Aphantasia Logo
Back to all discussions
Community

Join the conversation and share your experiences with the community.

Start a Discussion
Discussion Guidelines

Please remember to:

  • • Be respectful and constructive
  • • Share your personal experiences
  • • Ask questions if you're curious
  • • Help others feel welcome
You're not alone

Talk to counselors, coaches, and educators who already understand aphantasia — so you don't have to start by explaining what it is.

Find aphantasia-aware support
Aphantasia Logo

Building awareness and understanding of aphantasia through research, education, and community support.

About

  • What is Aphantasia?
  • What is Hyperphantasia?
  • Take Assessment
  • Getting Started
  • Newsletter
  • About Us
  • Contact

Community

  • Membership
  • Find support
  • Discussions
  • Events
  • Visualize

For Professionals

  • Overview
  • Free Introduction
  • Counselor Training
  • Educator Training
  • List Your Practice
  • Pricing & Bundles

Resources

  • Articles & Stories
  • Videos & Interviews
  • Aphantasia Course
  • FAQs

Research

  • Research Library
  • Participate in Studies
  • Recruitment Services

© 2026 Aphantasia Network. All rights reserved.

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Aphantasia Logo
Back to all discussions
Community

Join the conversation and share your experiences with the community.

Start a Discussion
Discussion Guidelines

Please remember to:

  • • Be respectful and constructive
  • • Share your personal experiences
  • • Ask questions if you're curious
  • • Help others feel welcome
You're not alone

Talk to counselors, coaches, and educators who already understand aphantasia — so you don't have to start by explaining what it is.

Find aphantasia-aware support
Aphantasia Logo

Building awareness and understanding of aphantasia through research, education, and community support.

About

  • What is Aphantasia?
  • What is Hyperphantasia?
  • Take Assessment
  • Getting Started
  • Newsletter
  • About Us
  • Contact

Community

  • Membership
  • Find support
  • Discussions
  • Events
  • Visualize

For Professionals

  • Overview
  • Free Introduction
  • Counselor Training
  • Educator Training
  • List Your Practice
  • Pricing & Bundles

Resources

  • Articles & Stories
  • Videos & Interviews
  • Aphantasia Course
  • FAQs

Research

  • Research Library
  • Participate in Studies
  • Recruitment Services

© 2026 Aphantasia Network. All rights reserved.

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

I dislike calling Aphantasia a diagnosis

February 4, 20241 min readByUlf Ström
Stories
To me, being a Aphantasian, I dislike being diagnozed with Aphantasia. To me it is just a trait, a charateistic I have. Just like so many other traits we as humans might, for the good and bad, are born with. I think most of us have realizd some of us are looking at the world based on logic while other people are highly emontionally driven. In the same way some of us have Aphantasia, some are Hypersensitive, some have ADD, some ADHD, Autism etc etc and all these characteristics are normaly distributed in a population. On an individual basis we might at the same time, be more or less e.g. an Aphantasian. All depending on how we define the word and the traits we currently link to the word Aphantasia So by the end of the day, having a trait, a charateric, like Aphantasia are under some surcomstances highly beneficial. In other situations it is a true shortcoming. And therefore it is all a matter of finding out where it is beneficial and at the same time trying to avoid or at least live with the shorcomings. But being diagnozed with Aphantasia sounds like being diagnozed with an illness, something bad that must be treated. Rather than having a trait that we humbly accept and are happy about

I dislike calling Aphantasia a diagnosis

February 4, 20241 min readByUlf Ström
Stories
To me, being a Aphantasian, I dislike being diagnozed with Aphantasia. To me it is just a trait, a charateistic I have. Just like so many other traits we as humans might, for the good and bad, are born with. I think most of us have realizd some of us are looking at the world based on logic while other people are highly emontionally driven. In the same way some of us have Aphantasia, some are Hypersensitive, some have ADD, some ADHD, Autism etc etc and all these characteristics are normaly distributed in a population. On an individual basis we might at the same time, be more or less e.g. an Aphantasian. All depending on how we define the word and the traits we currently link to the word Aphantasia So by the end of the day, having a trait, a charateric, like Aphantasia are under some surcomstances highly beneficial. In other situations it is a true shortcoming. And therefore it is all a matter of finding out where it is beneficial and at the same time trying to avoid or at least live with the shorcomings. But being diagnozed with Aphantasia sounds like being diagnozed with an illness, something bad that must be treated. Rather than having a trait that we humbly accept and are happy about
Aphantasia Logo
R
Roberto Rojas•recently•edited
The thing is, there is a better verb?, and AFAIK sometimes it is not congenital and may be symptom for a problem also I think that when there's a test involved "diagnose" come to mind, wouldn't feel "weird" to be diagnosed with some condition that makes me faster or stronger than normal. I do find the term imprecise but I'm not bothered by it TBH.
0
j
jerry osenar•recently•edited
I heard you today at meetup. I have known all my life that I could not visualize and have been interested in other peoples' perception abilities. I felt it was as much a strength as a weakness.
0