I wonder if the implications of aphantasia in therapy have been studied. Most therapies involve visualisation and were inefficient for me. Therapists weren't even aware of the possibility of aphantasia. When talking about my past also, I felt like I didn't remember much, though everything that happened obviously played a huge role in whatever issue I had. But it was hard to point out a moment in time, a scene that had huge impact. Most of what I recall, I remember in more of a narrative form, and I don't know when or why I started telling myself that particular story. Memories of events interpreted through one's perception can be deformed, but in my case I believe it is even more so. I feel very much like an unreliable narrator of my own life, which makes it harder to make sense of my life and identity.
There's some ongoing research into the implications of aphantasia and mental healthcare. You can learn more about it here. The article includes a link to participate in the research. aphantasia.com/article/science/imagery-in-mental-healthcare/
@nooom91 I am in the same boat as you. I'm 45, and when I look (try to visualize) back then, all I see is fog or simply cloudy information. I have jokingly told my wife for years our relationship will never get old for me because I cannot know or experience the time in reverse. I also am scared the narrative past I tell myself could be incredibly faulty. Not only have I recently discovered what aphantasia is what I have but I also have SDAM. I have known for many tears now I experience the world very differently from others, but I did not realize many others also are dealing with the same things. It is good to know and yet unsettling…
Said so well, I decided that therapy wasn’t for me and I just had to get over it. Also at the time they wouldn’t allow my brother to be in the room with me to help recall events of my past. So you seem right.
Wonderfully illustrated. I became aware of my impairment 50 years ago and then forgot about it. We were doing a course on ‘Mind Dynamics.’ Central to the practice was the need to visualise. A friend could visualise the road all the way into town. I can barely ‘see’ around the next corner and get lost at roundabouts. Only recently, I became aware of ‘Aphantasia’ as a syndrome. It makes so much sense in explaining my life. I feel we may have other ‘super powers’ to compensate. It does not limit our creativity.🌹j.
This is interesting. I've always been confused because it always felt that my past life was a blur, that I must have been going through it in a fog. I've never felt that way but the present but feel that way looking past. I moved alot so had short relationships and attributed my lack of memory around people to that but perhaps it's just the way I process memory.
I have aphantasia. I always knew I couldn’t see anything but I always assumed that it was normal and it was a figure of speech when others asked me to visualize. I realized I was different about 20 years ago however there was zero information regarding it. I have attempted to force myself to see things all my life. I did realize that imaginary images were real when I had a vivid dream when I was about 12 years old. It was so exciting and different that I attempted my entire life to experience it again. I do have dreams and I seem to see images in my dreams, however, once I wake up it’s very difficult to recall what I saw. I also believe I don’t see faces in my dreams and instead see a blur where faces usually are. I know who they are but it’s not by what I see but rather how I feel. I can’t picture my loved ones, which is a point that saddens me. Pictures are very important to me since it’s the only way I can connect with someone. I also don’t have much of an internal dialogue. I can intentionally ask myself a question mentally but I have no dialogue, and no response. The only dialogue I have is usually the questions I purposely ask myself. It’s very difficult for me because asking a question but receiving no response does not seem to help me and frustrates me a lot. I also can’t recall smell or taste or sounds. I suppose my world is very limited and boring. I always wondered what it would be like to sense things normally. I only have my senses in the here and now. One thing I have not read anything about is with feelings. I experience super super powerful feelings. When someone hurts me, I experience debilitating pain. When someone dies, I experience it very intensely. When I see violence in a movie for example, I physically feel the pain in my body and it’s sometimes excruciating. That’s my experience. Thank you for reading
Can I ask a specific question that occurred to me? How do you do mental arithmetic? If I had to add two three-figure numbers, say 896+479, I would do the sum as if I were writing it on paper, 'carrying the one', writing the sum under the line in my mind as I went, and 'reading' the answer at the end. I imagine it would be harder to do without visualising it, but as the narrator noted, mathematicians and computer scientists are often aphantasic, so I'm not sure it would be any hindrance...?
After 76 years I’ve just discovered other people literally SEE things in their minds and still find it unbelievable. I have always been excellent at mental arithmetic, addition, subtraction and multiplication but I don’t see the sums on a page I just know the answer. My Dad, who left school at 14, was the same. Sometimes I have the answer without knowing how I know. My skills are a bit rusty these days 😢. My Mum also loved numbers, bookkeeping and accountancy but both my parents were gifted artistically too. Would love to have them back to question them on their visualisation skills.
I just found out I have aphantasia yesterday and I'm still completely blown away that people can actually see and hear things in their mind. I can't even imagine what that would be like... Pun intended. I find that my thoughts are very abstract and as such I have always had problems articulating them well. I often cut off sentences or skip words, more so in my mental dialog, because I just think faster than I can put into words. It feels very abstract. Like a computer without a screen. Operating in the dark. Also, you guys can just imagine things in your head?? What kind of superpower is that! No wonder I'm addicted to AI-based image generation software. It's the only way for me to visualize my ideas. All I can do with my mind is be creative conceptually, not visually
I only discovered a few months ago, at age 71, that I have Aphantasia. Zero visuals, sound, taste, feeling, hearing. I also have SDAM and prosopagnosia. I find it amazing that people can visualise. I never knew they could do that until recently. It is so good to know that I have Aphantasia, it explains so much about my life, the memory issues, unless it's a memory around a conversation. The not remembering any of my childhood. Not recognising faces. Fascinating stuff!
Isn't it amazing just how reassuring the understanding of it all is? I always thought there was something wrong, but could never put my finger on it. Suddenly it's all clear. Not vivid, but clear haha. Pun intended. All the best to you
We hear from so many aphantasics that the discovery "explains so much." We're so glad you found our Network of like minds! It can be affirming to realize you're not alone. p.s. SDAM talk with Dr. Brian Levine is dropping tomorrow :)
@@AphantasiaNetwork Seeing that 6 square diagram you made at the beginning, it seems to suggest maybe aphantasia is on a scale. Is that correct? Because the number 4.9% for aphantasia in the general population seems like a very sharp cutoff.
I'm a physician and I only recently learned of this and that I have it. I can't believe it's not common! I always assumed it was the other way around. Interestingly I might have wrongly deducted this due to photographic memory not being common, and I have quite good memory, I've even been asked if I possess photographic memory, but I'm highly aphantasic.
I have recently discovered that I have aphantasia (and I scored 1 on the exercise). Surprisingly, I very much enjoy reading fiction, and I even write fiction (with vivid, imaginative descriptions) at a very proficient level (aspiring pro). I have a very good memory (including faces). I used to have superb (and visual) dream recall. I discovered that what I deemed to be visualisation was simply an understanding of an idea when I saw images for the first time in my mind. It was under the influence of psychedelics. Has anyone studied the use of psychedelics to "open the mind's eye"? Now that I know I can visualise under certain conditions, I am working hard on honing my visualisation skills. It's a shame no one is talking about ways to trigger visualisation and improve it.
It didn’t cause me to visualize images. But colors on the tv were much more vibrant, almost neon like; and trees looked like the Starry Night painting by Van Gogh. I looked in a mirror (which they say not to do after you take them) and I just saw myself, nothing scary.
I have aphantasia. I tried the Pandora star light and was able to see vibrant psychedelic images. . Also in deep meditation + breathwork I can see colors like aurora borealis. Si it means our brain is able to generate a mind's image. But we are unable to create it by thought alone probably bc it misses some connections.
I have aphantasia. I have been researching about it. When I talked about this with my family, it turned out that my mother and brother also have aphantasia. I don’t visualize anything at all, not even senses. My mother can only visualize the high-emotional places or events (sometimes). My brother can only visualize for a fraction of a second then the thing he visualized disappears(after a lot of effort). But my father has a vivid image that he scored 3.5/5. I was very fascinated by the fact that in the family there are 3 different degrees of aphantastic person and one who can visualize easily. I hope more reseach would be done about this case.
wtf there is a minds ear too? My head is a constant narration of my own thoughts…. No visuals or sounds… you know to me everyone else sounds like they have psychosis apparently. I can focus on tasks for full days with no issue, I learn super fast… now I realise why, everyone else seems to have constant movies running, sound tracks… wtf lol
@@jasonhounsell3297 No, the music is running in the "background" while I focus on the work. You're not actually hearing it through your ears, it's just there. I would say that while I'm in the zone (resp. scared), the music is actually the most intense (resp. calming). Of course you can always just put on headphones. With "mind's ear" you just need them only when listening to the songs you don't know well yet. You never listened to a song while in the zone? Same thing. Very productive. Except you can change music instantly without using hands on some player.
@@SmartK8 You all sound like aliens. Like bats using echo location that I don’t understand how it would be. I can’t visualise anything, and I’ve never heard any music in my head. I can have my thought narration voice sing, but it’s always pretty flat and tuneless 😂 I literally didn’t even know the “minds ear” was a thing, and only just found out yesterday that people actually can see pictures in their head. I thought it was a figure of speech and everyone imagined pictures the same as I do…. Why anyone watches TV is now a mystery to me….
The "hunters mind" comment caught my blind inner eye. I have always been hyper aware of other people's unique body language. So much so I recognize people by their movements as well as I can by seeing a face. It has also been very unsettling not being able to picture the faces of loved ones and pets. Thank you so very much Dr. Zeman. Coining the phrase has helped so many of us begin down a path of understanding by helping us become aware.
I admit I am down a rabbit hole of aphantasia because I am the polar opposite and it's actually helping me understand how I relate to people better. I am incredibly visual and do much in my head. Now when I talk to people I try and figure out if we're thinking differently and I think it is helping me to communicate better. When I discover someone is not a visual thinker I can adjust the way I communicate. I think this science is SUPER important and I'm so happy the world is finally starting to focus on it even though it's probably been with us since the dawn of time!
Appreciate your comment Nick, we're so glad to hear that discovering the rabbit hole of aphantasia has revealed new insights into your visual way of thinking. We believe aphantasia opens the door to "meta-cognition," or a new term introduced, "meta-imagination." Thinking about your own thinking or in this case, imagining, can be a powerful tool for anyone who discovers it (regardless of whether you think visually or not). It can lead to greater self-awareness and new self-realization for remembering, learning, dreaming, emphasizing, communicating, etc. The evolving science into imagery extremes is SUPER important and are actively trying to promote it. Glad you join us in discovering! Stay tuned for more videos :)
This is freaking phenomenal. To me this opens up so many doors and explanations for many things. My wheels are turning. Thank you so much for this information.
It's so so sad. I'm 37 and just realized I have aphantasia, thanks to some short video on Instagram. It devastated me. It's like not having the most beautiful superpower in the world, except that almost everyone has it.
@@tebbisimoXthis simply isn’t true and shows your ignorance on what a flashback is. When someone with PTSD vividly recalls an experience it’s not necessarily visual; flashbacks also include physically or emotionally reliving what you felt during the traumatic moment. Non visual flashbacks are just as difficult and painful to navigate even if you aren’t visualizing it.
@@CrimsonDarling89 ok, what's true for you isn't true for everyone. Merely showing your ignorance to someone else's lived experience. How ironic darling
I have aphantasia but to add on top of that i also have autism and congenital anosmia (born without a sense of smell). Having all three of these things at the same time can make life quite difficult. I have a very hard time connecting with people because of it. My situation is so specific that nobody ever understands how i think. Or at least it feels that way.
Ever since I discovered that I have aphantasia a week ago, I realized alot of things. I feel as though what we lack in the sensory department of our imagination we make up for in our ability to work with abstract concepts. And I'd even argue that with enough mental practice, those conceptual skills are able to reliably substitute for the lack of sensory imagination. I can't picture a ball rolling off the table, but I can create a conceptual stage on which a conceptual ball rolls off a conceptual surface. There's absolutely no imagery or sounds etc, but the scene itself feels very tangible. And most importantly the physics of it appear to be pretty accurate. I can come up with movie scenes or weird design ideas without being able to see them in my mind's eye. I do however use slight vocal and facial movements to accentuate the imagined scene. Also I barely have any inner monolog. Most of the time it's just silent while abstract processes are happening in the background. Whenever I do attempt to have an inner monolog it is almost always cut off because it's just way slower than the actual thinking itself. Would love to help with studies or research somehow!
Thank you for sharing. Some interesting perspectives for further exploration around "aphantasics making up for the lack of sensory imagination with more conceptual skills." Seems to align with some of the current research findings, and we suspect future ones as well. You might be interested in our new discovery platform: imaginationspectrum.com. The current focus is on sensory imagination and identifying multisensory aphantasia but the platform will evolve to explore relationships between inner speech, prosopagnosia (face blindness) and eventually, more conceptual forms of the imagination. Check it out, and let us know what you think! We'd love to hear from you :)
@@AphantasiaNetwork I checked it out and went through the whole questionnaire, but when submitting the result an error popped up saying "unauthorized". I mean I scored worst on practically everything, so I already know the result I suppose. I did find it interesting that you also questioned the ability to imagine the feeling of movement, which is something I felt like I am able to do very vaguely at times? Then again I could just be thinking of an action, remembering the characteristics of the sensations accompanying that action and then pretending that I'm feeling it. Which always makes me use my muscles to fake it 🤔 so perhaps I'm also blind in that regard and I'm simply trying my best to pretend as though I'm feeling it while in reality I'm just tensing up as if I was about to perform whatever action it is I'm trying to think of. It's really hard to tell. I suppose if I had felt it I'd know that I felt it. Definitely a stressful exercise haha. What accompanied every attempt though was a felt understanding of how the experience could be like. Never any actual sensory data though. If that makes sense.
@@flmsi1595 they're the same thing, and I too get lost in mental chatter sometimes, except I don't hear my voice but recognize the words. I really don't think there's a difference here between aphantasiacs and non-aphantasiacs. But hey, maybe people literally hear their voice inside their heads which would annoy the hell out of me lol
I realized it was something unusual when I was studying shamanism. A big part of my practice is journeying to different realms and times with my mind. The most I ever’see’ in my minds eye may be an impression, most of the time nothing. I learned to travel in a different way. It is totally experiential as a knowing, in a very sentient way. I am immersed in the experience without seeing🤷♀️
Always look forward to the next video and how Lacey is doing and she never disappoints. Keep fighting, Lacey! You're a great inspiration. God bless you and your parents. Love ❤❤❤
I really appreciated this video (as someone who creates hypnosis audios). It inspired me to deep dive into learning about Aphantasia, and then I created a audio all around giving a person the sense of flying, that is aphantasia friendly (leaning in on motor imagery). I referenced this very video in the educational one I made about Aphantasia and my thoughts on how it relates to Hypnosis/meditation. Thank you Dr Zeman for your great work, and the Aphantasia Network...apparently this resonates with a LOT of people. I really love learning about the human mind and body, so this was right up my alley 🥰💖
I'm a reading teacher where we are mental imagery heavy and I discovered aphantasia a few years due to researching on behalf of students. I said to myself I can't ever see anything, only a select people can because of course mind's eye isn't literal. I made excuses & still in denial. I cannot see, hear inner monologue, nor smell anymore unless strong odor/scent. I'm trying to figure out if this is the reason I'm intuitive and absorb energy easily.
I found out I have aphantasia last week when my child found out they had it. I am so sad that reading will never be as exciting as it is for others. I love to read. I am still in shock and feel a great deal of loss. Which is weird because how can you miss what you never had.
Thank you thank you thank you. This is being passed along to my GP. I have found an answer to my brain, it may be more exotic than just Aphantasia but when you finally have an eureka moment at 51 yrs old, it almost makes me cry.
My man, this realization has brought me to tears several times. 46 is when I learned. I feel thankful for what my gut says is an advantage but very sad about the absence of what they are calling the minds eye. I can't shake the feeling of a blessing and a curse. So I need to learn more. We all do.
I only discovered this quite recently. I'm 63. I really didn't know people could actually see the images in their mind's eye. I'm still not sure they really mean see rather than imagine the presence of something as if it were in the room with you but with the lights off as I do. I am actually not bad at spacial orientation tasks and am quite 'visually' imaginative even though there is no mental vision as such. In my late 40's I had an experience when I was in hospital with bacterial meningitis. As I started to recover, maybe on my third day in hospital I began to have visions of moving through amazing spaces such as fractal caves or complicated hindu or islamic temples. They were extremely vivid and realistic and this was all when I was perfectly awake although they were at their clearest the second I shut my eyes to go to sleep which meant I didn't sleep much. I could open my eyes and see the room but then instantly go back to some strange place as soon as I shut them again. After a few days they started to dim and all I could see were vague patterns and then nothing at all. It became quite annoying but very interesting at the same time and now I am basically visually blind again I wish I could conjure up the experience again. I'm not sure this is even relevant but it was the only time in my life that I had real visual images and I do miss it although I would like it to be more voluntary.
Fascinating journey! Your experience with vivid visions during your recovery must have been both captivating and perplexing. It's intriguing how our experiences can vary so widely! Your point about voluntary vs involuntary is a good one. Seeing images can be a double-edged sword.
@@AphantasiaNetwork I've just read through my own post and I seem to make it look like I am literally blind, which I am not. I am only aphantasic which I have recently discovered.
@@Nitrlul I must admit I had never heard of this before, I had to look it up. I think the first word should be endogenous meaning naturally produced by the body. It could certainly be an answer though from what I have read there are a few differences between a typical experience and mine. I bit more reading would be in order, thanks for pointing me this way.
Hi, FYI - you might learn something... I have always suffered from Aphantasia - called in Scientology - a Black Field. ( not a recommended practice). It appears to be caused by early trauma. When I was young and stupid, I used some Psychedelic drugs. this use allowed me to actually see the hidden imagery - in full color ! - Also, on occasion when waking up in a dream, I get to see the imagery as well.
I'm skeptical of trauma being connected in my case, can't speak for anyone else's experience. I've done psychedelics hundreds of times and it does not give me visualization at all. They rarely give what psychedelic drug users call "visuals" either (usually distortion in your vision, e.g. breathing walls with busy patterned wallpaper seeming to move).
Dr. Zeman, your work on aphantasia is fascinating and deeply relevant to me. I not only lack mental imagery, but also sounds, monologues, and any form of inner narrative. It feels like I don’t ‘think’ in the traditional sense, yet I have understanding and awareness without active thought. This unique experience has profoundly shaped how I perceive the world and process information. I’d love to share my condition with you, as I believe it could provide valuable insight into your research. Is there a way I could contact you to discuss this further?
My oldest son and partner have incredible visualization. My partner can literally break down any object in his mind in great detail. My son says to him it's like wearing a VR headset. Both can visualize in detail with their eye closed and open. Myself and younger son cannot visualize ANYTHING. It's just black, no matter how hard we focus on even the most simple object. I wonder if there is a genetic component to this?
I watched a documentary it was shown a mother and a son who could not understand and recognise faces, even their own faces in the mirror. There were occasions mother and son could not recognise each other. Considering that case, it might have some genetical component, but not necessarily.
There is. As far as I understand first relatives are 10x more likely to have it. (so if 3%x10=30) Id say there is a 1 in 3 chance your close relative has it aswell.
My husband, myself, and 3 sons have aphantasia. I just found out a few months ago. I never knew that was a thing. I thought we were just like everyone and now it feels like we have a new learning disability.
I never experienced this until a year ago when I went through a very traumatic experience. As if my memory was completely wiped cleaned. I was detached from my reality. I no longer know it as it was. I’m slowly beginning to regain my consciousness. It’s scary because right now I don’t have a clue. Literally.
12:22 Dreaming- When I sleep I'm far more visual. Sound is what is happening not much narration (but there is some) often at the end even background music just before I wake up. Then my inner voice becomes dominant which I think is why I have so much trouble remembering dreams. When I try to think of them in words they fade away because they are nonverbal.
2:02 I have a strong inner monologue and exercises like these just seem to have too few words, but some of my favorite fiction writers are able to paint word pictures which are wonderful but require some work. So Huxley's Brave New World had a lot of things going on and was therefore an easy read. But Ray Bradbury is a far more pictoral writer so Fahrenheit 451 was a harder read but still quite enjoyable. I tried a John Steinbeck novel but his first chapter described every dirt clod in the Salinas Valley of California, I got the pictures alright but it was like he had just dumped me there and drove off and nothing was happening. I didn't get past the first chapter. Music can produce pictures in my head. If you have ever seen Disney's Fantasia, I can imagine whole movies like that listening to my favorite Classical works. The Romantic period works better. Beethoven, Berlioz and Malher (1st Symphony Titan especially)...Oh how I wish Disney would go back to that quality instead of all this woke crap.
When asked how many windows? I found the explanation of flying from where I am (in my head) through the house to each window and "knowing it's there" very accurate. I produce some sort of mental image or understanding but it isn't a clear picture like representation. Idea is an interesting way to put it but feels wrong to me still. It's more substantial than an idea. It's almost a faint feeling of actually walking to the windows and looking at it.
I cannot visualise anything. Never have been able to do this and thought everyone was the same and only remembered a thing or person or event. I was very surprised when I found out that people actually ‘see’ things when they close their eyes. I would love to be able to do this. How amazing
It's truly eye-opening when we discover the vast differences in how people experience their inner worlds. While you might not have the ability to visualize, your unique way of processing and understanding the world has its own set of advantages. The diversity in our cognitive experiences is what makes each of us unique. Embrace your unique perspective, and remember that there's a whole community out there who shares your experience and understands! 🌍💭
I have always been blind... I can draw, but only what I actually see. I remember things but can't actually see them... but I done LSD and started seeing all sorts of cartoons or whatever I imagined with my eyes closed. I thought it was amazing.... but people actually do this everyday! I'm missing out. I wonder if I compensate some how?
Awesome to have a name for it now. It's comforting to know others are affected the same way. If you find any connections to O negative blood or green eyes, I'll feel really special. 😉
Thanks Dr Zeman I found your video most intriguing. Is there any correlation with dyslexia and poor artists skills, I too always thought the suggestion of a mind's eye was a metaphor. I recently took a watercolour painting class. knowing I had little to no talent in any kind of artistic endeavour. But it really did surprise me how bad I actually was. I could not imagine anything to paint. Quiet embarrassing. When I read books I only read non fiction, it's almost impossible for me to read a fiction book, I just get lost. I thought this was because of my dyslexia. Really sorry for going on far too much, I could talk all day. Thank you so much. I am only halfway through the video so you might have answered my question already. If so I thank you in advance.
Very interesting. As ive always had trouble translating my imagination, visualizations through my hands into a physical medium. Ive always thought of myself as an artist but its weird that i can "picture" like complete scenery of some natural location, just fabricate it up randomly, but i have a difficult time translating that into drawing, painting, etc. If i really focus, i can draw pretty well but its almost like a cartoon chariciture, (sp?) of say, a group of trees and surrounding plants and rocks. Or like drawing a building structure, i can make a facsimile image of it, an impression if it, but cannot create a near exact copy of it. I really am envious of those artists that can just draw or paint a near exact copy of some scene or objects , people and make a art piece that looks just like the subject. I dont know why, ive never been able to get any better at it in my own abilities. If i have the object right in front of me and i have unlimited time, i can make a pretty good representation of it. Landscape scenes are a different thing though, its almost doing an interpretation of a series of moments in time, to try and capture the feel of a place, to convey a place's "spirit", idk how to describe it. Like you are making a photo shot but in paints and brushes or charcoal,chalk and paper. Now im if im fabricating a metal or wood piece, i can do that much easier for some reason. I have easier time working with metal, wood, plastic. Its like 3D material is easier for me than creating a 2d image. Lettering, like for sign art, i am good at that type. Calligraphy i enjoy but i just dont get time to do much, or im just not inspired to do things with that usually these days. I used to do posters of literary quotations for people years ago.
I make short movies happen in my mind, just a few seconds. I imagined I was in a car looking out the windshield and I said, : “Ok, let’s go.” and for 2-3 seconds my whole body felt like I was going 69 miles an hour. I could see it as, but when I started feeling it I opened my eyes and shut it down. I’ve been experimenting with my own mind for years. It’s great when you can close your eyes and then think of something you want to see or feel you can just do it. Kind of scary. I’ve had dreams that I was in a car that was moving but that was just brain, my body didn’t feel it. This I felt as if it were real. I can tell my visions what to do and not only do they don’t, i can immediately feel it in my head. I know the brain itself has no pain sensors, but i felt something in my head while it was happening and when I stopped, the feeling in my head stopped as well.
I have aphantasia. While reading does not generate visual imagery, I am extremely sensitive to whether a sentence or phrase generates a precise image or not (despite not seeing anything in my mind's eye) and my aesthetic pleasure is rooted in this being done well. In contrast, abstract, theoretical works often generate no images and I experience them as having no substance because they do not refer to anything perceptible. This makes me wonder if the screen that is the mind's eye is faulty, but the brain is still processing the images somehow, hence the sensitivity and aesthetic pleasure derived from reading. In the same way I also have a strong passion for visual art, despite having no ability to visualize a picture in its absence.
If there is a direct sibling link, then it maybe could be that this is trama / upbringing related. Damaging or preventing development of the brain in some areas, or prioritising development in other areas over these visual areas.
Do you want to make an autobiographical memory test ? And explain what it is on your website? I'm half surprised people can see memories visually and daydream visually . I've never been able to do that.
Dr. Brian Levine talked about the connection to Autobiographical Memory and aphantasia. We'll be releasing that video from the 2021 event in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
Very interesting. A most obvious question is are there differences in the experience of aphantasia vs phantasia subjects on hallucinogens, LSD, DMT, etc?
I have it, my sister has it, and my dad has it. I dream but I can’t really describe them but many times I can’t remember if I dreamed at night at all. I am tired all the time.
I always had the capacity to reproduce (or even imagine) how someone could say something in my head, as well as "hearing" music without actuallly listen to a song (that is also how I read silently. Funnily enough, I don't hear my own voice). But that's all. I can't visualiuze at all, and quite often I don't even dream. I just wake up in the morning. Only when I sleep on stress I dream. A recurring nightmare in fact, but I do see it. About the other senses, I can't even comprehend how someone can conjure up a smell or a given taste or feel cold or hot when the temperature is the same. I think my incapacity to visualize also contributed to my path to atheistism, because I couldn't see God even when praying very hard, while my classmates did say that hey could. Also, i often say that it is hard for me to put names on faces, so I think I may have some form of prosophanosia. I do recongnize people I know (friends, familiy, even some celebrities) but for random people or people that I've just met, I have to repeat their names quite a few times before I can say I know them.
I have aphantasia and I know that God exists. I use my brain to realize that we are complex humans that could not have happened by accident. But we were designed. I don't need to see him to know he's there. Just like air.
As someone with aphantasia imagination seems impossible. Yet then I realize all the images I see with my eyes open are created effortlessly by my brain, so why can't I produce them with my thoughts? The odd thing is when I have been able to visualize, while meditating, which are very limited, what I visualize is not what I'm thinking.
I am intrigued by the comment that synesthesia is associated with hyperphantasia. I have aphantasia, and am on the extreme end of the spectrum - no sensory imagination (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) whatsoever, including in dreams. Yet, I also have mild synesthesia. For me, numbers, letters, words, etc all have colours. I don't see the colours, I just 'know' what colour a given letter or number rightfully has - either when written or when sounded out (usually different colours). As a child, I used to amuse myself by rewriting the alphabet, or a string of digits, in colour order. And I still sometimes find it jarring when I see things printed in 'wrong' colours. Multi-coloured fonts are very difficult for me to parse.
We indeed do see images in our minds! We can also see it like a movie, we can see things that never happens nor can ever exist, we can hear anything, we can smell and taste in our minds, we can also sense pleasure, pain, fell the touch... Anything!
I found out I had it when I went to see a therapist for my depression, which was absolutely no help because everything they talked about involved visualization and imagination which I have never been able to do. I understand that in some ways it can be considered positive to some people but to me it feels like a disability. Does anyone know if there are any good books or courses on the best ways to cope with this deficiency?
I have the same experience as you. Therapies that involve visualisation were inefficient, and therapists weren't even aware of the possibility of aphantasia. When talking about my past also, I felt like I didn't remember much, though everything that happened obviously played a huge role in whatever issue I had. But it was hard to point out a moment in time, a scene that had huge impact. Most of what I recall, I remember in more of a narrative form, and I don't know when or why I started telling myself that story. Memories of events interpreted through one's perception can be deformed, but in my case I feel like it is even more so. I feel very much like an unreliable narrator of my own life.
Thanks for sharing I have aphantasia and am a licensed therapist....I'm not seeing clients right now but work with college students to help them with the learning process (how to study). I had no idea that I have aphantasia until about 3 years ago. I created a guided meditation and one of my co-workers said it wouldn't work for her because she has aphantasia. That's when I learned people can actually see things when they shut their eyes. While doing guided meditations I would always imagine without seeing....it seemed to work but I prefer meditating unguided. I really wish I did my dissertation research on this topic...but I'm done with my PhD in a few weeks and would like to explore this topic more....I just need to find a place to do the research. The university I'm at doesn't have any labs I'm aware of looking into aphantasia.....
hi doctor adam , i have discussed this with some of my friends but some of them can imagine things only with open eyes but not with eyes closed. some could imagine what they read in a book but if i asked them to visualize something with their eyes closed they see only black . is this still considered as aphantasia ?
I have had a fear that I have dementia because of this. I’ve known I have Aphantasia for a few years, but it makes my memory so bad since I can’t recall any images from it that I’m like “oh, no, is this early onset dementia 🥺” but I don’t think it is, just how my brain works.
I wonder what the implications are for having aphantasia. I have never been able to conjure up any senses with my imagination (visual, auditory, haptic, etc.) and pretty much never has visual dreams. If I close my eyes it's just pitch black, no sensory input from the brain at all. Maybe that's why sleep paralysis feels so normal to me and I never saw any "sleep paralysis demon" because my brain is literally not wired for that? Very hard to remember roads and things like that though.
We're curious what the implications are too. With greater aphantasia awareness, comes greater research interest and new discoveries. It's an exciting place of discovery!
I am from Hong Kong, majority of the people I know seem don’t process a minds eye like myself, definitely not 2% of the population here, I wonder if there is a cultural thing to it
I believe I also have it, but can sort of visualize grey outlines of animals and some people for example but getting that can be difficult and fleeting. I wonder about colors - I dream a lot but not in color. Are there people who can easily visualize but only in black and white or are they always able to see colors as well? Another question is regarding hypnosis. I am not at all subject to hypnosis and wonder if those who are are generally people who can easily visualize as well? Since neural plasticity is a recognized thing, is there hope for changing the brain to visualize more normally - in detail and in color? I'd like to think that it is possible to rewire the brain to do so. Intentions, thoughts, affirmations, mystical experiences, (magic mushrooms?) or deep meditation states, or just a bump on the head in the right place ... ? Interesting about the subject who began your study - was it likely induced by the anesthesia?
Everyone's ability to visualize varies. Some can see vivid colors, while others might only see outlines or grayscale. As for hypnosis, it's not just about visualization; many factors play a role. And yes, the brain's adaptability is fascinating! Some folks have tried different methods to enhance visualization, but results can differ. Always interesting to hear about the effects of anesthesia on cognition too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 👍 You might find this article about visualizing our invisible differences interesting 🤔 aphantasia.com/article/strategies/visualizing-the-invisible/
@@AphantasiaNetwork Thank you Dr Zeman for your reply. Having had 3 surgeries in '04 and '09 under multi-hour anesthesia I did become concerned about the effects on cognition. Also I have been concerned about the negative effects of years of taking statins and proton pump inhibitors on cognition, both of which I weened off of in 2019. I am much healthier now than I was 20 years ago. I will keep trying to improve my visualization and remain positive.
If I keep my eyes open, then I can see images or flashes of images. But I can’t focus with my eyes closed because my current vision is only coming from what I’m seeing at the time. Any ideas?
well I wish I could understand the voice, it is muffled, and not clear enough for me to hear. In addition to aphantasia I have hyperacusis and this is painful for me.
What does the speaker mean specifically when they talk of visual imagery? Are you saying you can visualise things in your “mind’s eye” such that those appear the same way as say a dream would? Are you telling me people are walking around with the ability to close their eyes and have another projector appear before them such that they can actually see, see, what they think of? How does that work when you have your eyes open? Doesn’t the image from your mind’s eye fuck with what your eyes are actually seeing from the world? I’m so confused. lol
Apparently it's controllable. Like if they aren't trying to visualize something they just see what's in front of them or the back of their eyelids. But if they try they can see what they're trying to visualize. Being able to superimpose a visualization on top of what you're seeing with your eyes open sounds like it's less common, but still more common than aphantasia. So, there are a number of terms like phantasia which is what most people are capable of. There's hyperphantasia where people can visualize better than other people and also do prophantasia i.e. projecting images onto the world. And I guess there is also hallucination, which is visualizations coming to you without conscious effort to do that.
@@soetaa Yeah, same here. My brother and mother just found out about it too because my brother met somebody who knew they had aphantasia. My mom was particularly dumbfounded. She's late 60s and just figuring out how different her experience of the world is. I have mixed feelings. All the sudden things about me that were odd make a lot of sense which is nice, but I am a little bit envious of this capacity to visualize things. Not sure if I'd want to visualize all the time, but it sounds useful for specific things. There are people who claim that they can visualize through some specific training, but it sounds challenging to maintain that capacity.
With the “famous people” recognition exercise at 24 minutes in… the flaw here is that you used very popular well known photographs that have been used and reused many times. So, I know the correct answer because I recognize the photograph, not because I recognize the face. I’ve seen that photo, with that background, that hairstyle, facing that direction. So I assume that’s the photo I’m supposed to choose.
I was today years old (almost 50) when I learned this is even a thing. I'm Aphantasic (is that the right term) Mother is too. Brother is not, neither is my aunt. So weird.
It's never too late to discover something new about yourself! Aphantasia is indeed a fascinating phenomenon, and many people go through life not realizing they experience the world differently. "Aphantasic" is a term some use to describe someone with aphantasia. It's always interesting to see how it varies even within families. Welcome to the community of discovery and understanding! 🌟🧠
Ridiculous! The problem isn’t about a minds eye but rather it’s a inability to self assess. No one actually can close their eyes and see something as if it’s really there. If they could then v.r. Would be near pointless and far more people would be closing their eyes all day long in order to immerse themselves in their own life-like creations. People would be going insane, unsure what was real and what was imagined because they are both that similar.
I really hate the term aphantasia as it is very similar soundin to aphasia. But aphasia is a neurological disorder. I have aphantasia but my brain is ok, thank you very much.
I only discovered a few days ago, I'm 28. I'm confused why I don't remember my love anymore I ignore that day because kind of busy at work and then again I remember after that day that I don't remember him like I don't think about him, like I always did， like I remember him 24 hours, wherever I go I remember him, but suddenly I don't remember him or I can't visualize him and I found out that I can't visualize my family, friends, and even my own face, but I remember the letters, shapes, & the numbers. I feel like I have less emotions too. I feel scared that this happen to me but I think maybe it's for the better . 🥲
I wonder if the implications of aphantasia in therapy have been studied. Most therapies involve visualisation and were inefficient for me. Therapists weren't even aware of the possibility of aphantasia. When talking about my past also, I felt like I didn't remember much, though everything that happened obviously played a huge role in whatever issue I had. But it was hard to point out a moment in time, a scene that had huge impact. Most of what I recall, I remember in more of a narrative form, and I don't know when or why I started telling myself that particular story. Memories of events interpreted through one's perception can be deformed, but in my case I believe it is even more so. I feel very much like an unreliable narrator of my own life, which makes it harder to make sense of my life and identity.
There's some ongoing research into the implications of aphantasia and mental healthcare.
You can learn more about it here. The article includes a link to participate in the research.
aphantasia.com/article/science/imagery-in-mental-healthcare/
@nooom91 I am in the same boat as you. I'm 45, and when I look (try to visualize) back then, all I see is fog or simply cloudy information. I have jokingly told my wife for years our relationship will never get old for me because I cannot know or experience the time in reverse.
I also am scared the narrative past I tell myself could be incredibly faulty.
Not only have I recently discovered what aphantasia is what I have but I also have SDAM. I have known for many tears now I experience the world very differently from others, but I did not realize many others also are dealing with the same things.
It is good to know and yet unsettling…
Said so well, I decided that therapy wasn’t for me and I just had to get over it. Also at the time they wouldn’t allow my brother to be in the room with me to help recall events of my past. So you seem right.
Wonderfully illustrated. I became aware of my impairment 50 years ago and then forgot about it. We were doing a course on ‘Mind Dynamics.’ Central to the practice was the need to visualise. A friend could visualise the road all the way into town. I can barely ‘see’ around the next corner and get lost at roundabouts. Only recently, I became aware of ‘Aphantasia’ as a syndrome. It makes so much sense in explaining my life. I feel we may have other ‘super powers’ to compensate. It does not limit our creativity.🌹j.
This is interesting. I've always been confused because it always felt that my past life was a blur, that I must have been going through it in a fog. I've never felt that way but the present but feel that way looking past. I moved alot so had short relationships and attributed my lack of memory around people to that but perhaps it's just the way I process memory.
I have aphantasia. I always knew I couldn’t see anything but I always assumed that it was normal and it was a figure of speech when others asked me to visualize.
I realized I was different about 20 years ago however there was zero information regarding it.
I have attempted to force myself to see things all my life. I did realize that imaginary images were real when I had a vivid dream when I was about 12 years old. It was so exciting and different that I attempted my entire life to experience it again.
I do have dreams and I seem to see images in my dreams, however, once I wake up it’s very difficult to recall what I saw.
I also believe I don’t see faces in my dreams and instead see a blur where faces usually are. I know who they are but it’s not by what I see but rather how I feel.
I can’t picture my loved ones, which is a point that saddens me. Pictures are very important to me since it’s the only way I can connect with someone.
I also don’t have much of an internal dialogue. I can intentionally ask myself a question mentally but I have no dialogue, and no response. The only dialogue I have is usually the questions I purposely ask myself.
It’s very difficult for me because asking a question but receiving no response does not seem to help me and frustrates me a lot.
I also can’t recall smell or taste or sounds.
I suppose my world is very limited and boring.
I always wondered what it would be like to sense things normally.
I only have my senses in the here and now.
One thing I have not read anything about is with feelings.
I experience super super powerful feelings. When someone hurts me, I experience debilitating pain. When someone dies, I experience it very intensely. When I see violence in a movie for example, I physically feel the pain in my body and it’s sometimes excruciating.
That’s my experience. Thank you for reading
Do you have tactile memory? Do you remember how a brick wall feels on your finger tips?
Thank you for sharing! Our internal worlds are unique, and it's always fascinating to hear people's experiences.
Your story almost mirrors mine bar the over sensitivity.🌹j.
Can I ask a specific question that occurred to me? How do you do mental arithmetic?
If I had to add two three-figure numbers, say 896+479, I would do the sum as if I were writing it on paper, 'carrying the one', writing the sum under the line in my mind as I went, and 'reading' the answer at the end. I imagine it would be harder to do without visualising it, but as the narrator noted, mathematicians and computer scientists are often aphantasic, so I'm not sure it would be any hindrance...?
After 76 years I’ve just discovered other people literally SEE things in their minds and still find it unbelievable. I have always been excellent at mental arithmetic, addition, subtraction and multiplication but I don’t see the sums on a page I just know the answer. My Dad, who left school at 14, was the same. Sometimes I have the answer without knowing how I know. My skills are a bit rusty these days 😢. My Mum also loved numbers, bookkeeping and accountancy but both my parents were gifted artistically too. Would love to have them back to question them on their visualisation skills.
I just found out I have aphantasia yesterday and I'm still completely blown away that people can actually see and hear things in their mind. I can't even imagine what that would be like... Pun intended.
I find that my thoughts are very abstract and as such I have always had problems articulating them well. I often cut off sentences or skip words, more so in my mental dialog, because I just think faster than I can put into words. It feels very abstract. Like a computer without a screen. Operating in the dark.
Also, you guys can just imagine things in your head?? What kind of superpower is that! No wonder I'm addicted to AI-based image generation software. It's the only way for me to visualize my ideas.
All I can do with my mind is be creative conceptually, not visually
same thing for me,
Yup, it’s probably a novelty that would wear off, however my question is why anyone would watch TV when their head must be far more interesting 😂
Me too. I am blown away this morning at 54....I graduated University, do some paintings have pareidolia as well. Amazing to be among the 3% of humans.
I only discovered a few months ago, at age 71, that I have Aphantasia. Zero visuals, sound, taste, feeling, hearing.
I also have SDAM and prosopagnosia.
I find it amazing that people can visualise. I never knew they could do that until recently.
It is so good to know that I have Aphantasia, it explains so much about my life, the memory issues, unless it's a memory around a conversation. The not remembering any of my childhood. Not recognising faces. Fascinating stuff!
This is exactly my experience. It's so affirming to read of yours and know I'm not weird and alone.
@@EquineAddictsJan I have exactly the same experience. Just found out about this a few weeks ago, at age 37
Isn't it amazing just how reassuring the understanding of it all is? I always thought there was something wrong, but could never put my finger on it. Suddenly it's all clear. Not vivid, but clear haha. Pun intended. All the best to you
We hear from so many aphantasics that the discovery "explains so much." We're so glad you found our Network of like minds! It can be affirming to realize you're not alone.
p.s. SDAM talk with Dr. Brian Levine is dropping tomorrow :)
@@AphantasiaNetwork Seeing that 6 square diagram you made at the beginning, it seems to suggest maybe aphantasia is on a scale. Is that correct? Because the number 4.9% for aphantasia in the general population seems like a very sharp cutoff.
I'm a physician and I only recently learned of this and that I have it. I can't believe it's not common! I always assumed it was the other way around. Interestingly I might have wrongly deducted this due to photographic memory not being common, and I have quite good memory, I've even been asked if I possess photographic memory, but I'm highly aphantasic.
I have recently discovered that I have aphantasia (and I scored 1 on the exercise). Surprisingly, I very much enjoy reading fiction, and I even write fiction (with vivid, imaginative descriptions) at a very proficient level (aspiring pro). I have a very good memory (including faces). I used to have superb (and visual) dream recall. I discovered that what I deemed to be visualisation was simply an understanding of an idea when I saw images for the first time in my mind. It was under the influence of psychedelics. Has anyone studied the use of psychedelics to "open the mind's eye"? Now that I know I can visualise under certain conditions, I am working hard on honing my visualisation skills. It's a shame no one is talking about ways to trigger visualisation and improve it.
Well at least now if we want to get high we can call it science.
It didn’t cause me to visualize images. But colors on the tv were much more vibrant, almost neon like; and trees looked like the Starry Night painting by Van Gogh. I looked in a mirror (which they say not to do after you take them) and I just saw myself, nothing scary.
I have aphantasia. I tried the Pandora star light and was able to see vibrant psychedelic images. . Also in deep meditation + breathwork I can see colors like aurora borealis. Si it means our brain is able to generate a mind's image. But we are unable to create it by thought alone probably bc it misses some connections.
I have aphantasia. I have been researching about it. When I talked about this with my family, it turned out that my mother and brother also have aphantasia. I don’t visualize anything at all, not even senses. My mother can only visualize the high-emotional places or events (sometimes). My brother can only visualize for a fraction of a second then the thing he visualized disappears(after a lot of effort). But my father has a vivid image that he scored 3.5/5. I was very fascinated by the fact that in the family there are 3 different degrees of aphantastic person and one who can visualize easily. I hope more reseach would be done about this case.
Not being able to hear any music I want in my "mind's ear", would be devastating to me. This gives my life soundtrack I want.
I just always keep the music playing..I can't stand silence...plus tinnitus doesn't help
I can hear music in my head, but the volume is often so low that any noise can block it.
wtf there is a minds ear too? My head is a constant narration of my own thoughts…. No visuals or sounds… you know to me everyone else sounds like they have psychosis apparently. I can focus on tasks for full days with no issue, I learn super fast… now I realise why, everyone else seems to have constant movies running, sound tracks… wtf lol
@@jasonhounsell3297 No, the music is running in the "background" while I focus on the work. You're not actually hearing it through your ears, it's just there. I would say that while I'm in the zone (resp. scared), the music is actually the most intense (resp. calming). Of course you can always just put on headphones. With "mind's ear" you just need them only when listening to the songs you don't know well yet. You never listened to a song while in the zone? Same thing. Very productive. Except you can change music instantly without using hands on some player.
@@SmartK8 You all sound like aliens. Like bats using echo location that I don’t understand how it would be. I can’t visualise anything, and I’ve never heard any music in my head. I can have my thought narration voice sing, but it’s always pretty flat and tuneless 😂
I literally didn’t even know the “minds ear” was a thing, and only just found out yesterday that people actually can see pictures in their head. I thought it was a figure of speech and everyone imagined pictures the same as I do….
Why anyone watches TV is now a mystery to me….
The "hunters mind" comment caught my blind inner eye. I have always been hyper aware of other people's unique body language. So much so I recognize people by their movements as well as I can by seeing a face. It has also been very unsettling not being able to picture the faces of loved ones and pets. Thank you so very much Dr. Zeman. Coining the phrase has helped so many of us begin down a path of understanding by helping us become aware.
I have aphantasia but a strong inner voice. Everything is words.
Same!!! And deep emotional experience. I make my way through life based off my emotions. How I “feel” about it.
I admit I am down a rabbit hole of aphantasia because I am the polar opposite and it's actually helping me understand how I relate to people better. I am incredibly visual and do much in my head. Now when I talk to people I try and figure out if we're thinking differently and I think it is helping me to communicate better. When I discover someone is not a visual thinker I can adjust the way I communicate. I think this science is SUPER important and I'm so happy the world is finally starting to focus on it even though it's probably been with us since the dawn of time!
Appreciate your comment Nick, we're so glad to hear that discovering the rabbit hole of aphantasia has revealed new insights into your visual way of thinking. We believe aphantasia opens the door to "meta-cognition," or a new term introduced, "meta-imagination." Thinking about your own thinking or in this case, imagining, can be a powerful tool for anyone who discovers it (regardless of whether you think visually or not). It can lead to greater self-awareness and new self-realization for remembering, learning, dreaming, emphasizing, communicating, etc. The evolving science into imagery extremes is SUPER important and are actively trying to promote it. Glad you join us in discovering! Stay tuned for more videos :)
This is freaking phenomenal. To me this opens up so many doors and explanations for many things. My wheels are turning. Thank you so much for this information.
You're very welcome! We're glad that it has helped explain some things and got your wheels turning!
It's so so sad. I'm 37 and just realized I have aphantasia, thanks to some short video on Instagram. It devastated me. It's like not having the most beautiful superpower in the world, except that almost everyone has it.
it's a superpower if you have been through horrific experiences - you won't suffer the flashbacks.
@@tebbisimoXthis simply isn’t true and shows your ignorance on what a flashback is. When someone with PTSD vividly recalls an experience it’s not necessarily visual; flashbacks also include physically or emotionally reliving what you felt during the traumatic moment. Non visual flashbacks are just as difficult and painful to navigate even if you aren’t visualizing it.
@@CrimsonDarling89 ok, what's true for you isn't true for everyone. Merely showing your ignorance to someone else's lived experience. How ironic darling
My thought is that we will appreciate it more if we ever get it. Let's keep trying.
I have aphantasia but to add on top of that i also have autism and congenital anosmia (born without a sense of smell). Having all three of these things at the same time can make life quite difficult. I have a very hard time connecting with people because of it. My situation is so specific that nobody ever understands how i think. Or at least it feels that way.
Ever since I discovered that I have aphantasia a week ago, I realized alot of things. I feel as though what we lack in the sensory department of our imagination we make up for in our ability to work with abstract concepts. And I'd even argue that with enough mental practice, those conceptual skills are able to reliably substitute for the lack of sensory imagination. I can't picture a ball rolling off the table, but I can create a conceptual stage on which a conceptual ball rolls off a conceptual surface. There's absolutely no imagery or sounds etc, but the scene itself feels very tangible. And most importantly the physics of it appear to be pretty accurate. I can come up with movie scenes or weird design ideas without being able to see them in my mind's eye. I do however use slight vocal and facial movements to accentuate the imagined scene.
Also I barely have any inner monolog. Most of the time it's just silent while abstract processes are happening in the background. Whenever I do attempt to have an inner monolog it is almost always cut off because it's just way slower than the actual thinking itself.
Would love to help with studies or research somehow!
Thank you for sharing. Some interesting perspectives for further exploration around "aphantasics making up for the lack of sensory imagination with more conceptual skills." Seems to align with some of the current research findings, and we suspect future ones as well.
You might be interested in our new discovery platform: imaginationspectrum.com. The current focus is on sensory imagination and identifying multisensory aphantasia but the platform will evolve to explore relationships between inner speech, prosopagnosia (face blindness) and eventually, more conceptual forms of the imagination. Check it out, and let us know what you think! We'd love to hear from you :)
@@AphantasiaNetwork I checked it out and went through the whole questionnaire, but when submitting the result an error popped up saying "unauthorized".
I mean I scored worst on practically everything, so I already know the result I suppose.
I did find it interesting that you also questioned the ability to imagine the feeling of movement, which is something I felt like I am able to do very vaguely at times? Then again I could just be thinking of an action, remembering the characteristics of the sensations accompanying that action and then pretending that I'm feeling it. Which always makes me use my muscles to fake it 🤔 so perhaps I'm also blind in that regard and I'm simply trying my best to pretend as though I'm feeling it while in reality I'm just tensing up as if I was about to perform whatever action it is I'm trying to think of. It's really hard to tell. I suppose if I had felt it I'd know that I felt it. Definitely a stressful exercise haha.
What accompanied every attempt though was a felt understanding of how the experience could be like. Never any actual sensory data though. If that makes sense.
What’s the difference between inner monologue and actually thinking. Like you hear your voice?
@@flmsi1595 they're the same thing, and I too get lost in mental chatter sometimes, except I don't hear my voice but recognize the words. I really don't think there's a difference here between aphantasiacs and non-aphantasiacs. But hey, maybe people literally hear their voice inside their heads which would annoy the hell out of me lol
@@flmsi1595Perhaps inner monologue is a level of self critique while the rest of the mind is occupied with other matters?🌹j.
I realized it was something unusual when I was studying shamanism. A big part of my practice is journeying to different realms and times with my mind. The most I ever’see’ in my minds eye may be an impression, most of the time nothing. I learned to travel in a different way. It is totally experiential as a knowing, in a very sentient way. I am immersed in the experience without seeing🤷♀️
Always look forward to the next video and how Lacey is doing and she never disappoints. Keep fighting, Lacey! You're a great inspiration. God bless you and your parents. Love ❤❤❤
I really appreciated this video (as someone who creates hypnosis audios). It inspired me to deep dive into learning about Aphantasia, and then I created a audio all around giving a person the sense of flying, that is aphantasia friendly (leaning in on motor imagery). I referenced this very video in the educational one I made about Aphantasia and my thoughts on how it relates to Hypnosis/meditation. Thank you Dr Zeman for your great work, and the Aphantasia Network...apparently this resonates with a LOT of people. I really love learning about the human mind and body, so this was right up my alley 🥰💖
I'm a reading teacher where we are mental imagery heavy and I discovered aphantasia a few years due to researching on behalf of students. I said to myself I can't ever see anything, only a select people can because of course mind's eye isn't literal. I made excuses & still in denial. I cannot see, hear inner monologue, nor smell anymore unless strong odor/scent. I'm trying to figure out if this is the reason I'm intuitive and absorb energy easily.
I found out I have aphantasia last week when my child found out they had it. I am so sad that reading will never be as exciting as it is for others. I love to read. I am still in shock and feel a great deal of loss. Which is weird because how can you miss what you never had.
Thank you thank you thank you. This is being passed along to my GP. I have found an answer to my brain, it may be more exotic than just Aphantasia but when you finally have an eureka moment at 51 yrs old, it almost makes me cry.
You're most welcome! We're so glad your discovery of aphantasia provided you with more answers about your unique way of thinking.
My man, this realization has brought me to tears several times. 46 is when I learned. I feel thankful for what my gut says is an advantage but very sad about the absence of what they are calling the minds eye. I can't shake the feeling of a blessing and a curse. So I need to learn more. We all do.
I only discovered this quite recently. I'm 63.
I really didn't know people could actually see the images in their mind's eye. I'm still not sure they really mean see rather than imagine the presence of something as if it were in the room with you but with the lights off as I do.
I am actually not bad at spacial orientation tasks and am quite 'visually' imaginative even though there is no mental vision as such.
In my late 40's I had an experience when I was in hospital with bacterial meningitis. As I started to recover, maybe on my third day in hospital I began to have visions of moving through amazing spaces such as fractal caves or complicated hindu or islamic temples. They were extremely vivid and realistic and this was all when I was perfectly awake although they were at their clearest the second I shut my eyes to go to sleep which meant I didn't sleep much. I could open my eyes and see the room but then instantly go back to some strange place as soon as I shut them again. After a few days they started to dim and all I could see were vague patterns and then nothing at all.
It became quite annoying but very interesting at the same time and now I am basically visually blind again I wish I could conjure up the experience again.
I'm not sure this is even relevant but it was the only time in my life that I had real visual images and I do miss it although I would like it to be more voluntary.
Fascinating journey! Your experience with vivid visions during your recovery must have been both captivating and perplexing. It's intriguing how our experiences can vary so widely! Your point about voluntary vs involuntary is a good one. Seeing images can be a double-edged sword.
@@AphantasiaNetwork I've just read through my own post and I seem to make it look like I am literally blind, which I am not. I am only aphantasic which I have recently discovered.
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@@Nitrlul I must admit I had never heard of this before, I had to look it up. I think the first word should be endogenous meaning naturally produced by the body.
It could certainly be an answer though from what I have read there are a few differences between a typical experience and mine.
I bit more reading would be in order, thanks for pointing me this way.
Those visions sound to me to be examples of astral travel or remote visioning as utilised by the CIA et al. There is a lot of info on the web .❤j.
Hi, FYI - you might learn something...
I have always suffered from Aphantasia - called in Scientology - a Black Field. ( not a recommended practice).
It appears to be caused by early trauma.
When I was young and stupid, I used some Psychedelic drugs.
this use allowed me to actually see the hidden imagery - in full color !
- Also, on occasion when waking up in a dream, I get to see the imagery as well.
I'm skeptical of trauma being connected in my case, can't speak for anyone else's experience. I've done psychedelics hundreds of times and it does not give me visualization at all. They rarely give what psychedelic drug users call "visuals" either (usually distortion in your vision, e.g. breathing walls with busy patterned wallpaper seeming to move).
Dr. Zeman, your work on aphantasia is fascinating and deeply relevant to me. I not only lack mental imagery, but also sounds, monologues, and any form of inner narrative. It feels like I don’t ‘think’ in the traditional sense, yet I have understanding and awareness without active thought. This unique experience has profoundly shaped how I perceive the world and process information. I’d love to share my condition with you, as I believe it could provide valuable insight into your research. Is there a way I could contact you to discuss this further?
My oldest son and partner have incredible visualization. My partner can literally break down any object in his mind in great detail. My son says to him it's like wearing a VR headset. Both can visualize in detail with their eye closed and open. Myself and younger son cannot visualize ANYTHING. It's just black, no matter how hard we focus on even the most simple object. I wonder if there is a genetic component to this?
I watched a documentary it was shown a mother and a son who could not understand and recognise faces, even their own faces in the mirror. There were occasions mother and son could not recognise each other. Considering that case, it might have some genetical component, but not necessarily.
There is.
As far as I understand first relatives are 10x more likely to have it. (so if 3%x10=30) Id say there is a 1 in 3 chance your close relative has it aswell.
My husband, myself, and 3 sons have aphantasia. I just found out a few months ago. I never knew that was a thing. I thought we were just like everyone and now it feels like we have a new learning disability.
I never experienced this until a year ago when I went through a very traumatic experience. As if my memory was completely wiped cleaned. I was detached from my reality. I no longer know it as it was. I’m slowly beginning to regain my consciousness. It’s scary because right now I don’t have a clue. Literally.
And is there a way to stop having aphantasia? Meditation, Visualization Techniques? Something like Image streaming maybe?
12:22 Dreaming- When I sleep I'm far more visual. Sound is what is happening not much narration (but there is some) often at the end even background music just before I wake up. Then my inner voice becomes dominant which I think is why I have so much trouble remembering dreams. When I try to think of them in words they fade away because they are nonverbal.
I have Alphantasia and I am in the creative industry. So it's true that my process is different because of that.
2:02 I have a strong inner monologue and exercises like these just seem to have too few words, but some of my favorite fiction writers are able to paint word pictures which are wonderful but require some work. So Huxley's Brave New World had a lot of things going on and was therefore an easy read. But Ray Bradbury is a far more pictoral writer so Fahrenheit 451 was a harder read but still quite enjoyable. I tried a John Steinbeck novel but his first chapter described every dirt clod in the Salinas Valley of California, I got the pictures alright but it was like he had just dumped me there and drove off and nothing was happening. I didn't get past the first chapter. Music can produce pictures in my head. If you have ever seen Disney's Fantasia, I can imagine whole movies like that listening to my favorite Classical works. The Romantic period works better. Beethoven, Berlioz and Malher (1st Symphony Titan especially)...Oh how I wish Disney would go back to that quality instead of all this woke crap.
When asked how many windows? I found the explanation of flying from where I am (in my head) through the house to each window and "knowing it's there" very accurate. I produce some sort of mental image or understanding but it isn't a clear picture like representation. Idea is an interesting way to put it but feels wrong to me still. It's more substantial than an idea. It's almost a faint feeling of actually walking to the windows and looking at it.
I can't see anything, but I have a running monolog . I wish I could visualize.
I cannot visualise anything. Never have been able to do this and thought everyone was the same and only remembered a thing or person or event. I was very surprised when I found out that people actually ‘see’ things when they close their eyes. I would love to be able to do this. How amazing
It's truly eye-opening when we discover the vast differences in how people experience their inner worlds. While you might not have the ability to visualize, your unique way of processing and understanding the world has its own set of advantages. The diversity in our cognitive experiences is what makes each of us unique. Embrace your unique perspective, and remember that there's a whole community out there who shares your experience and understands! 🌍💭
I have always been blind... I can draw, but only what I actually see. I remember things but can't actually see them... but I done LSD and started seeing all sorts of cartoons or whatever I imagined with my eyes closed. I thought it was amazing.... but people actually do this everyday! I'm missing out. I wonder if I compensate some how?
Awesome to have a name for it now. It's comforting to know others are affected the same way. If you find any connections to O negative blood or green eyes, I'll feel really special. 😉
yooooo this is so interesting! That was an amazing conference and I wish I could have known the event earlier!
Thank you Voik! They'll be another conference. Likely 2023-4 to leave room for more interesting discoveries to be made!
Thanks Dr Zeman I found your video most intriguing. Is there any correlation with dyslexia and poor artists skills, I too always thought the suggestion of a mind's eye was a metaphor. I recently took a watercolour painting class. knowing I had little to no talent in any kind of artistic endeavour. But it really did surprise me how bad I actually was. I could not imagine anything to paint. Quiet embarrassing. When I read books I only read non fiction, it's almost impossible for me to read a fiction book, I just get lost. I thought this was because of my dyslexia. Really sorry for going on far too much, I could talk all day. Thank you so much. I am only halfway through the video so you might have answered my question already. If so I thank you in advance.
Very interesting. As ive always had trouble translating my imagination, visualizations through my hands into a physical medium. Ive always thought of myself as an artist but its weird that i can "picture" like complete scenery of some natural location, just fabricate it up randomly, but i have a difficult time translating that into drawing, painting, etc.
If i really focus, i can draw pretty well but its almost like a cartoon chariciture, (sp?) of say, a group of trees and surrounding plants and rocks. Or like drawing a building structure, i can make a facsimile image of it, an impression if it, but cannot create a near exact copy of it.
I really am envious of those artists that can just draw or paint a near exact copy of some scene or objects , people and make a art piece that looks just like the subject.
I dont know why, ive never been able to get any better at it in my own abilities.
If i have the object right in front of me and i have unlimited time, i can make a pretty good representation of it.
Landscape scenes are a different thing though, its almost doing an interpretation of a series of moments in time, to try and capture the feel of a place, to convey a place's "spirit", idk how to describe it.
Like you are making a photo shot but in paints and brushes or charcoal,chalk and paper.
Now im if im fabricating a metal or wood piece, i can do that much easier for some reason. I have easier time working with metal, wood, plastic.
Its like 3D material is easier for me than creating a 2d image.
Lettering, like for sign art, i am good at that type. Calligraphy i enjoy but i just dont get time to do much, or im just not inspired to do things with that usually these days.
I used to do posters of literary quotations for people years ago.
I make short movies happen in my mind, just a few seconds. I imagined I was in a car looking out the windshield and I said, : “Ok, let’s go.” and for 2-3 seconds my whole body felt like I was going 69 miles an hour. I could see it as, but when I started feeling it I opened my eyes and shut it down. I’ve been experimenting with my own mind for years. It’s great when you can close your eyes and then think of something you want to see or feel you can just do it. Kind of scary. I’ve had dreams that I was in a car that was moving but that was just brain, my body didn’t feel it. This I felt as if it were real. I can tell my visions what to do and not only do they don’t, i can immediately feel it in my head. I know the brain itself has no pain sensors, but i felt something in my head while it was happening and when I stopped, the feeling in my head stopped as well.
I have aphantasia. While reading does not generate visual imagery, I am extremely sensitive to whether a sentence or phrase generates a precise image or not (despite not seeing anything in my mind's eye) and my aesthetic pleasure is rooted in this being done well. In contrast, abstract, theoretical works often generate no images and I experience them as having no substance because they do not refer to anything perceptible.
This makes me wonder if the screen that is the mind's eye is faulty, but the brain is still processing the images somehow, hence the sensitivity and aesthetic pleasure derived from reading. In the same way I also have a strong passion for visual art, despite having no ability to visualize a picture in its absence.
If there is a direct sibling link, then it maybe could be that this is trama / upbringing related. Damaging or preventing development of the brain in some areas, or prioritising development in other areas over these visual areas.
Do you want to make an autobiographical memory test ? And explain what it is on your website? I'm half surprised people can see memories visually and daydream visually . I've never been able to do that.
Dr. Brian Levine talked about the connection to Autobiographical Memory and aphantasia. We'll be releasing that video from the 2021 event in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
@@AphantasiaNetwork Thank You
Very interesting. A most obvious question is are there differences in the experience of aphantasia vs phantasia subjects on hallucinogens, LSD, DMT, etc?
I have aphantasia. I tried the Pandora star light and saw Amazing psychedelic images in bright colors that don't exist on Earth
I have it, my sister has it, and my dad has it. I dream but I can’t really describe them but many times I can’t remember if I dreamed at night at all. I am tired all the time.
I have it, my mom has it and my sister. I don’t dream at night but there is a narrative happening if that makes sense
It seems very likely that aphantasia and hyperphantasia run in families with possible connections to our DNA.
I have lucid dreaming, also can hear say things in my mind when I sleep is when I see things when I'm conscious I can't do mental imagery
I always had the capacity to reproduce (or even imagine) how someone could say something in my head, as well as "hearing" music without actuallly listen to a song (that is also how I read silently. Funnily enough, I don't hear my own voice). But that's all. I can't visualiuze at all, and quite often I don't even dream. I just wake up in the morning. Only when I sleep on stress I dream. A recurring nightmare in fact, but I do see it. About the other senses, I can't even comprehend how someone can conjure up a smell or a given taste or feel cold or hot when the temperature is the same.
I think my incapacity to visualize also contributed to my path to atheistism, because I couldn't see God even when praying very hard, while my classmates did say that hey could.
Also, i often say that it is hard for me to put names on faces, so I think I may have some form of prosophanosia. I do recongnize people I know (friends, familiy, even some celebrities) but for random people or people that I've just met, I have to repeat their names quite a few times before I can say I know them.
I have aphantasia and I know that God exists. I use my brain to realize that we are complex humans that could not have happened by accident. But we were designed. I don't need to see him to know he's there. Just like air.
As someone with aphantasia imagination seems impossible. Yet then I realize all the images I see with my eyes open are created effortlessly by my brain, so why can't I produce them with my thoughts? The odd thing is when I have been able to visualize, while meditating, which are very limited, what I visualize is not what I'm thinking.
I am intrigued by the comment that synesthesia is associated with hyperphantasia. I have aphantasia, and am on the extreme end of the spectrum - no sensory imagination (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) whatsoever, including in dreams. Yet, I also have mild synesthesia. For me, numbers, letters, words, etc all have colours. I don't see the colours, I just 'know' what colour a given letter or number rightfully has - either when written or when sounded out (usually different colours). As a child, I used to amuse myself by rewriting the alphabet, or a string of digits, in colour order. And I still sometimes find it jarring when I see things printed in 'wrong' colours. Multi-coloured fonts are very difficult for me to parse.
I have aphantasia and I work psychically ❤
ty for the video
I still struggle to believe that people actually see stuff, but this video is persuasive.
We indeed do see images in our minds! We can also see it like a movie, we can see things that never happens nor can ever exist, we can hear anything, we can smell and taste in our minds, we can also sense pleasure, pain, fell the touch... Anything!
@@KlausRosenberg-et2xv Also that's where "I" live. If I didn't have my imagination I'm not sure where I would spend most of my time.
I found out I had it when I went to see a therapist for my depression, which was absolutely no help because everything they talked about involved visualization and imagination which I have never been able to do. I understand that in some ways it can be considered positive to some people but to me it feels like a disability. Does anyone know if there are any good books or courses on the best ways to cope with this deficiency?
I have the same experience as you. Therapies that involve visualisation were inefficient, and therapists weren't even aware of the possibility of aphantasia. When talking about my past also, I felt like I didn't remember much, though everything that happened obviously played a huge role in whatever issue I had. But it was hard to point out a moment in time, a scene that had huge impact. Most of what I recall, I remember in more of a narrative form, and I don't know when or why I started telling myself that story. Memories of events interpreted through one's perception can be deformed, but in my case I feel like it is even more so. I feel very much like an unreliable narrator of my own life.
Thanks for sharing I have aphantasia and am a licensed therapist....I'm not seeing clients right now but work with college students to help them with the learning process (how to study). I had no idea that I have aphantasia until about 3 years ago. I created a guided meditation and one of my co-workers said it wouldn't work for her because she has aphantasia. That's when I learned people can actually see things when they shut their eyes. While doing guided meditations I would always imagine without seeing....it seemed to work but I prefer meditating unguided.
I really wish I did my dissertation research on this topic...but I'm done with my PhD in a few weeks and would like to explore this topic more....I just need to find a place to do the research. The university I'm at doesn't have any labs I'm aware of looking into aphantasia.....
can i do a dubbing and repost in portuguese?
Yes, that would be great! Can you share with us when ready? hello@aphantasia.com
hi doctor adam , i have discussed this with some of my friends but some of them can imagine things only with open eyes but not with eyes closed. some could imagine what they read in a book but if i asked them to visualize something with their eyes closed they see only black . is this still considered as aphantasia ?
I have had a fear that I have dementia because of this. I’ve known I have Aphantasia for a few years, but it makes my memory so bad since I can’t recall any images from it that I’m like “oh, no, is this early onset dementia 🥺” but I don’t think it is, just how my brain works.
I wonder what the implications are for having aphantasia. I have never been able to conjure up any senses with my imagination (visual, auditory, haptic, etc.) and pretty much never has visual dreams. If I close my eyes it's just pitch black, no sensory input from the brain at all.
Maybe that's why sleep paralysis feels so normal to me and I never saw any "sleep paralysis demon" because my brain is literally not wired for that? Very hard to remember roads and things like that though.
We're curious what the implications are too. With greater aphantasia awareness, comes greater research interest and new discoveries. It's an exciting place of discovery!
I am from Hong Kong, majority of the people I know seem don’t process a minds eye like myself, definitely not 2% of the population here, I wonder if there is a cultural thing to it
I'm also from HK, and I don't have mind's eye, interesting to learn if there is a cultural factor or not.
I believe I also have it, but can sort of visualize grey outlines of animals and some people for example but getting that can be difficult and fleeting. I wonder about colors - I dream a lot but not in color. Are there people who can easily visualize but only in black and white or are they always able to see colors as well? Another question is regarding hypnosis. I am not at all subject to hypnosis and wonder if those who are are generally people who can easily visualize as well? Since neural plasticity is a recognized thing, is there hope for changing the brain to visualize more normally - in detail and in color? I'd like to think that it is possible to rewire the brain to do so. Intentions, thoughts, affirmations, mystical experiences, (magic mushrooms?) or deep meditation states, or just a bump on the head in the right place ... ? Interesting about the subject who began your study - was it likely induced by the anesthesia?
Everyone's ability to visualize varies. Some can see vivid colors, while others might only see outlines or grayscale. As for hypnosis, it's not just about visualization; many factors play a role. And yes, the brain's adaptability is fascinating! Some folks have tried different methods to enhance visualization, but results can differ. Always interesting to hear about the effects of anesthesia on cognition too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 👍
You might find this article about visualizing our invisible differences interesting 🤔
aphantasia.com/article/strategies/visualizing-the-invisible/
@@AphantasiaNetwork Thank you Dr Zeman for your reply. Having had 3 surgeries in '04 and '09 under multi-hour anesthesia I did become concerned about the effects on cognition. Also I have been concerned about the negative effects of years of taking statins and proton pump inhibitors on cognition, both of which I weened off of in 2019. I am much healthier now than I was 20 years ago. I will keep trying to improve my visualization and remain positive.
If I keep my eyes open, then I can see images or flashes of images. But I can’t focus with my eyes closed because my current vision is only coming from what I’m seeing at the time. Any ideas?
well I wish I could understand the voice, it is muffled, and not clear enough for me to hear. In addition to aphantasia I have hyperacusis and this is painful for me.
All I can do is consider idea’s
What does the speaker mean specifically when they talk of visual imagery? Are you saying you can visualise things in your “mind’s eye” such that those appear the same way as say a dream would? Are you telling me people are walking around with the ability to close their eyes and have another projector appear before them such that they can actually see, see, what they think of? How does that work when you have your eyes open? Doesn’t the image from your mind’s eye fuck with what your eyes are actually seeing from the world? I’m so confused. lol
Apparently it's controllable. Like if they aren't trying to visualize something they just see what's in front of them or the back of their eyelids. But if they try they can see what they're trying to visualize. Being able to superimpose a visualization on top of what you're seeing with your eyes open sounds like it's less common, but still more common than aphantasia. So, there are a number of terms like phantasia which is what most people are capable of. There's hyperphantasia where people can visualize better than other people and also do prophantasia i.e. projecting images onto the world. And I guess there is also hallucination, which is visualizations coming to you without conscious effort to do that.
@@Cancellator5000 wow. i'm just realizing the absolute black I see when I close my eyes is not what everyone sees, no matter what I try to imagine.
@@soetaa Yeah, same here. My brother and mother just found out about it too because my brother met somebody who knew they had aphantasia. My mom was particularly dumbfounded. She's late 60s and just figuring out how different her experience of the world is. I have mixed feelings. All the sudden things about me that were odd make a lot of sense which is nice, but I am a little bit envious of this capacity to visualize things. Not sure if I'd want to visualize all the time, but it sounds useful for specific things. There are people who claim that they can visualize through some specific training, but it sounds challenging to maintain that capacity.
With the “famous people” recognition exercise at 24 minutes in… the flaw here is that you used very popular well known photographs that have been used and reused many times. So, I know the correct answer because I recognize the photograph, not because I recognize the face. I’ve seen that photo, with that background, that hairstyle, facing that direction. So I assume that’s the photo I’m supposed to choose.
I wonder if it's a recent phenomenon Caused from Television?
Or if it has peter pan roots?
As a aphantasic and a Christian I cannot conjure up a picture of how I imagine Jesus to be
This is also true when I pray to him
and read the Bible
Wow I was thinking this exacty same thing.. I seem to have this too. God bless
I was today years old (almost 50) when I learned this is even a thing. I'm Aphantasic (is that the right term) Mother is too. Brother is not, neither is my aunt. So weird.
It's never too late to discover something new about yourself! Aphantasia is indeed a fascinating phenomenon, and many people go through life not realizing they experience the world differently. "Aphantasic" is a term some use to describe someone with aphantasia. It's always interesting to see how it varies even within families. Welcome to the community of discovery and understanding! 🌟🧠
I think aphantasia must be the "hunter's mind."
What on Earth is a mind's fingertip!?
can you literally "see" in your mind? I think i have aphantasia
Ridiculous! The problem isn’t about a minds eye but rather it’s a inability to self assess. No one actually can close their eyes and see something as if it’s really there. If they could then v.r. Would be near pointless and far more people would be closing their eyes all day long in order to immerse themselves in their own life-like creations. People would be going insane, unsure what was real and what was imagined because they are both that similar.
Studies on brains scans show that people who can see activate a visual area with closed eyes that amhantasic don't activate..
A
I really hate the term aphantasia as it is very similar soundin to aphasia. But aphasia is a neurological disorder. I have aphantasia but my brain is ok, thank you very much.
I only discovered a few days ago, I'm 28.
I'm confused why I don't remember my love anymore I ignore that day because kind of busy at work and then again I remember after that day that I don't remember him like I don't think about him, like I always did， like I remember him 24 hours, wherever I go I remember him, but suddenly I don't remember him or I can't visualize him and I found out that I can't visualize my family, friends, and even my own face, but I remember the letters, shapes, & the numbers.
I feel like I have less emotions too. I feel scared that this happen to me but I think maybe it's for the better . 🥲
If it never mattered before you discovered it, why care now? It seems to have worked out for you this far.