E61:Aphantasia, SDAM, Face Blindness, Synaesthesia, Autism, ADHD

If you have ever sat through a guided meditation or hypnotherapy session, and realised your mind’s eye is completely blank, you know the sudden, disorienting shock of discovering your internal world is different. Because our minds are invisible, millions of adults worldwide go through life assuming everyone processes the world exactly as they do, completely unaware that their internal operating system is uniquely wired. What is fascinating—and frequently observed in both clinical and community spaces—is how often these traits travel together in a wider cognitive cluster. In this episode we are looking at six intersecting conditions: 1. **Aphantasia:** The inability to voluntarily generate mental imagery. 2. **Severely Deficient Autobiographical Memory (SDAM):** The inability to re-live personal memories from a first-person perspective. 3. **Prosopagnosia (Developmental Face Blindness):** A lifelong neurodevelopmental deficit in recognising familiar faces. 4. **Synaesthesia:** Automatic sensory blends like coloured numbers or spatial forms. 5. **Autism Spectrum Condition:** Differences in social communication, repetitive patterns, and sensory processing. 6. **Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):** Differences in attention regulation, impulse control, and executive functioning. While conditions like aphantasia and SDAM represent natural variations in imagery and memory, and autism and ADHD involve broader neurodivergent profiles, these traits frequently interact and compound one another. We will explore this entire cognitive cluster: the population statistics, the neural mechanics of why they overlap, the path to professional evaluation, and practical ways to navigate daily life—especially when traditional, highly visual spiritual practices have left you feeling alienated. If you want to dive deeper into the topics from today's episode, here are the links to the primary research: **Aphantasia Network:** https://aphantasia.com/ **Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire:** https://aphantasia.com/study/vviq **Prevalence Data:** Wright, D. J., et al. (2024). An international estimate of the prevalence of differing visual imagery abilities. *Frontiers in Psychology*, 15, [1454107](tel:1454107). Link to Study **Aphantasia, Synaesthesia, and Autism Research:** Dance, C. J., Jaquiery, M., Eagleman, D. M., Porteous, D., Zeman, A., & Simner, J. (2021). What is the relationship between Aphantasia, Synaesthesia and Autism? *Consciousness and Cognition*, 89, 103087. Link to Study **Episodic Memory & SDAM Framework:** Palombo, D. J., Alain, C., Söderlund, H., Khuu, W., Levine, B., & Zeman, A. (2015). Severely deficient autobiographical memory (SDAM) in healthy adults: A new mnemonic syndrome. *Neuropsychologia*, 72, 105-118. Link to Study What is SDAM? Memory Without Reliving It, and Its Link to Aphantasia This video provides an in-depth lecture by Dr. Brian Levine detailing the discovery and mechanics of SDAM alongside its overlap with aphantasia. If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who might be searching for these answers too. Until next time, take care of your mind—however it is built. Thank you for listening.