FabSwingers.com forum: Aphantasia

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

One of my best friends has disclosed to me he suffers from this unusual condition. I had no idea people suffer from this and can't quite get my head round it.

My partner has the exact opposite with an over active imagination.

You learn something new every day

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By *ittle_brat_evie!!Woman
over a year ago

evesham

What is it?

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By *ora the explorerWoman
over a year ago

Paradise, Herts

Isn’t it something like you can’t imagine things?

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By *ealitybitesMan
over a year ago

Belfast

It means you can't actually visualise things in your head and in most cases that means you are unable to fantasise.

I suffer from anhedonia and learned about aphantasia as part of that. I can visualise normal day to day situations but I've never had a fantasy.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Isn’t it something like you can’t imagine things?

It is as _ealitybites says.

My partner dreams so vehemently it disturbs her sleep amd sometimes is very frightening for her. She is unable to watch horror movies.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 22/05/22 19:19:38]

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By *ealitybitesMan
over a year ago

Belfast

"Isn’t it something like you can’t imagine things?

It is as _ealitybites says.

My partner dreams so vehemently it disturbs her sleep amd sometimes is very frightening for her. She is unable to watch horror movies."

I don't dream at all

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

R has hyperphantasia.its amazing how people experience life in a different way

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

I can't create visual images in my head, but I can fantasise. I don't "see" images of people or whatever, if I think of them. I can't envisage myself by the pool or on the beach. I can think about them and want to be at the pool/beach but the best I can explain is it's just the words in pencil. No image. No colour.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I have hyperphantasia and thought it was completely normal until I didn’t realise that not everyone else visualises absolutely everything. Every place, memory, situation etc is in full colour. I can even place people and objects in places that exist in my minds eye or create a visual for it.

It terrified me as a child. I actually became a visual artist later in life and only found out I had this condition when I was part of a university study that looked at how artists saw.

I also had and have terrifying nightmares and also cannot watch horror films as my minds eye will use the scene later scarily in full colour and replay it.

I cannot imagine what it is like to have the opposite and not be able to visualise anything at all. That must be so strange?

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By *ealitybitesMan
over a year ago

Belfast

"I have hyperphantasia and thought it was completely normal until I didn’t realise that not everyone else visualises absolutely everything. Every place, memory, situation etc is in full colour. I can even place people and objects in places that exist in my minds eye or create a visual for it.

It terrified me as a child. I actually became a visual artist later in life and only found out I had this condition when I was part of a university study that looked at how artists saw.

I also had and have terrifying nightmares and also cannot watch horror films as my minds eye will use the scene later scarily in full colour and replay it.

I cannot imagine what it is like to have the opposite and not be able to visualise anything at all. That must be so strange?

I can visualise things that I know will happen so a work meeting for example but I cannot visualise a sexual fantasy.

The anhedonia I mentioned above is something I didn't even know was a condition. I always assumed it was just me until I was reading a Jack Reacher novel and a character was described in the same way I had always described myself so I had to research it.

It's impossible to describe to anyone who doesn't have it so i won't even try. It's much easier to Google it.

It has a much greater impact on my daily life than aphantasia

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I don't see pictures in my head but I can fantasise. I think of it as the difference between reading a book and watching a film.

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By *iscean_dreamMan
over a year ago

Llanelli

I can't imagine not being able to watch things in my mind or make things up, I'm always doing it

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"I can't imagine not being able to watch things in my mind or make things up, I'm always doing it"

Conversely, I can't imagine BEING able to see images in my head

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Out of interest how does the fantasy form?

For me it would be like watching a film play out in front of me but in my head?

Do you see anything?

J x

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By *ixenforfunWoman
over a year ago

banes mask

I cant watch horror movies or anything like that. I remember watching scarface and waking up nights after feeling the chainsaw going into my head or a vampire movies only im the one getting bitten and i can feel the pain of it as well so yeah too much imagination i have lol

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By *iscean_dreamMan
over a year ago

Llanelli

"Out of interest how does the fantasy form?

For me it would be like watching a film play out in front of me but in my head?

Do you see anything?

J x"

That's how it works for me, like a build in media player, also good for music

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