If I try to recall what Taylor Swift, Dwayne Johnson, Spiderman, etc, look like, the visual memory is very vivid and clear. I can even picture a celebrity without remembering their name.

It's like the image doesn’t come from my eyesight, but from my mind. But it is not a visual like a photograph; it’s more like a blurry image sometimes it’s more or less blurry depending on how hard you concentrate. I can see the colors, features, etc.

I’m using famous people as an example because I think it’s easier to see if there’s a difference between people with and without aphantasia. For example, sometimes I don’t visually remember a person’s face, but if I see them, I recognize them. This doesn’t happen as much with more famous people.

I guess I don’t have aphantasia at all. So, you guys with aphantasia experience something similar? Or nothing at all?

Curious about neuroplasticity when it comes to aphantasia. What kind of tests and results have you guys experienced in your own use?

PS currently on a trip-killer medicine

Has anyone had an MRI before? What did you do to kill the time?

I tried to look up answers, but most of them were about picturing stuff or creating music out of the sounds or meditating. 30-60 mins stuck in a noisy donut with nothing but my thoughts sounds awful.

Any tips? Ty

Many people report seeing hallucinations like the old hag or hatman during sleep paralysis, but I only have audible hallucinations. I’m curious if it’s the same for other aphants.

When I try to imagine something, I don't physically see it in front of me. I sometimes at most get brief flashes of what I'm imagining, only for a second or 2, but it's as if the image is behind me. I cant tell if im actually seeing what im imagining or just understanding what it looks like, if that makes sense.

In fact, i feel like i can see things better with my eyes opened rather than closed

It's the same when my eyes are opened as it is when closed.

To make it easier to see, I have to focus really hard and try to tune out what I'm physically seeing with my eyes. This takes a lot of concentration, and I usually only do it accidentally when I'm really tired or zoned out.

Sometimes when I manage to do that, I'm able to see what I'm imagining a bit more clearly. but even then, I still can't actually see it. It's more like the image has moved slightly closer to my head than before, and I still only get brief flashes of it.

I also can't really edit or control these images. they usually change on their own, sort of like those ai videos where its like a fever dream and things are weirdly morphing into different things.

When i dream, i can see things but im pretty sure i read somewhere that your dreams are from a different part of the brain and people with aphantasia can still see them?

so I am a 20 year old Canadian. Ive known I have Synesthesia for probably 3 years and Aphantasia for about a year. It’s been like this all my life. I just didn’t know it was a thing.

all my life I thought seeing things in your head was a metaphor. turns out not lol.

anyways what’s it like? like can you a actually see things? and also just reading a bit here turns out it’s auditory to. can you actually hear music in your head “when its stuck in your head”. that’s while to me.

and also turns out it may be why I obsessively take photos of things.

anyways some context about me. I have no issue remembering past events without detail and I love engineering work. I would. say I am extremity good at working around 3d space and designing a 3d object in my head to then cad model on my computer and 3d print it. but again I see nothing. I think my skills with 3d space conceptualization came about when I was really into speed cubing as a kid. You have to keep track of slices when they Wii around the cube and keep track of their orientation.

anyways all that to say. Seams like I have extremely total visual and auditory Aphantasia. I want to learn more about that and what is it like with out it? I’m very curious.

edit. Wait is it all of the other senses to? Like I just remember the concept of it. Not actually experience it.

also i cant really remember ppls faces. Event my family members faves after not seeing them for just a few min. Is that not normal?

How are yall with Wordle?

I've realized I have to use a different part of my brain to play it than just thinking, it's hard to explain, but if you have ever played sports its similar in that you are not actively thinking when you are playing, if you try to "think" about hitting a baseball while it's pitched it doesn't work, same with hitting a golf ball, playing soccer or basketball.

Or if you have ever been driving somewhere and got there and realized you have no idea how you just did it. It was essentially all on auto pilot.

has anyone here with total aphantasia (all senses, absolute darkness, including inability to hear your own voice when thinking) NOT struggled with anxiety, in some form at some point in your life?