La semana pasada escuché por casualidad un programa de radio sobre la afantasía y me quedé estupefacto al descubrir que la mayoría de la gente puede visualizar las cosas. Todos estos años pensé que todo el mundo sólo veía oscuridad cuando cerraba los ojos. Me ha dejado alucinado. Le pregunté a mi marido qué ve y le pasa lo mismo que a mí, pero cuando le conté cómo es para otras personas simplemente no se molestó diciendo que él había vivido tanto tiempo sin ver cosas, ¿y qué?
Pero nunca se ha pasado horas en la biblioteca leyendo libros sobre cómo mejorar la memoria o alcanzar tus objetivos (libro: “visualízate haciendo lo que quieres hacer”, yo: “estoy saltando una verja”). No ha ido a clases de yoga ni a clases prenatales con la parte de relajación – “imagina que estás en una playa con el sol brillando sobre ti”-, yo – “estoy en una playa y brilla el sol”- pensando que podría estar en casa haciendo algo. En este momento no está leyendo un libro sobre la respiración que quiere que te concentres en el interior de tu cuerpo (?!).
Se lo estaba contando a una amiga y dice que ella estaba en esa playa tomando el sol, metiendo los dedos de los pies en el mar (¡qué!). Le pedí que pensara en un caballo y cuando le pregunté de qué color era me dijo que marrón. Luego dijo: “Y ahora uno blanco y uno negro están aquí”. ¡Se están moviendo! Pensé que tal vez podría ver una foto de un caballo y eso fue todo.
No puedo evitar sentir que me he perdido muchas cosas (pero al menos acabo de enterarme, así que no me he dado cuenta hasta ahora), y me pregunto si habría conseguido más cosas con mi vida.
El lado positivo es que no me preocupo y creo que quizá sea porque no me imagino ninguna catástrofe.
Mi hijo se mudó a Canadá cuando tenía 25 años (yo estoy en Inglaterra) y mi hija ha estado de vacaciones en lugares lejanos y la gente me decía que debía estar preocupada por ellos y yo decía que sí porque no quería parecer indiferente, pero en realidad no estaba preocupada porque no pensaba que pasara nada malo. Aunque puede que sólo sea yo y no tenga nada que ver con ser afásico. ¿Alguien más piensa lo mismo?
Acabo de descubrir que soy afantasico a los 68 años
- By Gill Wray
- on marzo 15, 2023
I am aphantasic and like you was surprised to find out that people actually saw things in that minds eye. I still worry though, but not about imagined catastrophies. No news is good news.
However, there is a possible social issue here. A few years back I was robbed at gunpoint. I was with about a dozen people but it was me and my girlfriend who were the ones actually robbed. Once it was over most of the others were all upset or crying but not me. I told them, we were not shot so let’s go and get a beer.
I can only suppose that the others were running a movie on their minds about what could have happened to them. I can not do that. I did notice that the others were surprised by my reaction and nobody else was up for a beer.
I was 80 when I first discovered that when people said – you see what I am saying – that they actually were expecting me to see whatever they were describing. Being aphantasic hadn’t stopped me becoming a pilot and teaching people to fly although since I found out others have wondered how I managed without being able to “see” in my “mind’s eye”.
However, having been injured in a car accident as a passenger and in a mishap with a helicopter as a pilot I agree with Paul that the inability to visualise these and other upsetting events has meant that they did not affect me afterwards either.
Yes I agree that it’s definitely a plus in not being able to visualise upsetting events. When I was in my twenties I was reading a book (can’t remember what it was now) in which a young lad had a pet rat and someone did something real cruel to the rat. It really upset me for months but I dread to think what it would have been like if I had visualised it.
I am 67 and just learned about this. I asked my wife, brother, both kids, several co-workers and was stunned to find out that they all see these images. Apparently it hasn’t been a big deal for me. I’ve worked in a very visual/color based business for 25 years and its never been an issue.
Hi Gill,
I’m 60 and have recently listen to probably that same podcast regarding aphantasia. What a revelation! Your comment the end of your message resonated with me, as both my children are now abroad living and I get asked the same question about whether I worry about them. Again like you I don’t visualise anything bad happening to them and because I’m a believer I know God is looking after them.