problems reading or listening?

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Was reading through Solomon Shereshevsky's page on wikipedia and came across this statement which is something I have never quite been able to put to words about myself.

"He also occasionally had problems reading, because the written words evoked distracting sensations"

I can only really read in short bursts due to the fact that my mind seems to become so completely flooded with sensations and mental imagery that I have to stop. Sometimes shapes of written words evoke strong mental imaginary or memories. For example, with the word "reading" I instantly see and old style steam locomotive (which is probably due to living next to train tracks as a child), or sometimes just they way a sentence looks will stir memories and sensations. Words that look alike can easily get crossed, like the words "textures", and "turtles", but this isn't because I'm reading them incorrectly, its very strange because I will read "textures" and still see "turtles" (along with memories and possible random facts associated with it), and then have to reread the sentence because it didn't makes sense initially, but by this point I'm already distracted by the memories and sensations evoked by the incorrect mental imagery. This sometimes makes reading very tiresome, but at the same time it can be quite intriguing. Listing to people talk does essentially the same thing.

So, I have no idea what this would even be called, if anything, my psychiatrist upon hearing my description instantly replied "oh so you're easily distracted! Yeah?" which simply isn't the case, I can focus quite intently on things (even to the point of losing track of time and my surroundings). Its not something that I dislike or even causes me and exorbitant amount of distress (while it does sometimes make reading quite difficult), its just an oddity that Ive never actually thought of as anything unusual, but upon further inspection I suppose it might not be that ordinary.

Anyone experience anything like this, or know what sort of category this would fall under?

Hi devark! This doesn't sound to me like the normal reading experience, however distant I may be from that myself. It reminds me of that young savant mathematician who was interviewed on Letterman a couple of years ago. He also has Aspergers and mentioned how he envisions every number differently. I believe he has a sort of synaesthesia, which is as I understand it a close association of two or perhaps more senses. For example, Russian composer Alexander Scriabin wrote an orchestra piece that included a mute organ which generated lights and shapes from a keyboard. His particular experience was one where he saw sounds.
At any rate, I'm rather envious of your condition; I read slightly faster than speech on a good day, which is pretty boring in comparison. Perhaps you could seek a second opinion as it appears your psychiatrist has difficulties of his own with his intake valve!

Synethesia sounds right to me, too.

Take a look at this website: http://web.mit.edu/synesthesia/www/

Also: http://www.synesthesia.info/

Many people with synethesia talk about words/letters being in particular colors. Your form of it seems to take this one step further.

Good call on the second opinion, Im going for some more neuropsych testing in a few months, ill have to bring it up.
I suppose it could be synesthesia related, although would be a strange one. Also, that Scriabin is an interesting fellow!

Thanks for the feedback