I have the same thing I'm very confused

I'm similar, I think. I consider that I have borderline aphantasia - on 'good' days, I may get a flash of colour or image that disappears before I 'see' it. On 'bad' days, I have nothing at all. Occasionally I will 'know' that I've thought of an image, but not actually able to recall that image at all. I find it a little easier if I'm thinking of a physical object that I have seen in reality (for example a tree for my garden), but faces/people elude me and I can't imagine 'made-up' things at all.

I have a very similar experience. I get flashes that appear so quickly, I can’t focus on them. When I try and push to see and remember, it disappears. When I let go of seeing the image and just begin to express myself verbally or in writing, my inner voice takes over and descriptions appear. For me it feels like a card catalog of photos that I have stored in my subconscious and they are only accessible when I let go of trying to see them. I also find that I’m a very kinesthetic learner. The more ways I physically take in information, the more links and images I have to pull out of my file system. 

Hi Patricia, I have a similar experience.I'll try to describe it: I don't ever really 'see' anything at all and definitely no colours.I'm aware of a dim black and white image but only very, very small parts of it at a time. When I try to focus on any tiny part the whole thing just disappears. Sort of like looking at a greyscale painting in an art gallery through a long thin tube - but as soon as I try to focus the image in the tube disappears.

Thanks for sharing your experience Patricia. VVIQ only accounts for the vividness or clarity of your mental images as compared to real seeing. It doesn't account for our differences in the conscious control of these mental images. When you have these "flashes" how clear are they? 

Yes - that is my experience too. Feels like image is just about to resolve then it disappears.

Patricia: I don't even get the flash of image, so I find your experience interesting.  Where do you see the image relative to your normal field of vision?  Does it superimpose, or show up in another context? Does looking up and to your left make any sense? Do you need to shut your eyes or simply alter your mental focus? There is so much about mental imagery that I don't understand.  Could you help me. Very respectfully,Rich

I have the same thing I'm very confused

I'm similar, I think. I consider that I have borderline aphantasia - on 'good' days, I may get a flash of colour or image that disappears before I 'see' it. On 'bad' days, I have nothing at all. Occasionally I will 'know' that I've thought of an image, but not actually able to recall that image at all. I find it a little easier if I'm thinking of a physical object that I have seen in reality (for example a tree for my garden), but faces/people elude me and I can't imagine 'made-up' things at all.

I have a very similar experience. I get flashes that appear so quickly, I can’t focus on them. When I try and push to see and remember, it disappears. When I let go of seeing the image and just begin to express myself verbally or in writing, my inner voice takes over and descriptions appear. For me it feels like a card catalog of photos that I have stored in my subconscious and they are only accessible when I let go of trying to see them. I also find that I’m a very kinesthetic learner. The more ways I physically take in information, the more links and images I have to pull out of my file system. 

Hi Patricia, I have a similar experience.I'll try to describe it: I don't ever really 'see' anything at all and definitely no colours.I'm aware of a dim black and white image but only very, very small parts of it at a time. When I try to focus on any tiny part the whole thing just disappears. Sort of like looking at a greyscale painting in an art gallery through a long thin tube - but as soon as I try to focus the image in the tube disappears.

Thanks for sharing your experience Patricia. VVIQ only accounts for the vividness or clarity of your mental images as compared to real seeing. It doesn't account for our differences in the conscious control of these mental images. When you have these "flashes" how clear are they? 

Yes - that is my experience too. Feels like image is just about to resolve then it disappears.

Patricia: I don't even get the flash of image, so I find your experience interesting.  Where do you see the image relative to your normal field of vision?  Does it superimpose, or show up in another context? Does looking up and to your left make any sense? Do you need to shut your eyes or simply alter your mental focus? There is so much about mental imagery that I don't understand.  Could you help me. Very respectfully,Rich