Discovering Aphantasia: When the Mind's Eye is Blind
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The author discovered she has aphantasia (inability to visualize images) while writing an article about measuring pupils to assess the condition. She can't picture anything, even familiar objects, people, or places.
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Aphantasia is a newly named and studied condition where about 4% of people can't voluntarily create mental images. It affects visualization abilities to varying degrees.
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People with aphantasia rely more on verbal memory and recall facts and experiences conceptually rather than visually. It can affect some daily life abilities.
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There are different types and degrees of aphantasia. Many aphants are still highly creative and artistic. The author expresses her experience with memory and imagination.
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The author doesn't see aphantasia as a deficit. Researchers say it demonstrates neural diversity in how people think and imagine. Her memories are more sensory and physical than visual.