unrelated stimuli such as letters, numbers, or words. For them, synaesthesia is an integral part of how they perceive the world, blending senses in ways that are both fascinating and deeply personal.
Divergent Perceptions in a Shared Condition
Despite having similar synaesthetic experiences, Helen and Kirsty often perceive colours and textures differently. For instance, when drinking chardonnay, Helen sees swirls of custardy oil, while Kirsty describes it as fuzzy or blobby. This divergence extends to how they view personalities, with each seeing unique coloured auras around people. Helen notes that her best friend Jenn's personality appears as poo brown, whereas Kirsty sees it as yellow and blue with a brown stripe. These differences have led to playful arguments since childhood, such as during a family car trip where they debated the colours of words like Queensland and apple.
Discovery and Genetic Insights
The twins first learned about synaesthesia at age 19, when Helen, during a university radio production class, heard a narrator describe music as silver and instinctively blurted out that it was yellow. This moment revealed the term for their experiences and that it is genetic, not gendered. Soon after, they participated in research led by cognitive neuroscientist Anina Rich at Macquarie University, which helped them understand they had more than just auditory-visual synaesthesia. Over the years, they have continued to make new discoveries, such as Helen realising that not everyone tastes certain wines as spiky.
Synaesthesia in Professional and Personal Life
Helen, a marketing executive, credits her synaesthesia with enhancing her sensory abilities, such as in coffee tasting. She once won a blind taste test at Nespresso, effortlessly distinguishing blends due to the extra sensory stimuli her condition provides. Kirsty, a GP, finds that synaesthesia aids her memory, allowing her to recall medical facts rapidly by visualising textbooks and notes in colour. Additionally, her mirror-touch synaesthesia enables her to visualise and feel patients' pain, such as tingling in her legs when seeing a broken bone, though this can lead to spending extra time with patients.
Challenges and Everyday Normalcy
Synaesthesia does present occasional challenges, such as confusing names like Michael and William, which are both dark reddy brown for Kirsty, or struggling with left and right directions because the concepts and words have different colours. However, for Helen and Kirsty, synaesthesia is simply normal, much like being twins. They emphasise that it may offer advantages without them realising, but it is an inherent part of their daily lives. As Kirsty explains, it is akin to sitting on a chair—you do not actively process the sensation unless prompted.
Reflections on a Unique Neurological Trait
Through their experiences, Helen and Kirsty highlight how synaesthesia shapes their interactions, careers, and self-awareness. Research by Anina Rich has explored hypotheses, such as whether taste associations stem from childhood memories, like purple salt and vinegar chip packets. Ultimately, the twins view synaesthesia as a natural aspect of their identity, offering a unique lens on the world that enriches their lives in subtle yet profound ways.
