AIBU to think aphantasia is not rare?

[Sunninginthecorner]

I was doomscrolling insta and a video came up about aphantasia.

Rather than explain what it is badly I found this:

Aphantasia is a condition in which people do not visualize, or see, images in their minds. This rare way of processing information and recalling memories affects about four percent of people. Close your eyes and imagine a fluffy cat. What color is the cat? What is the cat doing? When asked such questions, many people will conjure up a lifelike visual image. But others do not. People with aphantasia know they are thinking of a cat. They can even describe what a cat generally looks like. But they do so without “seeing” a cat in their mind. Instead of using their ‘mind’s eye,’ someone with aphantasia may think using words, numbers or ideas.

Brain scans show that people with aphantasia respond differently to sounds than people who use mental images.

I can’t see images and my very small poll IRL hasn’t found anyone who does see images.

IABU - you can see in images and it is rare
IANBU - you can’t see images and can’t believe it’s that rare

I honestly thought that everybody could see images in their minds. I'm really astonished to read all these comments. My mind is like a movie screen if I'm asked to visualise something and I see these images in great detail. When I'm reading, which I do a lot, I totally 'see' the action that's being described.

There really is no image. I struggle to describe places, usually landmarks that are there. I use descriptive. I really cannot conjure up an image. I didn't realise people could actually see the image in their head.

I also can watch autopsies and crime or horror but the images dont stay

I can visualise but not very detailed. My friend recently told me she cannot and also is very bad at recognising people, so it seems the two are linked. Like most brain functions, she thought everyone was the same as her until adulthood.

Me too, i was astonished when i found out that my partner can't. He doesn't even have visual dreams. He's much more verbal and he writes a lot, he struggles to draw even the simplest thing in front of him, and can't draw from imagination at all. He loves reading, but doesn't bother with fiction as he can't create the imaginary world in his head.

It’s very interesting isn’t it - I can’t visualise at all but I’ve got a brilliant memory for faces (even if it’s a very minimal interaction, if I see them again I’ll recognise them)

i can’t picture things at all, I used to love reading (less enjoyable now with reading glasses) - there have been lots of comments about books vs film versions of the books- even though I can’t see in pictures in my mind- I still would have a good grasp of how I ‘imagined’ characters or places from the original books, and would also have been disturbed if the film version deviated from the original text.
Likewise - I can easily remember what my old childhood home/room used to look like- just not in picture form.
My daughter also can’t see things in her head, but is an artist with a very vivid imagination which she uses everyday in her art.

This is interesting- I remember skipping over swathes of battle scenes when reading lord of the rings as a child - too much tedious detail afaiwc- but I loved the rest of the world building details. Now I prefer detail heavy non-fiction.

Whereas when I'm reading to my kids I’ll read the scary stuff but not the bits that evoked (in me) intrusive memories. I always assumed it would do the same to them.

We’re reading Jurassic Park and The Lost World atm and I skip some of the descriptions of how exactly people kick the bucket. I can’t think how I could test this without risking really messing them up!