Tuesday 8 September 2026

Autism and ADHD: Imagination and Information Processing

This month’s ADHD and autism drop-in explored how we imagine and process information, and how our individual thinking styles can shape everyday life.

We discussed whether people think primarily in pictures, words, concepts, patterns or sensations, and explored the range from aphantasia to hyperphantasia. Participants shared experiences of vivid memories of childhood places, schools and even particular smells.

Practical challenges included instruction manuals, with one participant admitting it took two years to use a new cooking pot!

We also discussed managing busy and creative minds. One participant described allowing thoughts to flow rather than constantly analysing them, using imagination to calm their nervous system.

Another shared their experience of Metta meditation and how imagining loving kindness towards others – and ourselves – can highlight how differently we sometimes treat ourselves.

A thoughtful and varied discussion of the many ways autistic and ADHD minds can work.