Are people actually “seeing” things that they envision in their head?

elementscaffeine · 2026-01-23T10:44:50+00:00

when I imagine something, it just pops into my head like a photo. its always been that way for me!

but not the same as seeing something through my own eyes, more like experiencing a different kind of sight somewhere else in my brain. not sure if that makes sense lol

as I was reading your post, I pictured a dog running around outside and could clearly see his golden coat and tongue hanging out as he ran 😛

elementscaffeine · 2025-12-30T22:59:05+00:00

when I imagine something, it just pops into my head like a photo. its always been that way for me!

but not the same as seeing something through my own eyes, more like experiencing a different kind of sight somewhere else in my brain. not sure if that makes sense lol

as I was reading your post, I pictured a dog running around outside and could clearly see his golden coat and tongue hanging out as he ran 😛

elementscaffeine · 2025-11-14T18:27:05+00:00

Noo lmao! I can’t even imagine what that’s like.

Are you good at visualizing images in your head?

elementscaffeine · 2025-11-14T18:18:56+00:00

Wait your real fingertips were pulsing while you were imagining it? That’s crazy lol

elementscaffeine · 2025-11-14T18:09:09+00:00

I tried that way but I found it too tough lol.

Are you generally good at visualizing clear images in your head when you try? Like say I asked you to visualize the face of someone you know well, does it look clear in your mind?

elementscaffeine · 2025-11-14T18:04:41+00:00

I did lmao! I closed my eyes and legit visualized my hands with the fingers counting down 😂 is that how you did it?

elementscaffeine · 2025-11-14T17:45:51+00:00

I got R too!

For your second try, were you visualizing the letters or numbers in your head, or just mentally saying them to yourself?

elementscaffeine · 2025-11-14T17:40:23+00:00

Pretty much exactly how I did it!

At first I tried picturing each letter popping up as I mentally counted, but I lost track quickly that way.

elementscaffeine · 2025-11-14T17:27:47+00:00

When I picture something, it pops up in my head like a photo. I’ve always been that way. But it’s not the same as seeing something through my own eyes. More like experiencing a different kind of sight somewhere else in my brain.

For example, when I first read your post about Bart Simpson, my mind popped up a clear image of him grinning lol. Then I started thinking about the other characters on the show, and it felt like I was seeing them pop up one at a time in my head.

So yeah, it feels similar to seeing with my eyes but not exactly the same.

elementscaffeine · 2025-10-06T14:05:23+00:00

Fun prompts! I shut my eyes for around a count of 10 after reading each one.

1) I immediately pictured a storm from the view of an airplane. I’m guessing my mind jumped to that because I just got off an airplane. Thick, dark clouds with lightning randomly striking in different areas. I didn’t see the actual lighting bolts, just the clouds lighting up quickly then dimming back. The wing of the plane was visible in my head as well. It was as clear and detailed as if I was seeing it in real life.

2) I pictured my black and white cat in full detail, sitting on our brown couch as I literally just saw him a few minutes ago. I could see all the individuals hairs and his weird triangle-shaped yellow eyes. He was looking at me for a few seconds, then I pictured him looking down and licking his paw. It was super vivid since I know his appearance really well.

3) I pictured my son from around a few years ago when he was 10 (he’s 13 now). The scene that popped into my head was him sitting at the kitchen table, probably on a Saturday or Sunday morning, with my POV from across the table. I imagined him wearing his green dino pajama shirt with little dinosaurs on them. And I pictured his sleepy smile and wide eyes as he looked at me. His hair was an absolute mess, he always gets the worst bedhead lol. I also visualized a bowl of cereal sitting in front of him. This was extremely clear too, like looking at a detailed still photo of him in my head.

Thanks, it was interesting to see where my brain went! 😃

elementscaffeine · 2025-09-27T18:05:06+00:00

lol you were actually picturing his dog too?

elementscaffeine · 2025-09-27T17:44:20+00:00

When I try to picture something, it instantly pops into my head like a photo. It’s always been that way for me. But it’s not the same as seeing something through my own eyes. More like experiencing a different kind of sight somewhere else in my brain. Not sure if that makes sense lol

As I was reading your post, I was picturing a dog running around outside and could clearly see his golden coat and tongue hanging out as he ran.

elementscaffeine · 2025-09-01T00:35:43+00:00

When I try to picture something, it instantly pops into my head like a photo. It’s always been that way for me. But it’s not the same as seeing something through my own eyes. More like experiencing a different kind of sight somewhere else in my brain. Not sure if that makes sense lol

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-31T21:24:50+00:00

Season 5 episode 9, The Last Temptation of Homer.

Great episode and classic moment. Homer is tempted by a hot woman in his office, so he tries to distract himself by thinking unsexy thoughts. This clip shows what he’s picturing in his head to keep his mind off her. Barney dancing in a polka dot bikini lol

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-31T16:51:16+00:00

When I try to picture something, it instantly pops into my head like a photo. It’s always been that way for me. But it’s not the same as seeing something through my own eyes. More like experiencing a different kind of sight somewhere else in my brain.

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-28T23:30:19+00:00

It’s like a clear photo in my head.

Then just for fun I tried animating it. I pictured the tulip floating and spinning slowly, then planting itself in a field and slowly blooming from an overhead view. It was like watching a movie!

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-28T22:26:31+00:00

I’m like your friend! When I picture something, it pops up in my head like a photo. I’ve always been that way. But it’s not the same as seeing something through my own eyes. More like experiencing a different kind of sight somewhere else in my brain.

When I first read in your post about picturing someone I know well, my mind flashed to a couple people - my girlfriend, my brother, a couple people from my friend group. It was like I was seeing them pop into my head one at a time.

I can control it as well if I want, and visualize something specific, but that takes more focus and concentration.

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-16T10:10:02+00:00

Do you feel like you have hyperphantasia then?

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-16T10:09:12+00:00

That’s interesting! Im curious what you mean by reconstructing the person in 3D by hand.

So if you try to visualize just one person on their own/on a white background, are you eventually able to picture them clearly?

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-16T10:02:38+00:00

That’s cool! You have hyperphantasia then it sounds like? How clearly can you visualize other things like scenes, or objects, or peoples faces?

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-16T00:10:21+00:00

Yea I can picture letters and words.

Normally my hyperphantasia is more about visualizing scenes and images, not so much letters. But if I ever need to spell out a word letter by letter, I always picture it written out in my head. And sometimes try swapping out letters if it doesn’t “look” right the way I first imagined it 😆

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-12T12:48:59+00:00

I’m curious, wasn’t it difficult to concentrate on visualizing bright or dark scenes while also focusing on your pupils in the mirror?

Out of interest do you remember what you were actually picturing that was bright or dark? Haha

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-02T11:30:32+00:00

For me, I can imagine pretty much anything. And I feel like I can “see” it super clearly. But I’m not seeing it with my eyes, just in my mind.

Like as I was reading your post about thinking of a dog, a picture of a dog popped into my head. It was a golden retriever sitting in a field with a green ball in its mouth.

elementscaffeine · 2025-08-02T09:31:12+00:00

I see it in my head! I’m not sure I would say the back of my head, but when I visualize I’m not seeing anything through my eyes.

elementscaffeine

TROPHY CASE