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[Fou-Lu]

About a year ago I learned for the first time that other people can actually visualize things in their minds. I have always had this vague sense that how my mind worked wasn't quite right, but I could never put my finger on it until I stumbled across this. Not knowing I was missing out on something so big was fine, but now that I know it is painful. I can ignore the fact for a time and act like I'm normal, but then suddenly it's there glaring me in the face that I am missing something so basic. I've always felt I was a creative person that just couldn't quite make things click and now I know why and there's nothing I can do to fix it. I love to read, but realizing that other people can actually picture the characters and the scenes while I just get a general 'feel' for everything is painful. Knowing other people can picture the faces of their loved ones and I can't makes me feel awful too. I am not as bad off as Blake Ross. I have a very small amount of sensory imagination, I have some imagination for audio and scent, I have a vague visualization of 'movement' as though I can imagine the most basic of lines it would take to make up the thing or event, but never the complete thing or event itself. I do have dreams, so I feel like perhaps the connection could still be made and I could one day visualize, but I have no idea where to start and research on the topic of aphantasia is so new that I feel I have little hope of finding out how in my life time.

So far not a single person I have talked to in real life suffers aphantasia and it makes me feel very alone. Who else on GAF suffer from it?

 

[Alienous]

(just kidding ... if you've gotten this far it can't be that big a deal. Just have to be more logical / mathematical about things.)

 

[Earthbound64]

I went on a couple of dates recently with a woman who had that.

We didn't really date long enough for me to get a picture in my mind's eye of what it was like, but still.

 

[Kayhan]

I went on a couple of dates recently with a woman who had that.

We didn't really date long enough for me to get a picture in my mind's eye of what it was like, but still.

She just couldn't imagine the two of you together. Literally.

 

[I_D]

Have you actually been diagnosed, or are you assuming?



This is a totally new term to me. You can't picture anything in your head? Not even things you see every day, like a hand or something?

 

[Earthbound64]

She just couldn't imagine the two of you together. Literally.

Well, that explains it then.

 

[Kayhan]

OP, if you were doing fine before you should be fine once you get used to the idea.

 

[sub_o]

Fascinating.

Do you visualise when you dream? I wonder if the brain suppresses the mind's eye only when you're conscious.

 

[Slaythe]

I mean it kinda sucks but if you were born in the 1800s it would probably be more of a problem.

Read Comic books, play video games, watch movies, use your phone and store photos of your loved ones...

You can literally google anything in 2 seconds and get a picture.

I think this is a good era to have this pathology.

 

[Daingurse]

Man, that is really rough OP. Visualization in my head is where I derive a lot of my enjoyment from when reading books and comics

I got the exact opposite problem, if anything. I visualize and hear voices whenever I read anything. I read pretty damn slow because of it, but I do think it enriches my overall experience.

 

[sphagnum]

We had a thread about this some time ago actually, so there will definitely be people chiming in who have it.

I cant even understand what reading a book is like without being able to imagine visuals with it. That's like half the fun.

 

[How About No]

Wow, I didn't know this was a thing. Not being able to visualize things in your head sounds tough.

If there's an opposite, I can barely do simple math/carry ovet numbers in my head lol

She just couldn't imagine the two of you together. Literally.

Oh god

 

[Wamb0wneD]

God that sucks.. I'm sorry OP. I barely smell anything, which effects my mood but my mind is going nuts when I'm not conentrating on something. I couldn't even imagine how reading books without being able to imagine things would be like.

 

[Alienous]

This is a totally new term to me. You can't picture anything in your head? Not even things you see every day, like a hand or something?

This is worth considering OP.

For instance I struggle with imagining images in my mind, but with a concerted effort it's more a case of having trouble focusing it. It's never a clear image - more like a faint suggestion, if that makes any sense? But apparently that's common.

Just stare into the middle distance and try to imagine, say, an iPhone. Is there nothing? For me it's like a dim, faint charicature, and even doing that gives me a headache.

 

[Alec]

Someone I know has it. She doesn't seem to give much of a shit.

Sorry, OP.

When she dreams, she says it's like watching TV. She knows that she is the main character of the TV show, but it's not like things are actually happening to her.

XTC allows her to picture things, though.

 

[Wamb0wneD]

This is worth considering OP.

For instance I struggle with imagining images in my mind, but with a concerted effort it's more a case of having trouble focusing it. It's never a clear image - more like a faint suggestion, if that makes any sense? But apparently that's common.

Just stare into the middle distance and try to imagine, say, an iPhone. Is there nothing? For me it's like a dim, faint charicature, and even doing that gives me a headache.

Wow... When I imagine basically anything it's there immediately. I got the problem that when I'm not contentrating on something specific it's like a super fast DIA-show lol.

 

[How About No]

This is worth considering OP.

For instance I struggle with imagining images in my mind, but with a concerted effort it's more a case of having trouble focusing it. It's never a clear image - more like a faint suggestion, if that makes any sense? But apparently that's common.

Just stare into the middle distance and try to imagine, say, an iPhone. Is there nothing? For me it's like a dim, faint charicature, and even doing that gives me a headache.

I dunno how it is for most, but I can't "hold" a consistent image, more like for just a brief moment, like a camera flash

 

[reckless]

Fascinating.

Do you visualise when you dream? I wonder if the brain suppresses the mind's eye only when you're conscious.

I pretty much can't visualize anything when I'm awake and I have lifelike dreams.

 

[FeedMeAStrayCat]

I've got it, too. Came to that realization around the last time a GAF thread was posted about this.

It does kind of fuck with you when you realize what you're missing out on compared to others. :/
I've always had a major lack of creativity, and I can't help but wonder if this is directly related.

 

[Watch Da Birdie]

Man, that is really rough OP. Visualization in my head is where I derive a lot of my enjoyment from when reading books and comics

I got the exact opposite problem, if anything. I visualize and hear voices whenever I read anything. I read pretty damn slow because of it, but I do think it enriches my overall experience.

Yeah, this is me.

I used to think when I was little I was unique because I did it so well to the point of being distracted---I sucked at Baseball for instance because I would daydream constantly and miss the ball.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

sounds crazy it's something so elemental to human beings.

 

[Ferrio]

I dunno how it is for most, but I can't "hold" a consistent image, more like for just a brief moment, like a camera flash

Same.

 

[waxer]

Me and wife both have. Makes finding way places hard without gps. I know something when I see it is how I navigate

 

[TheChewyWaffles]

I swear I've read this thread before

 

[MadraptorMan]

How about doing musical stuff as a creative outlet? You don't need visuals for that.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

I can't imagine a world where I cannot picture things in my mind. I had no idea this condition existed, I'm sorry that is the case OP. That being said, perhaps something like this could actually be advantageous in scenarios where needing to visualise something first is a hindrance. A quick google tells me some believe it to be beneficial to them in work or creative fields.

 

[Izayoi]

I have a buddy who has this. Our conversations about it are always fascinating.

Humans are such visual creatures... I couldn't imagine not being able to dream, etc. How do you take tests? I would love to know what kind of strategies you employ.

 

[FUME5]

If you are ever afforded the opportunity to take LSD in a controlled environment, I say give it a shot.

 

[Lord Ghirahim]

Do you have SDAM too? It feels like aphantasia and SDAM are highly co-morbid.

 

[1044]

That's interesting, though I imagine both people with and without that condition have no real way of knowing what it's like either way. Like trying to explain what colors look like to a blind person.

Though picturing things is such a natural thing that I can't imagine how you would even do everyday things without that ability without being severally handicapped. Is that even possible? Lets say you had to furnish a room. Can you not picture where the couch and TV could possible go? Like can you picture and estimate if your couch will fit in a certain location, like the physical dimensions of space they will take up? Or can you only 'see' it by actually putting the couch in place?

 

[travisbickle]

I'm finding it really difficult to picture this condition.

For example, are you not able to visualize your childhood home?

 

[How About No]

Just curious if anyone knows, is there an equivalent or something similar with imagining audio?

I can imagine speech or music but...for some reason I need to very subtly move my tongue and vocal chord to the imagined pound's wavelength, as if I were very faintly mouthing it, without actually speaking or humming. Just wondering if that's normal or not.

 

[Ruruja]

My best friend has it, like you he only recently realised when the term was coined and there were some articles on it.

I do make fun of him about it but it must be pretty crap, he seems to visualise things as text/numbers rather than images, seems to be advantageous in certain scenarios.

 

[13ruce]

I don't literally see what i think of but i do use my imagination tho. So i don't see a literal beach like in a dream for example in real life resolution lol. But i can imagine stuff luckily and get a "blurry/shadowy" image sort of.

Edit:
So luckily i still have a bit fantasy left. Could not imagine living without it and i daydream alot too. Wich i am happy with since it helps alot with my ADHD and keeps my mind in peace.

 

[HeartlessNobody213]

Man that's crazy. I day dream all the time, so the thought of not being able to is scary to me.

 

[HTupolev]

I don't literally see what i think of but i do use my imagination tho. So i don't see a literal beach like in a dream for example in real life resolution lol. But i can imagine stuff luckily and get a "blurry/shadowy" image sort of.

That's normal.

 

[Locke562]

Someone I know has it. She doesn't seem to give much of a shit.

Sorry, OP.

When she dreams, she says it's like watching TV. She knows that she is the main character of the TV show, but it's not like things are actually happening to her.

XTC allows her to picture things, though.

Wow. That's exactly how I dream. I've never heard this term before but it explains a lot.

 

[Apple Turnover]

he seems to visualise things as text/numbers rather than images, seems to be advantageous in certain scenarios.

That's how I operate, primarily in words instead of images. Didn't think anything of it until last time this thread came up last time.

 

[Inquisitive_Ghost]

This is a skill that can be learned and refined.

As I pointed out in the previous thread on this, no one capable of visualizing complex things in realistic detail was born that way. It takes practice. If you want to learn, get yourself a pencil and sketchbook and start practicing drawing things from life, forcing yourself to see what shapes things are made of and how they fit together. Then trying to translate that onto the page forces you to reckon with the image in a more thorough way.

I can't guarantee it will work if you can't visualize anything at all, but it's definitely a skill, not something you're born with.

 

[Fergie]

Not sure if I can be fully be counted in that group.

But the way you've explained it, makes sense to me as that's how my experience is as well.

It doesn't come easy to visualise anything, even when I do it's very vague and not with clarity, but it's not always like that. I've had times where it's very vivid.

For example dreaming, I don't remember my dreams 90% (From what I understand everyone dreams) of the time but I've had some dreams where it felt incredibly realistic. It's a pretty inconsistent experience.

This is worth considering OP.

For instance I struggle with imagining images in my mind, but with a concerted effort it's more a case of having trouble focusing it. It's never a clear image - more like a faint suggestion, if that makes any sense? But apparently that's common.

Just stare into the middle distance and try to imagine, say, an iPhone. Is there nothing? For me it's like a dim, faint charicature, and even doing that gives me a headache.

The last sentence is spot on for me as well.


Weirdly enough, I don't have huge problems being creative and my visual memory is very good.

 

[All Possible Ways]

I really didn't know that was a thing! How hard it must be to find your way without a map, or to describe something you saw before, or even to build intuition for physics problems without being able to visualize how things will go.

Honestly though, if you could live just fine until now, don't let it bother you, OP.

 

[half a moon]

That's normal.

I thought people saw images as vivid as a dream or their cell phone image. I can imagine stuff with my eyes opened or closed and get a "feel" of the objects but it's not vivid. I only see black or what I'm looking at. I can dream vividly tho

 

[hey_monkey]

I can't visualize either. I thought people were lying for the longest time about seeing stuff in their minds.

It hasn't affected my creativity, though. I write and paint and do all sorts of things, and in fact focusing on creating concrete things helps me.

 

[13ruce]

That's normal.

Yeah i just read through the full facebook link and wow.

 

[dafodeu]

Wait so if you have this are you unable to draw from memory? Say I sat you down, gave you a piece of paper and pencil and said draw Mickey Mouse without referring to a visual drawing of him. Would you be unable to do it?

 

[habithipster]

This is super interesting.

 

[Shadio]

I can't "see" images in my head, not even really simple ones like shapes. Does that mean I have this condition too, or am I misunderstanding what it means to be able to visualise?

It sounds like people are able to close their eyes, think of something and are able to see it in varying amounts of detail. That kind of sounds like a superpower to me.

 

[Fou-Lu]

Wait so if you have this are you unable to draw from memory? Say I sat you down, gave you a piece of paper and pencil and said draw Mickey Mouse without referring to a visual drawing of him. Would you be unable to do it?

Since I could describe Mickey in words I could make a good effort but it would never be a great picture.

 

[Slaythe]

I can't "see" images in my head, not even really simple ones like shapes. Does that mean I have this condition too, or am I misunderstanding what it means to be able to visualise?

It sounds like people are able to close their eyes, think of something and are able to see it in varying amounts of detail. That kind of sounds like a superpower to me.

We don't need to close our eyes either to "see" those.

Closing your eyes might just help focus on the mind picture.

Do a test, can you see Batman or Goku at all in your mind ? What do they look like ? What's the color of their belt ?

 

[Nazgul_Hunter]

Holy shit. I also have this. I’m mind blown right now.

We don't need to close our eyes either to "see" those.

Closing your eyes might just help focus on the mind picture.

Do a test, can you see Batman or Goku at all in your mind ? What do they look like ? What's the color of their belt ?

Wait. So you can see an imaginary picture with your eyes open full stop?

Fuck.