Total Multisensory Aphantasia
Have you ever used a Linux machine? My brain functions similarly, with everything being organized as files/data. I have total multisensory aphantasia, a neurodivergence that leaves my brain unable to consciously conjure up images, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures. I've never been able to visualize in my mind – when I think of a star, my brain gives off a vibe/energy that feels like the concept of a star, I don't 'see' anything.
Cases as extreme as mine are extremely rare, as total aphantasia affects less than 1% of the population. The most common type of aphantasia, visual, only affects around 2-4% of the population.
I always have thoughts going through my mind, it's just not something I hear. Every thought is energy that I interpret, which can make explaining different concepts difficult. Yes, I get songs stuck in my head, or even just parts of songs, but I don't 'hear' the music. But, just because I can't hear it, it doesn't mean that I don't know what it sounds like. I can still know the melody or words or whatever, it's just energy.
Even when I was a kid, I couldn't 'see' stuff in my mind. I had the *concepts* of imaginary friends, but I couldn't visualize them. Really, the closest I get to visualizing is when I'm reading. It's still not a picture, but it's more substantial than just energy.
The part I find most perplexing, though, is that my dreams (rare they may be) are *loaded* with sensory experiences. I can't voluntarily call an image to mind, but my subconscious brain can still generate sensory content when I'm asleep.
There is a big way I feel like I'm at an advantage with aphantasia: learning languages. Languages are often formulaic; they follow rules, there's a specific order to say things, but they're also lots and lots of data. Every word gets added to my 'database' in my mind (kind of why I chose a Linux system for my analogy) and I don't have to convert a sensory image (like a picture of an apple) into a word in whatever language I'm working on; I access the concept of 'APPLE' directly and pluck the appropriate label out of the database.
I know I'm not alone, as rare as I may be. Let me know if you don't experience sensory thinking, sharing our experiences will help others get it. And if you can see images and hear sounds, what's the coolest thing you can call to mind right now? Like, can you see a dragon 🐉 if you think about one?
#totalmultisensoryaphaantasia #wireddifferent #nonsensorythinking #wordedthoughts
Total multisensory aphantasia is a uniquely fascinating neurodivergence characterized by the inability to voluntarily produce mental imagery or sensory experiences across all senses. Unlike visual aphantasia, which impacts around 2-4% of people primarily in visual imagery, total multisensory aphantasia affects less than 1% of the population and involves the absence of mental images, sounds, tastes, smells, and tactile sensations conjured at will. People with this condition experience thoughts differently; instead of sensory experiences or internal voices, their thinking is often described as abstract, involving pure concepts or "energy" that conveys meaning without sensory form. This cognitive variation is sometimes known as "worded thought" or nonsensory thinking, where memories are recalled as factual data rather than sensory-rich films. Notably, despite the lack of voluntary mental imagery, individuals with total multisensory aphantasia often report vivid sensory experiences in dreams. This suggests that while the brain has difficulty with top-down conscious control to generate sensory content awake, the subconscious can still produce rich sensory experiences during sleep. This way of thinking can provide advantages, such as in language learning. Since sensory conversion isn’t required to associate words with concepts, language acquisition becomes a process of directly accessing a conceptual "database" in the mind. Such a system encourages data-driven thinking and precise recall, akin to a Linux file management system organizing facts and concepts efficiently. Understanding total multisensory aphantasia helps expand appreciation for the diversity of human cognition and perception. Sharing experiences and discussing how thought processes differ among people can foster empathy and provide support to those with aphantasia. For anyone without aphantasia, imagining what it’s like not to see a mental image or hear an inner voice underscores the varied ways our brains function. Whether it’s conjuring a visual image of a dragon or recalling the sound of a favorite song, sensory mental imagery enriches many people’s minds. But for those with total multisensory aphantasia, thought is a complex landscape of abstract concepts, data, and vibes instead — a remarkable variation in how the mind organizes and accesses information.