10-22-2025

Here’s my list of what I’m exploring this week.



Featured Article

Do You Have Aphantasia? (The inability to picture things in your head)

By Terry Matlen, LMSW

Wow. Just wow.

I never understood how – all my life- I’ve had such a hard time picturing things in my head. I thought I simply had a lousy visual memory. But recently, when working with a new client, she told me that this was a “thing”, and she had a whopping case of it. In fact, she told me that this condition is called aphantasia. I chuckled, because that sounds like a Disney-esque movie. It’s not. And it can really create problems.

For someone with full-out aphantasia, they are unable to picture *anything* in their head. Ask them what a dog looks like and they see a blank, black slate. Same with imagining a loved one. Or a red apple.

One of the self-assessment questions for identifying it is to picture a red apple. But first, let me explain. Aphantasia isn’t considered a medical condition. It’s not in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) – the “bible” for mental health professionals to diagnose/classify mental health conditions. It’s not considered a disorder or disability; it’s just a way your brain works. About 1-4% of people worldwide have it.

I took the self-assessment test online and apparently, I have something called hypophantasia. Hypo = below normal. Meaning, I have a mild case of aphantasia in that I can very vaguely see things in my mind but just briefly. I don’t have a total blank slate.

Out of curiosity, I tried to picture the outside of my house, where we’ve lived for 30 YEARS. For a few seconds, I could see the garage to the left of the house. I knew the house has stone, brick, and siding, but I couldn’t put the pieces together. Weird, eh? Then I pictured loved ones in my head and I saw a dash of dark hair, dark eyes, but not the full picture. I knew for years that this was an issue with me and it filled me with some embarrassment and…maybe…it explains why, after meeting someone- even perhaps having a bit of a chat with them- I then completely forget what they look like. If that person comes around 15 minutes (or a month or year) later, I have no idea who they are.

Which brings me to ADHD and poor memory. At the ADHD conferences I’ve gone to for a zillion years, it was a running joke amongst attendees and presenters that we would immediately forget the person we’d just been sharing our life stories with over lunch and coffee.

We chalked it up to our poor ADHD memory.

But maybe, just maybe, there’s more to it.

Do me a favor- go to the main website on aphantasia at https://aphantasia.com/,  read more about it, take the assessment, and let me know if you, too, have a version of it. I am so curious to see if this is commonly seen in ADHD.

I’d love for you to post your findings in the Comment section below.

PS: The term aphantasia was only recently coined (in 2015). So if you’ve never heard of it, like me, don’t feel bad!

Shhh…I Have a Secret. Stay Tuned!

Can’t wait? Join my waiting list and be the first to hear of my new project… and be secured a seat.
 
Hints:
 
It’s cost-effective (I HATE over-priced items/services for our ADHD community). And free for a limited time.
Need help getting things done?
Are you disorganized (of course you are- me, too!)
Hate clutter?
Want support?
 
Email me at support@ADDconsults.com and you’ll be the first to know what THE BIG SECRET IS.


Would You Like to Hang out with Sari Solden- LIVE?

Sari’s December Second Annual Gathering for Women with ADHD!

A CELEBRATION OF EXTRA-ORDINARY WOMEN”

WHEN: December 17, 2025 at 7-8:30 PM EST 

WHAT: AN END OF YEAR CELEBRATION FOR ALL NEURODIVERGENT WOMEN 

Looking Back and Moving Ahead

Facilitated by: Sari Solden
Hosted By: Regina Carey

Description: 
Sari will give her perspective on lessons gained from living successfully with the difficulties of ADHD and how these experiences help us confront life challenges such as illness, gaining and other difficult times. Sari and Regina share the inspiration they have gained from a lifetime of reflection on their lives as neurodivergent women, and from the inspiration gathered from all their years of helping guide other extraordinary women in this community. 

Lots of time for Q and A and sharing in smaller Zoom rooms.

For more info and to register, go to Sari’s site at https://www.sarisolden.com/event-list or email her at sari@sarisolden.com.

Note: There is a fee to attend.

Tip from Terry

Always forgetting to take something with you when heading out?

Use a dry-erase marker and write the item(s) on your car windshield, ie:

  • Purse
  • Lunch
  • Phone, etc.

Make sure you erase your notes before you drive off, so add to your list: find eraser!  



CAN I HELP YOU?


Do you have an ADHD-related problem you’d like help with?

Personal ADHD Consultations with me on Zoom or Email! Hurry- Spots fill up fast.
(PS Consultations are not therapy, but we work together to help you get unstuck and on track.)

Learn more and sign up here.



What I Recommend

Nowhere Girl: Life as a Member of ADHD’s Lost Generation

by Carla Ciccone

Weaving her personal story into an investigation of the rise in ADHD diagnoses, Ciccone draws on scientific research and expert interviews to reflect on the classrooms of the 1990s, where “ADD” was reserved for hyperactive white boys, and girls learned to mask their differences.

CONTEST! Carla has generously gifted a copy of her book to one super lucky person. Email me at support@ADDconsults.com and a winner will be randomly chosen. Send me your name and mailing address! (It’s safe with me- no one will bombard you with ads, free monkeys, or weird gizmos.

Can’t wait? You can order your copy HERE.
 



Where to find Terry Matlen:

Website: www.ADDconsults.com
Coaching:  www.QueensOfDistraction.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ADDconsults
Twitter: twitter.com/TerryMatlen
Instagram: www.instagram.com/terrymatlen_adhd
TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@terrymatlen
LinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/in/terrymatlen/
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terrymatlen
MY BOOK! The Queen of Distraction
Email: terry@addconsults.com

Wait: Like this article? Please leave your thoughts, resources, hacks, etc. in the comment section below. 

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* ADHD- friendly disclosure: Some of the links above earn me a tiny commission at Amazon and elsewhere. The end.