Aphantasia, WHAT IS THIS?!?

So I recently discovered I suffer from Aphantasia, Do you suffer from this? Have you even heard of it?!? It's pretty frustrating hearing someone say, imagine laying on a beach, or hiking a trail. I would love to, BUT I CAN'T!

It's tricky being a creative person with no visual ability in your minds eye. But for some reason, I seem to excel with my abilities. pretty crazy hey!

If you know any information on how to rejuvenate the minds eye, leave me a comment so I can attempt to get in touch with my visual side again.

[amwiamwi]

Just heard about this! I have incredibly vivid dreams and even near-sleep hallucinations (hypergogia). But when I am awake my visualisations are similar to drawing with a sparkler - I can imagine drawing an outline of the object but the outline immediately disappears as I am drawing it. Sometimes I try to draw fast so I can see a whole outline but all I can manage is a basic circle. I still love fiction books but absorb them as concepts rather than images. I also have trauma history so maybe thats relevant.

[billyjohnson]

A close friend of mine actually had this. She had gone through trauma in her teen years, that’s when it started for her. She went to a therapist, who also specialized in hypnosis and she worked through the trauma and now is able to visualize through her minds eye/ third eye.

[ericsteennielsen]

Thank you for sharing knowledge about this condition, I don't have it myself, although I believe there are several different levels in the ability to consciously visualize, and this ability can be influenced by stress levels (at least for me it can). I think it's a good idea to document your memories, primarily because I believe it could be of benefit to you in the future (and because I wish I'd done it in my past).
But what you may miss in the inner image area you sure compensate through your skills in presenting imagery to us with your pictures, they are special 😉👍

[josephcarreras]

Hi James, I’m no doctor or anything but I feel maybe taking small steps could help. This is merely my personal suggestion. Pick up an apple or an orange or whatever object you desire. Look at it carefully for a brief moment, put it down, close your eyes and try to SEE what you saw in your mind with as much detail as possible. Do that 2 or 3 times every day. The more you exercise your mind in that way, perhaps the more it will be able to paint full pictures. Best of luck always... 💛💫

[williamm]

That was interesting I have never heard of that before.

[tomholmes]

I’ve never been able to close my eyes and visualize. I have memories ( with no people in them btw) but I can’t close my eyes and recreate the memory.

[hispid]

When you are quiet and think - do you have your own voice talking to you in your head - or not? Some people do and some don't in exactly the same way.

[edjoultz]

i'm in the same boat bro, it pisses me off that i'm missing out on an ability that sounds quite handy. >_<

[gilbertestrada]

This is most interesting. If you were to try to read a novel, would you visualize the scenes in your mind? I'm sure if you read a set of instructions, let's say to assemble a table, you could accomplish this task. Does this affect short term memory? For example, I tell you a set of numbers -- 14, 22, 43, 89 -- and asked you to repeat these numbers a few minutes later, you'd remember them(?). Just curious. Thanks.

[russc]

Interesting...I can visual all of the objects you mentioned...but not in colour...only shades/variations of black...do you only see a “wall” of black?

[kevinwilson]

Is it the same as an inability to meditate? I have tried, but just end up laughing?

[brittsaunders]

This might sound strange, but given your experience with losing your temper so badly at age 21, it seems like you might have "blown a fuse" in a way. Perhaps it might be useful for you to look into deep trauma therapy. And yes, I think for your own purpose and growth, you SHOULD document your memories. It's brave and powerful for you to be choosing to go down this path, and I'm sure the outcome will be very fulfilling. 💖