Synesthetes often say that they did not know their experiences were unusual until they found out that other people did not have them . Others report feeling as if they had been keeping a secret their entire lives . Synesthetes often report that they were unaware their experiences were unusual until they realized other people did not have them , while others report feeling as if they had been keeping a secret their entire lives , as has been documented in interviews with synesthetes on how they discovered synesthesia in their childhood .