I have recently (in the last few weeks) discovered I fit the symptoms for ADHD (I don't have a formal diagnosis yet) and I was reading about different types of neurodiversity and aphantasia was mentioned. I thought "huh" and then forgot about it. A few days later I was having shower thoughts and began to think I might have it too. I remember vividly my mother trying to help me to remember how to spell as a child and she said "can you see it on internal blackboard?" and I said "But I don't have a blackboard?" I then searched on my computer and the aphantasia test came up. I thought I was "visualizing" an apple. But then I realised I was thinking about an apple, but I couldn't see it. Then the ball on the table test. I could imagine a ball, on a table, but it was the concept of the ball on the table, not a visualization of it. I find this super interesting because I have excellent spacial memory, like remembering were certain products are on supermarket shelves or imagining what a new piece of furniture may look like in my lounge. I am really good with colours too, I can somehow colour match without seeing the colour in my brain, but I understand the colour theory, like where it fits on the colour wheel. I am also very creative but get frustrated with drawing or painting without any guide - now I know why! I can't see it in my mind. I have to paint or draw to see what comes out. But that doesn't stop me, I just paint by numbers or cross stich or colouring instead. Ok, so I love to read fiction. I thought I was seeing the story in my brain, but it's actually more like experiencing it, like I was in the room with the characters. I tend to remember the overall story but not the details. The characters either look like faces I know, or are hazy and indistinct in my mind. It's great that different types of neurodiversity are becoming more well known, I find it fascinating to learn about the mind and how different people think.

I have recently (in the last few weeks) discovered I fit the symptoms for ADHD (I don't have a formal diagnosis yet) and I was reading about different types of neurodiversity and aphantasia was mentioned. I thought "huh" and then forgot about it. A few days later I was having shower thoughts and began to think I might have it too. I remember vividly my mother trying to help me to remember how to spell as a child and she said "can you see it on internal blackboard?" and I said "But I don't have a blackboard?" I then searched on my computer and the aphantasia test came up. I thought I was "visualizing" an apple. But then I realised I was thinking about an apple, but I couldn't see it. Then the ball on the table test. I could imagine a ball, on a table, but it was the concept of the ball on the table, not a visualization of it. I find this super interesting because I have excellent spacial memory, like remembering were certain products are on supermarket shelves or imagining what a new piece of furniture may look like in my lounge. I am really good with colours too, I can somehow colour match without seeing the colour in my brain, but I understand the colour theory, like where it fits on the colour wheel. I am also very creative but get frustrated with drawing or painting without any guide - now I know why! I can't see it in my mind. I have to paint or draw to see what comes out. But that doesn't stop me, I just paint by numbers or cross stich or colouring instead. Ok, so I love to read fiction. I thought I was seeing the story in my brain, but it's actually more like experiencing it, like I was in the room with the characters. I tend to remember the overall story but not the details. The characters either look like faces I know, or are hazy and indistinct in my mind. It's great that different types of neurodiversity are becoming more well known, I find it fascinating to learn about the mind and how different people think.