Have you ever been in a room that’s lit and thought the lights were on? Or dreamt that you were late for work when it was the weekend? If so, then you’ve experienced the first signs of hyperphantasia.
This visual disorder hurts a person’s ability to interpret sight. Explaining it is a lot like the motion illusion called the wagon wheel effect. You can stare at a rotating wheel and still see the spokes even after the wheel has stopped.
Hyperphantasia creates the same effect except in the mind of the patient. They experience a disconnect between what their eyes see and what their mind tells them.
Keep reading to learn more about hyperphantasia symptoms.
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Recurrent Hallucinations
Hyperphantasia is considered to be debilitating, causing disruptions in a person’s daily life. These hallucinations are often accompanied by sound, smell, or intense feelings. They may be frightening or distressing.
Symptoms range in severity. These may include misperceptions of reality and difficulty concentrating and sleeping.
In some cases, it can lead to depression and anxiety.
Family and friends should be supportive and understanding. The patient needs to build a support network of helpful people.
Vivid Daydreams
People living with hyperphantasia often report stronger visual images. They differ from regular daydreams. They tend to need the participant to engage with the dream to advance it or provide more information.
People with hyperphantasia can often feel like they’ve stepped into their minds. They feel like they created an immersive virtual reality. This can be distracting but also enjoyable.
Daydreams experienced by individuals with hyperphantasia often have a dream-like quality. They feature surreal scenarios or vivid landscapes.
Cinematic Recall of Memories
Symptoms include the ability to recall full scenes recreated in the mind’s eye. Also, the ability to distinguish between different hues and shades in those visual memories.
Hyperphantasia is a recently identified phenomenon. Individuals can recall memories and experience them again within the mind’s eye. These also can be a vivid sense of clarity and even the ability to go beyond the initial memory and ‘relive’ the event in vivid, sensory detail.
Those with hyperphantasia may be better able to remember the sights, smells, and colors connected to a certain experience. They may be able to identify the emotion they were feeling when the memory first occurred.
Heightened Sense of Emotion
People who suffer from hyperphantasia display signs of increased emotional sensitivity. These heightened emotions tend to be both positive and negative and can often be overwhelming.
Symptoms include being more sensitive to stimuli. These can be music, smells, artwork, and any other emotional stimulus.
They can also experience intense waves of emotion. They may have difficulty controlling emotional outbursts. They may also have difficulty accepting emotional change and managing their expectations.
Identifying Hyperphantasia Symptoms
Hyperphantasia can be a debilitating condition for those affected by it. Through understanding and taking steps to sustain mental health, it can be managed.
Research is required to identify hyperphantasia symptoms and their effects on the general population. Stay informed – read up on this interesting condition.
Visit our blog for more mental health blogs to help you understand hyperphantasia and other anxiety disorders.
