@slaignidar845v8wlc · Joined September 2026
On “How did you first discover aphantasia?”
Hello, Tom. I discovered that I might have aphantasia during a hypnosis session. I was asked to imagine a beach, but all I could see was darkness. However, I sometimes experience spontaneous mental images that appear without trying. I also have very vivid and lucid dreams in which I can see, touch, and feel things as if they were real. I would love to understand why this happens and learn more about my mind. Thank you for your time.
On “How did you first discover aphantasia?”
Hello, Tom, I would like to tell you how I discovered that I might have aphantasia and what my experience with it has been like. For a long time, I didn't realize that the way I think was different from other people's. I thought that when someone said they imagined something, they simply knew what it looked like, but I had never questioned whether they could actually see it in their minds. I realized something was different when I tried a hypnosis exercise. The person guiding me asked me to imagine a beach, the sea, and other details, but all I could see was darkness. I could understand perfectly what they were describing, but I couldn't visualize it. Since then, I have started researching aphantasia and discovered that many people describe an experience similar to mine. However, there is something very curious about my experience: although I cannot create images voluntarily, my mind seems to produce spontaneous images. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, fleeting images, faces, or scenes appear. They seem to have depth, almost like watching a 3D video. I cannot zoom in on them or control what appears. They simply happen. One experience that really surprised me happened after I took a shower. I was lying in bed, awake, looking at my phone. When I closed my eyes, a very clear scene appeared, as if I were seeing something through my own eyes. I saw an arm hitting a glass on a table in a bar, causing the glass to break. The image was so real that when I opened my eyes, I realized my own arm was raised and making a similar movement. Another experience happens when I am waking up. Sometimes, while looking at a white wall, my mind seems to transform it into a kind of screen. Suddenly, a scene with depth appears, and I feel as though I am entering it. It is not simply imagining that I am somewhere; I actually feel as if I am experiencing something. Afterwards, I can remember what I saw. I also have very vivid dreams and, sometimes, lucid dreams. I can realize that I am dreaming and explore places, talk to people I have never met, and touch objects. I can even feel water, taste food, and experience pain. Sometimes, when something hurts too much, I wake up. What fascinates me is that during dreams I can experience images and sensations that feel so real, while when I am awake, I cannot voluntarily imagine even a simple beach. All of this has made me very curious. I would like to understand how my mind works and discover whether I can voluntarily access those visual experiences that appear spontaneously. I am not necessarily looking to change the way I think. What I really want is to understand what is happening to me and explore the possibilities of my mind. I would also like to find a way to work with these experiences through exercises or some form of hypnosis that does not depend on traditional visualization, because whenever someone asks me to imagine something, all I see is darkness. My native language is Spanish, and I do not speak English, so I also wanted to clarify that. I hope we can find a way to communicate. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to share my experience with you. I am very interested in hearing your thoughts and knowing whether you have met other people who experience something similar. Kind regards.
On “How did you first discover aphantasia?”
Hello, Tom, I would like to tell you how I discovered that I might have aphantasia and what my experience with it has been like. For a long time, I didn't realize that the way I think was different from other people's. I thought that when someone said they imagined something, they simply knew what it looked like, but I had never questioned whether they could actually see it in their minds. I realized something was different when I tried a hypnosis exercise. The person guiding me asked me to imagine a beach, the sea, and other details, but all I could see was darkness. I could understand perfectly what they were describing, but I couldn't visualize it. Since then, I have started researching aphantasia and discovered that many people describe an experience similar to mine. However, there is something very curious about my experience: although I cannot create images voluntarily, my mind seems to produce spontaneous images. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, fleeting images, faces, or scenes appear. They seem to have depth, almost like watching a 3D video. I cannot zoom in on them or control what appears. They simply happen. One experience that really surprised me happened after I took a shower. I was lying in bed, awake, looking at my phone. When I closed my eyes, a very clear scene appeared, as if I were seeing something through my own eyes. I saw an arm hitting a glass on a table in a bar, causing the glass to break. The image was so real that when I opened my eyes, I realized my own arm was raised and making a similar movement. Another experience happens when I am waking up. Sometimes, while looking at a white wall, my mind seems to transform it into a kind of screen. Suddenly, a scene with depth appears, and I feel as though I am entering it. It is not simply imagining that I am somewhere; I actually feel as if I am experiencing something. Afterwards, I can remember what I saw. I also have very vivid dreams and, sometimes, lucid dreams. I can realize that I am dreaming and explore places, talk to people I have never met, and touch objects. I can even feel water, taste food, and experience pain. Sometimes, when something hurts too much, I wake up. What fascinates me is that during dreams I can experience images and sensations that feel so real, while when I am awake, I cannot voluntarily imagine even a simple beach. All of this has made me very curious. I would like to understand how my mind works and discover whether I can voluntarily access those visual experiences that appear spontaneously. I am not necessarily looking to change the way I think. What I really want is to understand what is happening to me and explore the possibilities of my mind. I would also like to find a way to work with these experiences through exercises or some form of hypnosis that does not depend on traditional visualization, because whenever someone asks me to imagine something, all I see is darkness. My native language is Spanish, and I do not speak English, so I also wanted to clarify that. I hope we can find a way to communicate. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to share my experience with you. I am very interested in hearing your thoughts and knowing whether you have met other people who experience something similar. Kind regards.