How do you think?

[Cerebrum123]

Yeah, I learned about this and aphantasia earlier this year. It is mind boggling to me. I've since learned I have hyper-phantasia, which is where you have a much stronger imagination than normal. I can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste things in my imagination and in vivid detail.

[rogue06]

Can you visualize me eating all of your bacon. Again?

You'd first have to do it a first time.

[rogue06]

Yeah, I learned about this and aphantasia earlier this year. It is mind boggling to me. I've since learned I have hyper-phantasia, which is where you have a much stronger imagination than normal. I can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste things in my imagination and in vivid detail.

I was today years old when I discovered I have hyper-phantasia.

[Sparko]

Yeah, I learned about this and aphantasia earlier this year. It is mind boggling to me. I've since learned I have hyper-phantasia, which is where you have a much stronger imagination than normal. I can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste things in my imagination and in vivid detail.

I have always been good at imagining things. I can remember smells easily, as well as tastes, visualize whatever I want, even if it is something I am making up. My dreams are very vivid, full 3D, stereo, full color etc. When I lucid dream It is like being in a holodeck, I can walk around touch, examine anything I want in full detail. But I can't even imagine what it would be like not to also think in words.

[rogue06]

I have always been good at imagining things. I can remember smells easily, as well as tastes, visualize whatever I want, even if it is something I am making up. My dreams are very vivid, full 3D, stereo, full color etc. When I lucid dream It is like being in a holodeck, I can walk around touch, examine anything I want in full detail. But I can't even imagine what it would be like not to also think in words.

Smells are considered one of the most powerful ways to trigger a memory

[Sparko]

I have always been good at imagining things. I can remember smells easily, as well as tastes, visualize whatever I want, even if it is something I am making up. My dreams are very vivid, full 3D, stereo, full color etc. When I lucid dream It is like being in a holodeck, I can walk around touch, examine anything I want in full detail. But I can't even imagine what it would be like not to also think in words.

When I am awake I have to concentrate and close my eyes to see things in high detail. Usually is is mostly flashes. If I want to think of what I ate this morning, I will just get a flash of my bowl of cereal. If I want to get more detail I would have to close my eyes and concentrate to remember more detail and visualize the bowl, spoon, table, etc.

[Sparko]

Smells are considered one of the most powerful ways to trigger a memory

yep. and remembering a smell can take you back to where you were too. I was laying on my deck the other day, getting some sun, and I was imagining I was laying on the beach, and I could "smell" the ocean.

[Cow Poke]

Ever try memorizing telephone numbers by imagining geometric shapes on the telephone keypad?

Even typing is visualizing the location of each letter, number and symbol on a keyboard.

Maybe even driving a car, or playing a video game.

We probably do it more than we think. Or visualize.

I was taught a weird thing in police school years ago....

If you're driving, and an oncoming vehicle gets your attention, you want to get their license plate number.
But, by the time you realize that, they have already passed.
So, you look in your sideview mirror, look at their rear plate - but DO NOT try to read it...

You look away, then recall it in your mind, and your mind will actually reverse it (correctly) so you can "read it" from that image.

In my younger days, that actually worked, but it took discipline and practice.

[Sparko]

Found a test for hyperphantasia. My results say "You're probably hyperphantasic"

https://aphantasia.com/vviq/

[Cerebrum123]

I was today years old when I discovered I have hyper-phantasia.

It's not something brought up often, so that isn't surprising.

I have always been good at imagining things. I can remember smells easily, as well as tastes, visualize whatever I want, even if it is something I am making up. My dreams are very vivid, full 3D, stereo, full color etc. When I lucid dream It is like being in a holodeck, I can walk around touch, examine anything I want in full detail. But I can't even imagine what it would be like not to also think in words.

Yup, same for me. It comes with benefits, but also drawbacks. Sometimes someone simply mentioning something can set my imagination on overdrive trying to picture it, which can be really good, or really nasty depending on the subject. I also get very vivid dreams, which can lead to amazing dreams, or terrifying nightmares.

Another thing I learned over the past year or so is that both aphantasia and hyper-phantasia have high correlations with autism. Given that it is extremely common for a person with autism to be either really good, or really bad with nearly any subject that's not surprising that it applies to how strong their imagination is too.

[Cerebrum123]

Found a test for hyperphantasia. My results say "You're probably hyperphantasic"

https://aphantasia.com/vviq/

Same result. It was pretty simple to answer for me. I just had to take each slider all of the way to the right for each question.

[mossrose]

I try not to think.

Thinking gets me into trouble.

[Cow Poke]

I try not to think.

Thinking gets me into trouble.

You really think so?

[Cerebrum123]

I try not to think.

Thinking gets me into trouble.

When my brain is getting a bit overloaded I just grab my fidget spinner. It's weird how something so simple can help me calm my overactive mind.

[mossrose]

You really think so?

I try not to think.

Thinking gets me into trouble.