10. Disturbed Visual Attention: The Overwhelm of Details
For most, the ability to filter visual stimuli, to focus on what’s essential and blur out the rest, is innate. But those with this symptom find themselves overwhelmed, unable to sift through the barrage of visual information, making every scene intense and chaotic.
Imagine walking through a garden. Where most would notice the vibrant roses or the hummingbirds, someone with this symptom might find their attention torn in a hundred directions—each leaf, pebble, or blade of grass demanding equal attention.
Our brain’s parietal and frontal lobes act as gatekeepers, filtering out irrelevant visual data, ensuring we focus on what’s crucial. But when these regions are impaired, the floodgates open, letting in an overwhelming stream of visual stimuli.
It’s like trying to listen to a soft melody in the midst of a cacophony. The sweet notes get drowned, lost amidst the noise. Similarly, the brain, when unable to filter, struggles to find meaning amidst the visual chaos. (10)
