Here’s what it’s like to be unable to visualize anything

[OrbitalDawn]

http://www.vox.com/2016/5/19/11683274/aphantasia

I just learned something about you, and it is blowing my goddamn mind.

This is not a joke. It is not "blowing my mind" à la BuzzFeed's "8 Things You Won't Believe About Tarantulas." It is, I think, as close to an honest-to-goodness revelation as I will ever live in the flesh.

Here it is: You can visualize things in your mind.

If I tell you to imagine a beach, you can picture the golden sand and turquoise waves. If I ask for a red triangle, your mind gets to drawing. And Mom's face? Of course.

You experience this differently, sure. Some of you see a photorealistic beach, others a shadowy cartoon. Some of you can make it up, while others only "see" a beach they've visited. Some of you have to work harder to paint the canvas. Some of you can't hang on to the canvas for long. But nearly all of you have a canvas.

I don't. I have never visualized anything in my entire life. I can't "see" my father's face or a bouncing blue ball, my childhood bedroom or the run I went on 10 minutes ago. I thought "counting sheep" was a metaphor. I'm 30 years old, and I never knew a human could do any of this.

 

[konfab]

I am pretty sure blind people who have never seen anything can't visualise anything either

 

[NeonNinja]

Wow, that was informative...

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

Gods, how horrifying.
Reading a fiction book must be flat as hell to him.

 

[R4ziel]

Wow, this was the best piece I've ever read! I have the same "thing" the writer has, I can't visualize anything, but I rather remember the facts like a bullet point list.

I would never have imagined if someone said that they actually "see" a memory that that is exactly what is happening, wow.

This is astounding. I would love to help with research around this, I have mailed the professor mentioned in the article as well. My world has changed this morning, thats amazing!

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Gods, how horrifying.
Reading a fiction book must be flat as hell to him.

First thing I thought about, too. Htf do you read fiction without a mind's eye?

Wow, this was the best piece I've ever read! I have the same "thing" the writer has, I can't visualize anything, but I rather remember the facts like a bullet point list.

I would never have imagined if someone said that they actually "see" a memory that that is exactly what is happening, wow.

This is astounding. I would love to help with research around this, I have mailed the professor mentioned in the article as well. My world has changed this morning, thats amazing!

I find it fascinating how many people have this and don't know it's not how everyone else experiences it, too.

Glad you learnt something about yourself today.

 

[Refraction]

Do you dream?

 

[R4ziel]

I found this absolutely interesting and Im still shocked, Ive never even thought it was different for people.

I do dream yes, and the moment I wake up its gone, I can remember very very vague facts about it, but thats all it ever is. I can remember I saw a field, or a tree or something, but the visual dream aspect of it is not there. Anything I think is always in what he described as that milk voice. If I read anything its not in someone else's voice, even lyrics are not in the bands voices or sound. Everything is just absolutely flat.

I would absolutely love to know how you guys experience this, I can't fathom how cool it must be to actually be able to hear different voices when you read something someone has said.

The strange thing is, the writer describes that he cant remember faces, and that Ive wondered about often, I could speak to someone Ive known for years and 10 minutes later I would not know what he looked like, but i would be able to name his features that I've observed.

I have never really been too close to people for this exact reason, and im only realizing this now. As soon as they are not in front of me, I dont have any other correlation with them other than the facts I know about them.

 

[R4ziel]

I stumbled on a game recently (2 weeks ago) that helps with dementia research by testing your memory and cognitive functions. This is pure coincidence but the game requires you to memorize a map that is shown for a couple of seconds and then you have to navigate your boat towards the markers.

I dont see the map in front of me, but I remember I have to go right first, then straight and the first indent I get I go right. I cant see that map (the picture) again even if I was paid to do it.

Btw, the game is called Sea Hero quest.

 

[azbob]

I can't even imagine what it's like to not be able to imagine what things are like.

 

[Xarog]

I stumbled on a game recently (2 weeks ago) that helps with dementia research by testing your memory and cognitive functions. This is pure coincidence but the game requires you to memorize a map that is shown for a couple of seconds and then you have to navigate your boat towards the markers.

I dont see the map in front of me, but I remember I have to go right first, then straight and the first indent I get I go right. I cant see that map (the picture) again even if I was paid to do it.

Btw, the game is called Sea Hero quest.

How long after you close your eyes does the mental picture of what is in front of your eyes last for?

 

[Ninja'd]

Can't even fap.

Kill me

 

[Ninja'd]

How long after you close your eyes does the mental picture of what is in front of your eyes last for?

I can still picture DJ's neighbor flying through a house with bath tub

 

[R4ziel]

How long after you close your eyes does the mental picture of what is in front of your eyes last for?

Lets say I look at something now, say a person sitting at the desk oposite me, and I close my eyes, I can see that image for less than a second, then my mind goes to facts and it tries to break down what I was seeing, its just black and a voice in my mind describing the scene to me like I would to a factual documentary. There is no visual after I close my eyes.

 

[etienne_marais]

I have the same issue that he mentions regarding instructions. I am much, much better at navigating according to street names and instructions such as third left (rather than visualizing landmarks). Apart from that I do not have trouble visualizing in "the mind's eye".

 

[Xarog]

Lets say I look at something now, say a person sitting at the desk oposite me, and I close my eyes, I can see that image for less than a second, then my mind goes to facts and it tries to break down what I was seeing, its just black and a voice in my mind describing the scene to me like I would to a factual documentary. There is no visual after I close my eyes.

Well, what I'm wondering is if you can provoke your mind into making it last longer than 1 second with practice...

 

[R4ziel]

I have the same issue that he mentions regarding instructions. I am much, much better at navigating according to street names and instructions such as third left (rather than visualizing landmarks). Apart from that I do not have trouble visualizing in "the mind's eye".

Navigation for me is a nightmare, i can only go on strict instructions of street names and distinctive landmarks.

I moved in with my girlfriend 2 years ago, to find the house I lived in was a hassle for me until I memorized the landmarks around it. The first few nights I had to drive there was horrible cause I missed it a couple of times every night.

The only way I remember it is by seeing the actual house, or the signs I associate with it on either side.

 

[R4ziel]

Well, what I'm wondering is if you can provoke your mind into making it last longer than 1 second with practice...

Ive tried this multiple times over the years, always thinking I have a problem with memory, but it doesnt seem to get any better with practice.

I would love to be part of a research study around this to find out if its something that can be changed.

 

[Xarog]

Ive tried this multiple times over the years, always thinking I have a problem with memory, but it doesnt seem to get any better with practice.

I would love to be part of a research study around this to find out if its something that can be changed.

If you ever get a brainscan done on your head, I would be interested to know if there's something unusual about the structure of your corpus callosum (it's a bundle of nerves that connects the two hemispheres).

 

[Messugga]

Navigation for me is a nightmare, i can only go on strict instructions of street names and distinctive landmarks.

I moved in with my girlfriend 2 years ago, to find the house I lived in was a hassle for me until I memorized the landmarks around it. The first few nights I had to drive there was horrible cause I missed it a couple of times every night.

The only way I remember it is by seeing the actual house, or the signs I associate with it on either side.

Have the same issue. GPS was invented for me!
Can't describe my parents for example, except for factual information like I know my mother has blonde hair.