What is Aphantasia and How Does It Affect People?

Question

Are there individuals that cannot create images in their mind, and how is this condition referred to?

Answer 1

Aphantasia is known as an inability to conjure mental images. Individuals suffering from aphantasia struggle with visualization leading to issues with remembering faces or even picturing settings and characters’ faces while reading a book.

Comments

Both my husband and I have aphantasia.  We were both very surprised to know that other people actually have vivid mental pictures in their minds eye, while , all we see is blackness.

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Interesting. Sometimes I have aphamtasia and sometimes I really can see in my mind everything, where I was, who was there and where they were standing, faces, how a page was laid out, etc.

But sometimes, I go blank.

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Ah, aphantasia! Around 50 years, I thought when someone said they can't get an image out of their heads they were speaking metaphorically. I mean, no one can see images in their heads, right?
After I found out about aphantasia I asked friends and co-workers if they could, say, picture a common object, such as an apple, and move it around. Look at it from diffent angles. They all said yes. It baffles me. Can't encompass what it would be like to be able to do that.

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I have aphantasia. While it isn't a diagnosed disorder it is quite annoying.
I also didn't get an internal monologue until I developed multiple personality disorder.

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my internal monolgue is weird. I hear each thought and i hear each spoken word internally before saying it. I also repeat what someone is saying n my head but at times the monologue will shut up and i stare into space like a zombie with no thought at all. Then i try to go to sleep and it wakes up again lol. I also have aphantasia to an extend as well. My memory is so good i can remember thing s from when i was 2 but i cant create the picture in my head. Worse part is it means i cant picture my mum who passed away in 95.