What are hyperphantastia, hypophantasia and aphantasia?
Aphantasia, hypophantasia and hyperphantasia are forms of neurodivergence categorised by the images you see (or don’t) in your mind.
Someone is hyperphantasic if they can conjure up extremely realistic mental imagery, to the point where it can be difficult to distinguish it from reality.
Someone is aphantasic if they can’t produce mental imagery. With complete aphantasia there is no trace of imagery whatsoever. If someone can see vague images it can be categorised as hypophantasia, with ‘hypo’ meaning low, though it’s common to see it referred to under the umbrella of aphantasia.
Being aphantasic or hypophantasic doesn’t usually prevent people from experiencing mental imagery in dreams, it just can’t be produced on demand.
The typical experience of being able to visualise is known as phantasia.
Aphantasia was first described by Francis Galton in 1880, though he didn’t use the term itself. He was surprised to find that some people thought ‘mental imagery’ was just a turn of phrase and they didn’t realise it was something that others could actually produce.
As well as strong, realistic images, hyperphantasics can taste, smell, hear and feel what they are seeing. It can be extremely scary in some situations, while being amazingly helpful in others. If you can use your imagination to conjure things up in this intense detail, it opens up fantastic creative and problem-solving possibilities.
Hyperphantasia is not the same as photographic memory as it includes being able to very clearly visualise and experience things that aren’t real and haven’t actually been seen.
Hyperphantasics do tend to have a very good visual memory though, and the ability to mentally ‘travel back’ and revisit things from their past.
Research into aphantasia, hypophantasia and hyperphantasia is lacking, but they are thought to be more common in people who are also neurodivergent in other ways. Hyperphantasia is positively correlated with synaesthesia for example, and aphantasia with autism, though people can be multiply neurodivergent in pretty much any combination. Hyperphantasics are more likely to develop PTSD from traumatic experiences because of the intense nature of their memories.
Aphantasia, hypophantasia and hyperphantasia are heritable and people are typically born that way. Aphantasia can also be acquired, usually through brain damage or psychosis.
Read more: Understanding aphantasia and autism
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