Your experience sounds like mine in a lot of ways - I can visualise things, but I have to shut my eyes, I have to really concentrate, I can't see any details (faces especially- I just can't picture features), and the image only lasts for a second or so before fading.
Aphantasia has been interesting thing to think about ever since weāve talked about it! I feel like I used to be able to picture things in my head more vividly and clearly, but in recent years, not so much. The colors especially seem faded, and the images I see are not still but kind of bouncy, if that makes sense, haha. I wonder if my TBI from the car accident affected it. Interestingly enough, I can still clearly hear and recognize peopleās voices in my mind!
Have you always had a hard time visualizing images in your mind? As your mom, Iām curious whether this started later in your life, or if itās always been that way!
By the way, I find it easier to visualize things when my eyes are open for some reason! I really enjoy reading this! Itās such an intriguing topicš
Okaasan, thanks for reading and sharing! Your comment sent me on a Googling path, and it looks like acquired aphantasia really is a thing. It can come as a result of illness, injury, or a mental health condition. Fascinating, right? Maybe this is the case for both of us?
Trying to remember back to when I was a kidā¦ I had a vivid imagination (still do), but canāt figure out whether I was seeing āimagesā or not. Either way, my ability to picture things in my head *voluntarily* has definitely lessened.
Itās interesting to me that creative folks like artists/writers can produce captivating content but not have a super powerful mindās eye. Iām a little jealous of Aaron. š Perhaps this can become a superpower of its own, though Iām not sure how yet!
Aw interesting! So it could be linked to those conditions.. it makes sense how things have changed for me and more likely for you too. Iām curious if we can retrain our brains to picture things vividly again somehow!
Your experience sounds like mine in a lot of ways - I can visualise things, but I have to shut my eyes, I have to really concentrate, I can't see any details (faces especially- I just can't picture features), and the image only lasts for a second or so before fading.
So interesting!! Can you relate to the āfeelingā or āimpressionā of whatever youāre trying to visualize?
Aphantasia has been interesting thing to think about ever since weāve talked about it! I feel like I used to be able to picture things in my head more vividly and clearly, but in recent years, not so much. The colors especially seem faded, and the images I see are not still but kind of bouncy, if that makes sense, haha. I wonder if my TBI from the car accident affected it. Interestingly enough, I can still clearly hear and recognize peopleās voices in my mind!
Have you always had a hard time visualizing images in your mind? As your mom, Iām curious whether this started later in your life, or if itās always been that way!
By the way, I find it easier to visualize things when my eyes are open for some reason! I really enjoy reading this! Itās such an intriguing topicš
Okaasan, thanks for reading and sharing! Your comment sent me on a Googling path, and it looks like acquired aphantasia really is a thing. It can come as a result of illness, injury, or a mental health condition. Fascinating, right? Maybe this is the case for both of us?
Trying to remember back to when I was a kidā¦ I had a vivid imagination (still do), but canāt figure out whether I was seeing āimagesā or not. Either way, my ability to picture things in my head *voluntarily* has definitely lessened.
Itās interesting to me that creative folks like artists/writers can produce captivating content but not have a super powerful mindās eye. Iām a little jealous of Aaron. š Perhaps this can become a superpower of its own, though Iām not sure how yet!
Aw interesting! So it could be linked to those conditions.. it makes sense how things have changed for me and more likely for you too. Iām curious if we can retrain our brains to picture things vividly again somehow!
Chuckling at the ābouncyā description.š