Maybe I’m not the only one around here…? I have discovered there’s now a name for a condition I’ve had all my life, as someone with a very vivid imagination. I think I’ve mentioned being able to “see” stories I read in my mind’s eye almost cinematically, and I’ve talked here about my daydreams of “seeing” a SW chilling on my desk, or imagining one in the palm of my hand and being almost able to feel her “weight”. Well, it turns out I’m not going crazy and hallucinating, and I’m not the only one :
It’s honestly been both a blessing and a curse. I can remember good things that happened to me decades ago (happy memories, G/t dreams I’ve had, etc) but also the sadder or traumatic events, all very detailed in my mind, like if they were happening right now in front of me.
That part of the article is very relevant to my experience:
"Some people with hyperphantasia are able to merge their mental imagery with their view of the world around them. Reeder asked participants to hold out a hand and then imagine an apple sitting in their palm. Most people feel that the scene in front of their eyes is distinct from that inside their heads. “But a lot of people with hyperphantasia – about 75% – can actually see an apple in the hand in front of them. And they can even feel its weight."”
There’s a questionnaire you can use for self-evaluation if you’re curious:
https://aphantasia.com/study/vviq/