3 ms·

I don't have aphantasia. With concentration, I can essentially override what I'm actually seeing with other imagery. For the most part, it's dimmer, duller, and

I don't have aphantasia. With concentration, I can essentially override what I'm actually seeing with other imagery. For the most part, it's dimmer, duller, and less "present" than actual sensory input. It's much easier to do if there isn't a lot of actual visual input, because it's dark or my eyes are closed. I think many people can do this with great ease. For me, it depends on how hard I try, my mood, and maybe other factors I can't identify. I can recall memories or visualize things that have never happened. I'm not sure if my recall is reproducing what I actual saw, or reimagining it from something more schematic. I suppose mostly the latter, maybe with a little of the former. I can do the same thing with imaginary sound, far more easily. I'm not sure if people with aphantasia have difficulty here, too. And with great difficulty the other senses. Fairly often, these sensory reconstructions happen involuntarily. Which is basically what "daydreaming" is to me.

phito 8y ago
Does it really come into your eyesight? For me, I can imagine things and "see" them, but they don't mix with the signal from my eyes. It's like a separate sense
- andraaspar 8y ago
  It does not mix, and does not obstruct my eyesight. I can read while 'seeing' the events in the book. It does not pass through the eyes, and it is as detailed and sharp as my sense of reality - obviously. It just does not come through the same channel and that's easy to notice. As a side note, it can be really odd to read something like: 'She saw two doors in the room. She took the one on the left wall.' And my flow is broken and I have to stop and reimagine the room, because I saw the two doors on the wall ahead - what is the author going on about? Maybe they should not be so exact about a tiny detail.
- empath75 8y ago
  This is how it works for everyone.
- indigo945 8y ago
  At least I can completely override what I'm seeing in front of my eyes with my imagination, to the point where I take no notice of my surroundings anymore. It doesn't "mix", it just replaces.
- acjohnson55 8y ago
  No, it doesn't come into my eyesight. It's more like I have to disregard my eyesight to mentally visualize.

phito 8y ago

Does it really come into your eyesight? For me, I can imagine things and "see" them, but they don't mix with the signal from my eyes. It's like a separate sense

andraaspar 8y ago
It does not mix, and does not obstruct my eyesight. I can read while 'seeing' the events in the book. It does not pass through the eyes, and it is as detailed and sharp as my sense of reality - obviously. It just does not come through the same channel and that's easy to notice. As a side note, it can be really odd to read something like: 'She saw two doors in the room. She took the one on the left wall.' And my flow is broken and I have to stop and reimagine the room, because I saw the two doors on the wall ahead - what is the author going on about? Maybe they should not be so exact about a tiny detail.
empath75 8y ago
This is how it works for everyone.
indigo945 8y ago
At least I can completely override what I'm seeing in front of my eyes with my imagination, to the point where I take no notice of my surroundings anymore. It doesn't "mix", it just replaces.
acjohnson55 8y ago
No, it doesn't come into my eyesight. It's more like I have to disregard my eyesight to mentally visualize.