I used to think in images when I was really little (as well as a vocal inner monologue.) Certain words would elicit pictures in my head, sometimes of the thing itself, sometimes metaphorically as something else, or sometimes by picturing something that rhymed with or had a similar sound to the word it represented.
The images faded away as I learned to read, being replaced with images of written words. For a while it was like there were subtitles in my head whenever people talked.
Then, by about my teenage years, even the written words started to fade and my thinking became primarily “inner monologue.” I can remember a handful of the images I used to picture, but most of them have faded from my memory entirely. It makes me wonder if the images were like some kind of mental scaffolding to help me make sense of language when I was young, that my brain didn’t need anymore as it started to mature and understand the world better.
I think I had that too. I remember it caused some kind of strange associations, like books were inherently green because when i thought about them I saw a green book. Then I had like a super strong internal monologue for a while but it got less intense and now everything’s more fuzzy
That is what the development went like for me too, though I’m able to do all three methods still. Might be because I’m a pretty visual thinker.
I also still remember the phase where I only thought in imagery/feel (‘vibe’?); my first memory that I know of, to not be from a photo or story, is in fact of me learning to speak when I was four. Before that age, I didn’t have access to hearing. I now do, but I can switch my hearing off and I sometimes do so for relaxation.
That said, I lost my phantasia and now I’m more aphantasic, so to say. Alongside with it my pretty photogenic memory is also less.
I personally prefer imagery for most purposes, sometimes with a sort of ‘feel’. For more abstract things, I often use the inner voice. Written words for thoughts feel like they take more ‘effort’ and so I prefer imagery and inner voice.
I love hearing about other people who remember very early memories. There aren’t a lot of us out there. It’s interesting how you remember switching your hearing on/off. Do you also remember feeling like you were in your own “little world,” unaware that others were observing you? I remember the moment that sensation shattered, though I don’t know what age I was exactly, just that I was too young for school yet. I remember dancing at a family party, going completely with my feelings, until my uncle (who was DJing) pointed me out. I felt like I was pulled out of the moment and all eyes were on me for the first time. It was like my first glimmer of social awareness and I freaked out, running away to hide. It was probably confusing to everyone, haha.
I’m also curious if you use any kind of visual arts to convey your imagery thoughts. For a while I did photography to try to express my more visual thoughts, but now I draw and paint to do the same thing.
I used to think in images when I was really little (as well as a vocal inner monologue.) Certain words would elicit pictures in my head, sometimes of the thing itself, sometimes metaphorically as something else, or sometimes by picturing something that rhymed with or had a similar sound to the word it represented.
The images faded away as I learned to read, being replaced with images of written words. For a while it was like there were subtitles in my head whenever people talked.
Then, by about my teenage years, even the written words started to fade and my thinking became primarily “inner monologue.” I can remember a handful of the images I used to picture, but most of them have faded from my memory entirely. It makes me wonder if the images were like some kind of mental scaffolding to help me make sense of language when I was young, that my brain didn’t need anymore as it started to mature and understand the world better.
I think I had that too. I remember it caused some kind of strange associations, like books were inherently green because when i thought about them I saw a green book. Then I had like a super strong internal monologue for a while but it got less intense and now everything’s more fuzzy
That is what the development went like for me too, though I’m able to do all three methods still. Might be because I’m a pretty visual thinker.
I also still remember the phase where I only thought in imagery/feel (‘vibe’?); my first memory that I know of, to not be from a photo or story, is in fact of me learning to speak when I was four. Before that age, I didn’t have access to hearing. I now do, but I can switch my hearing off and I sometimes do so for relaxation.
That said, I lost my phantasia and now I’m more aphantasic, so to say. Alongside with it my pretty photogenic memory is also less.
I personally prefer imagery for most purposes, sometimes with a sort of ‘feel’. For more abstract things, I often use the inner voice. Written words for thoughts feel like they take more ‘effort’ and so I prefer imagery and inner voice.
I love hearing about other people who remember very early memories. There aren’t a lot of us out there. It’s interesting how you remember switching your hearing on/off. Do you also remember feeling like you were in your own “little world,” unaware that others were observing you? I remember the moment that sensation shattered, though I don’t know what age I was exactly, just that I was too young for school yet. I remember dancing at a family party, going completely with my feelings, until my uncle (who was DJing) pointed me out. I felt like I was pulled out of the moment and all eyes were on me for the first time. It was like my first glimmer of social awareness and I freaked out, running away to hide. It was probably confusing to everyone, haha.
I’m also curious if you use any kind of visual arts to convey your imagery thoughts. For a while I did photography to try to express my more visual thoughts, but now I draw and paint to do the same thing.