Miriam Baumgartner

I discovered the word aphantasia in The New Yorker (online), October 27, 2025 from a daily email news summary I receive. It blew my mind. This is me! I'm now really curious since reading the article this afternoon. I also have memory loss and loss of "spacial relations", and no sense of direction. The memory loss and spacial relations whatever are a result of five years of ECT (Electro convulsive therapy, AKA shock therapy) as treatment for depression. The treatment worked. I don't know if I've had aphantasia my whole life or just since the ECT. I don't know if anyone in my family would know, either. It's not exactly a common topic of discussion!

I never thought about this until I lost a significant amount of weight when I was in my 50s. People tell me how small I am and I don't feel any different than when I was much heavier. A good friend of mine wears a clothing size larger than I do, and I just don't get it. When I look at her I can't imagine that I'm smaller.