Aphantasia... apparently 3% of the world has it. Any aphantasists in here, who've had success improving their condition?
Aphantasia... apparently 3% of the world has it. Any aphantasists in here, who've had success improving their condition?
10 years ago, I'd have put my ability to visualise at 0 out of 10. Practice and occasional halucinogen use has got me to 2 out of 10. It causes no end of problems in day to day life, so I'm interested to hear if anyone has tips or just experiences to share so it doesn't feel such a lonely frustrating issue.
edit informative comment from @Gwaer@lemm.ee about image streaming, I did a bit of digging on the broken links, the Dr isn't giving the info away for free anymore without buying their (expensive) book, but I found some further info on additional techniques here, pages 2/3: https://nlpcourses.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Image-Streaming-Mode-of-Thinking.pdf
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I'm more curious what problems it causes!
But i think i have it or at least closer to it than fully visualization. One thing that helps is to sort of mentally apply the first concept related to something that you think of. So for example, if someone says imagine a cabin, if you would say that a stereotypical cabin has a porch, then just go with it. In my mind if i try to think of a cabin there are so many variables (how many floors, windows, material, roughness, porch vs no, chimney or no, etc) that nothing can materialize in my mind. But if i just pick one of any of those that pop in my head then it feels a bit easier to get a glimpse. Idk if that helps at all 😅
Interior decoration. My place is pretty bare still, because I cannot imagine what furniture, artwork, colors, and the like would look good in it. AR apps help, but they aren't that good yet.
Same, any sort of planning like this is just straight up a process of trial and error with some educated guesses thrown in, which is why i have never felt a draw to visual art of any kind other than like, spirographs, and whenever i try (especially using computers) i just end up trying to draw mathematically pleasing patterns lmao
In terms of problems... difficulty with spatial awareness (often have to put the too-small pan lid into the pan before I know it's too small), finding routes in unfamiliar places, learning routes takes me a few more times than the average person, I'm a little bit faceblind (I often recognise actors by their voice instead of face). I've always had a bad memory and apparently this is a common trait for aphantasics.
One technique I was practicing which I feel has improved from 0 to 2 out of 10 is imagining coming into my home; it's a very familiar location. Imagining unlocking my door, opening it, coming inside, walking through to the living room, visiting different rooms.