Mind Void
What is Mind-Void?
Mind Void is a platform dedicated to educating people about the conditions of aphantasia, the lack of an ability to visualize, and SDAM, the lack of an ability to relive events from a first-person perspective.
This is a platform to both spread awareness about these conditions, and for those affected by them to use to share their stories and connect with others they can relate to in a safe and supportive environment.
Whether you are looking for information, support, or just want to learn more about these conditions, Mind Void, with the help of our Advisory Team offers the resources you need.
We are a community of people dedicated to understanding and furthering knowledge about aphantasia and SDAM, and we hope to be a source of comfort and understanding for those affected.
Aphantasia
What is aphantasia?
Aphantasia is a condition characterized by a lack of the ability to voluntarily create mental imagery, to visualize. They are unable to see images in their mind at all, not even of familiar places or family members. Around 3-4% of the world's population likely has this condition, though many of those who do may not know it.
Aphantasia is not currently listed as a disease or mental condition by the CDC or other official organizations, but has been identified in studies, both through questionnaires revealing the subjective experiences of aphants, and through brain scans indicating the true lack of an ability to voluntarily form images in certain individuals.
More Information
The term aphantasia was first coined by a study in 2015 by Professor Adam Zema, and comes from the Greek word phantasia, which means "imagination", and the prefix a, which means "without”.
Those with aphantasia come up with alternative methods to do tasks most people would normally use visualization for. Aphants conceptualize, instead of visualizing. They are aware of a concept or idea, and what it would look like, but cannot actually see it in their head.
There are different levels of visualization, ranging from aphantasia to hyperphantasia, the condition of having extremely detailed mental imagery.
There are multiple sub-categories of aphantasia based on senses that are affected. Some individuals lack not only the ability to visualize images, but also to experience other senses such as touch, smell, taste, and hearing.
SDAM
What is SDAM?
SDAM stands for severely deficient autobiographical memory. It is a condition characterized by a lack of episodic memory, meaning the ability to relive events. There is not any evidence of this condition affecting semantic memory, the memory of facts and information. People who have this can know an event happened, for example that they met their friend the previous day, can remember the facts of what happened, for example some of what they talked about with their friend, but cannot re-experience that event, so could not relive their conversation.
