10 years ago, I’d have put my ability to visualise at 0 out of 10. Practice and occasional halucinogen use has got me to 2 out of 10. It causes no end of problems in day to day life, so I’m interested to hear if anyone has tips or just experiences to share so it doesn’t feel such a lonely frustrating issue.

edit informative comment from @[email protected] about image streaming, I did a bit of digging on the broken links, the Dr isn’t giving the info away for free anymore without buying their (expensive) book, but I found some further info on additional techniques here, pages 2/3: https://nlpcourses.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Image-Streaming-Mode-of-Thinking.pdf

    • WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      Yeah like when I “imagine” something I think about it more like a list of things about it kinda like what you said. Some people I talk to talk about actually seeing stuff when they visualize while others have said they don’t really “see” it and it’s something different. I’m starting to feel like maybe it’s one of those things like trying to describe colors to a blind person that just can’t really be done without already having a frame of reference about it.

        • Zikeji@programming.dev
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          2 years ago

          That’s how I describe my aphantasia, only the wireframe is metaphorical.

          The biggest indicator to me is if I see something gory or otherwise visually disturbing it doesn’t haunt me in my mind, as soon as it’s no longer there it’s gone. People who can visualize do run the risk of seeing it later (although some don’t get random imagery).

            • Zikeji@programming.dev
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              2 years ago

              I mean, I just know the story because I’ve just read it. It’s hard to describe. I don’t see color in my head but I know what the color red is, same thing with shades. Possibly more relatable is smell/taste - most people can’t recreate smell or taste in their head but they innately know what a smell or taste is after some exposure to it.

                • Zikeji@programming.dev
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                  2 years ago

                  The only stuff that’s obtrusive for me is sounds, and even then it’s usually only sounds that have rhythm. For the most part once I am no longer actively observing something and shift my attention elsewhere it stops existing for me. It makes forming attachments hard to say the least.

            • Today@lemm.ee
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              2 years ago

              Opposite for me - I don’t understand how people have sounds and pictures inside their heads.

          • radix@lemm.ee
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            2 years ago

            Huh. I never knew before for sure that I didn’t have aphantasia. Thanks for confirming. My fear of the dark strengthens my memory of horrifying images I’ve seen, so. Fun.

        • WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          Yeah I don’t think I get the wire-frame model type thing at all. What shape it is is just part of that list of attributes for me I think.

    • histic@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 years ago

      I’m kinda the same way but at times I feel like I can think up of something completely random that I’ve never seen and can imagine it in perfect detail