'They flash upon that inward eye'

Seeing mental pictures of what has been and what could be is a fundamental human experience, and carries with it particularly compelling emotional effects. However, in psychological disorders, mental imagery can become part of the problem, from vivid recollections of trauma to attractive images of the future which may drive self-destructive behaviour. In order to better understand mental imagery, its impact on emotion and so forth, the field of experimental psychopathology offers a creative space for innovation in theory and treatment.