The bit of research that has been conducted over the last decade or so has shown that aphantasia is mostly congenital, meaning most aphants had never been able to visualize. In Adam Zeman’s 2015 study, 5 of the 21 participants reported that close family members also experience difficulties in visualization.
Further studies have found that this may be the leading “cause” of aphantasia. However, many other cases of aphantasia have been found in people who suffered from brain injuries.
Research has also shown that aphantasia may be linked to specific sections of the brain that aphants just don’t use much. Instead, aphants seem to recall memories and use their imaginations in different sections of their brains.
Some researchers have reported a link between aphants and those who suffer from psychological conditions, particularly depression, anxiety and dissociative disorders. But more research is necessary to conclude whether there is any evidence to back a direct link between any or all of them.
It’s important to understand that aphantasia is not categorized as a mental health disorder itself, nor a disability. It’s simply a condition that some people have and some people don’t. That being said, aphantasia is not something that needs to be cured, but understood.