Hyperphantasia is the ability to see in extremely vivid pictures and clear mental imagery. This is often very detailed and people have described feeling, smelling or hearing what is being thought of. Whilst people with hyperphantasia can find it easier to engage in tasks involving imagination, they can struggle to put words onto their pictures when trying to describe their thoughts. Their experiences may also be attributed to hallucinations or voices.

Aphantasia, in comparison, is in the inability to see in pictures and instead the person may tend to think in words instead. This can make it harder to recall memories and struggle with any tasks, that involve “imagine….”.

It is therefore important to remember that not everyone thinks the same and may benefit from visuals alongside the written word.