Aphantasia is often misunderstood because it doesn’t look like a difficulty from the outside.
People with aphantasia think, reason, remember, plan, perform, and create — just without voluntary mental imagery. They don’t “see pictures in the mind’s eye”, but they are not lacking imagination, intelligence, or emotional depth.
Increasingly, aphantasia is being understood not as a deficit, but as part of human neurodiversity — a naturally occurring variation in how brains process information.
Aphantasia as Neurodivergence
Neurodiversity recognises that there is no single “normal” brain type. Instead, humans exist across a spectrum of cognitive styles.
Aphantasia fits within this framework because it represents a qualitative difference in internal experience, not an impairment.
People with aphantasia often:
- Think primarily in concepts, language, or structure
- Use semantic memory rather than visual recall
- Rely on logic, rules, or spatial reasoning
- Experience inner life through words, meaning, sensation, or awareness
- Discover late in life that others genuinely “see images”
This alone places aphantasia squarely within neurodivergent thinking styles.
Genetics & Family Patterns
Research and self-report studies consistently suggest that congenital aphantasia often runs in families.
Many people only realise they have aphantasia after a conversation with a sibling, parent, or child who says:
“Wait… you can actually see pictures?”
This strongly suggests a genetic or inherited neurological component, rather than a learned or psychological condition.
Acquired aphantasia does exist, but congenital aphantasia appears to be a stable, lifelong cognitive trait.
Aphantasia, Autism & Neurodivergent Overlap
Studies indicate a higher prevalence of aphantasia among autistic individuals than in the general population.
This does not mean aphantasia causes autism or vice versa.
Rather, it suggests shared differences in brain connectivity, particularly involving:
- Visual imagery networks
- Frontoparietal control systems
- Default mode processing
Both groups often rely less on imagery and more on explicit reasoning, structure, and internal language.
This overlap reinforces the idea that aphantasia belongs within the neurodiversity spectrum.
Aphantasia & Intelligence
Contrary to early assumptions, aphantasia is not associated with lower intelligence.
In fact, research suggests that people with aphantasia often score slightly higher on average IQ tests than both the general population and individuals with very vivid imagery (hyperphantasia).
Possible reasons include:
- Greater reliance on verbal and abstract reasoning
- Reduced cognitive load from imagery “noise”
- Stronger analytical or conceptual processing
- Less distraction from internally generated visuals
This does not mean all people with aphantasia are highly intelligent — but it does clearly show that imagery is not required for high cognitive performance.
Memory Differences (Not Memory Deficits)
Aphantasia is commonly associated with differences in autobiographical memory, particularly:
- Weaker first-person replay of past events
- Less sensory detail when recalling memories
- Difficulty “re-experiencing” scenes
However, factual memory, learning, reasoning, and skill retention are often intact or strong.
Many people with aphantasia remember what happened, just not as a vivid internal movie.
This difference is sometimes misinterpreted as emotional distance — when it is actually a difference in recall format, not emotional capacity.
Overthinking, Internal Dialogue & Cognitive Load
While aphantasia is not directly linked to anxiety, many people with aphantasia report:
- Strong internal dialogue
- High cognitive activity
- Tendency to over-analyse
- Difficulty switching the mind “off”
This is likely because imagery is not available as a mental shorthand, so thinking often happens through language and reasoning instead.
Under stress, this can lead to:
- Mental overload
- Analysis paralysis
- Performance interference
Which is why adapted therapeutic and performance approaches can be so effective.
Dreaming vs. Waking Imagery
One of the most interesting findings is that many people with aphantasia still experience visual dreams.
This suggests that:
- Visual imagery systems can function unconsciously
- The difference lies in voluntary access, not capacity
- Conscious and unconscious imagery are separate processes
This further supports the idea that aphantasia is a connectivity difference, not a damaged system.
Aphantasia Is Not Something to Fix
Aphantasia is:
- Not a disorder
- Not a learning difficulty
- Not a creativity deficit
- Not emotional numbness
It is simply a different internal architecture.
Problems usually arise not from aphantasia itself, but from methods that assume imagery — in education, therapy, coaching, or performance training.
When approaches are adapted, people with aphantasia often thrive.
Why This Matters
Understanding aphantasia properly:
- Reduces unnecessary self-doubt
- Prevents mislabelling or pathologising
- Helps people choose methods that actually work
- Encourages respect for cognitive diversity
The goal is not to become more “visual”.
The goal is to work with the mind you already have.
Final Thought
Human cognition is not one-size-fits-all.
Aphantasia highlights just how diverse thinking really is — and how many successful, intelligent, capable people have been navigating the world with a completely different inner experience all along.