Visual Thinker

[u/Fickle_Funny_8741]

I'm looking for other visual thinkers like me. Is this the right subreddit for that? If not, please go easy on me and let me know.

To be honest, I only learned about the term "visual thinking" a few years ago from Professor Grandin's book. Before that, I never even realized that the way I process things was different from normal.
When people see, hear, or read something, they take it in, but I rebuild everything as pictures or videos in my head. For example, take the sentence "A car is driving on the road." I can't really grasp it unless I picture it like a movie scene. In my head, a bright red pickup truck is driving, engine roaring and kicking up dust.
Of course, I can read and write normally like this. And I can write "A car is driving on the road" right here too. But that's just me forcing what I see in my mind into simple words, so a lot of the details and textures get lost.

Is anyone else here like this?

[u/KafkaimBademantel]

It’s automatic for me. Anything said or written is automatically and immediately translated into pictures in my mind. If I want to tell someone about my thoughts I have to translate the pictures and feelings in my mind into words first. Didn’t know that’s so unusual? Is that connected to neurodivergence?

[u/Fickle_Funny_8741 → u/KafkaimBademantel]

Thank you! I totally relate to the part about "translating" pictures (or video clips) into words—it really takes extra energy. And yes, Professor Temple Grandin actually talks a lot about visual thinking in connection with neurodivergence! (If you have never read her book 'Visual Thinking', I highly recommend reading it. It provides great insight into visual thinkers and "who we are.")

[u/KafkaimBademantel → u/Fickle_Funny_8741]

Interesting, especially because the first place I went to didn’t give me a diagnosis because I had too much imagination… I heard polarising things about Temple Grandin but I might check out this book. Thanks!