In this month’s newsletter, I’d like to share a short exploration of something I find truly fascinating in the world of trauma and the mind – Aphantasia, a condition that reveals just how adaptable and mysterious our brains can be.
Aphantasia or mind blindness is the inability to voluntarily create mental images. People with this condition are fully aware of what’s being described but cannot “see” it in their mind’s eye. Instead of pictures, they experience thoughts through words or sensations.
The term Aphantasia was first coined by Adam Zeman in 2015, though cases of this condition have been documented as far back as the 1880’s. It affects roughly 2-5% of the population and exists on a spectrum. While many people can see vivid images, those with Aphantasia may only perceive faint outlines, flashes of colour – or complete darkness.
Here’s something truly intriguing: people with Aphantasia can often visualize in their dreams. This suggests that the condition is somehow blocked by the conscious mind, yet becomes active when the unconscious takes over during sleep.
I first came across Aphantasia years ago when it was being discussed in relation to trauma – something that, as we know, can profoundly alter the brain. Research indicates that Aphantasia may stem from a disconnection between the brain regions responsible for visual imagery and those handling memory and imagination. The brain still processes the command to “see”, but the visual cortex remains quiet.
For people with trauma histories, mental imagery can swing both ways – overactive, as in vivid flashbacks, or underactive, as in dissociation or emotional numbing. Personally, I believe the difference may depend on the age of trauma onset:
- When trauma occurs in adulthood, the mind tends to relive it until resolution.
- But when it occurs in childhood, the brain may adapt by rewiring itself to limit mental imagery, essentially creating Aphantasia as a protective mechanism.
If trauma is the body’s way of saying “it’s not safe to remember fully”, then perhaps the inability to form internal pictures is the nervous system’s attempt to shield us from re-experiencing distressing events.
I remember once asking a friend how she “sees” the world in her mind. To my astonishment, she described vivid, lifelike images – as clear as if her eyes were open. Meanwhile, when I close my eyes, I see only darkness. I had spent my entire life unaware that others could visualize so vividly, relying instead on words and sensations to navigate the world.
The encouraging news is that Aphantasia appears to be reversible. As trauma heals, the visual cortex can slowly begin to “come back online”. It may be a gradual process, but the mind- much like the body- has an incredible capacity to restore what once seemed lost.
Thank you for reading.
