Autistic memory

There are so many different types of memory that it is hard to generalise.

My short term working memory can be completely hopeless a lot of the time and this seems to be getting worse as I get older. I need to rely on numerous lists to function and I cannot process more than one instruction at a time.

I do have a good memory for numbers. I retain lots of phone numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, etc. Some of these go back many years and I still remember them even though I have not actually used them for a long time.

My memory for faces on the other hand is almost non existent. I.ve never been officially diagnosed with prosopagnosia but I strongly suspect I have it. Throughout my life if I've been out with my mum and she stopped to talk to someone I would have to ask her afterwards who it was and keep asking, no matter how many times she met the same person. I've had people approach me and claim to know me from school / college / work but I had absolutely no recollection of them whatsoever.

I don't remember names very well either. If I'm writing any Xmas cards to neighbours etc I have to get out last years cards to remind me of their names. I don't remember hardly any names of people who I went to school with or worked with. Some people seems to be able to recall the names of all their teachers while I only remember a couple of them.

My visual memory for places is much better. I can clearly remember lots of places I have been, even a long time ago. If I go back I will be able to find my way around easily unless something has changed.

I've managed to pass plenty of exams in the past but I don't think I actually retained very much of that knowledge. In common with many autists I can retain a lot more for topics I'm interested in.

I do have some vivid memories from a very early age (around 2 or 3 years old) and at my autism assessment this was commented upon. It was just as well because my mum could remember very little of my childhood. I believe that is more common in autistic people.

This interesting article explains how memories are stored in the amygdala, rather than the hippocampus, when we are stressed or anxious. I have read previous studies about how the amygdala can be larger in autistic people. That's probably because we're storing so much in there! The memories stored there have sensations and feelings associated with them and this is what causes flashbacks and being able to relive trauma that may have happened decades ago with the same intensity.

https://www.barrierstoeducation.co.uk/autism-and-trauma

Unfortunately my brain does tend to remember a lot of negative stuff for a long time and the things that trigger those memories seems to be an ever growing list

There are so many different types of memory that it is hard to generalise.

My short term working memory can be completely hopeless a lot of the time and this seems to be getting worse as I get older. I need to rely on numerous lists to function and I cannot process more than one instruction at a time.

I do have a good memory for numbers. I retain lots of phone numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, etc. Some of these go back many years and I still remember them even though I have not actually used them for a long time.

My memory for faces on the other hand is almost non existent. I.ve never been officially diagnosed with prosopagnosia but I strongly suspect I have it. Throughout my life if I've been out with my mum and she stopped to talk to someone I would have to ask her afterwards who it was and keep asking, no matter how many times she met the same person. I've had people approach me and claim to know me from school / college / work but I had absolutely no recollection of them whatsoever.

I don't remember names very well either. If I'm writing any Xmas cards to neighbours etc I have to get out last years cards to remind me of their names. I don't remember hardly any names of people who I went to school with or worked with. Some people seems to be able to recall the names of all their teachers while I only remember a couple of them.

My visual memory for places is much better. I can clearly remember lots of places I have been, even a long time ago. If I go back I will be able to find my way around easily unless something has changed.

I've managed to pass plenty of exams in the past but I don't think I actually retained very much of that knowledge. In common with many autists I can retain a lot more for topics I'm interested in.

I do have some vivid memories from a very early age (around 2 or 3 years old) and at my autism assessment this was commented upon. It was just as well because my mum could remember very little of my childhood. I believe that is more common in autistic people.

This interesting article explains how memories are stored in the amygdala, rather than the hippocampus, when we are stressed or anxious. I have read previous studies about how the amygdala can be larger in autistic people. That's probably because we're storing so much in there! The memories stored there have sensations and feelings associated with them and this is what causes flashbacks and being able to relive trauma that may have happened decades ago with the same intensity.

https://www.barrierstoeducation.co.uk/autism-and-trauma

Unfortunately my brain does tend to remember a lot of negative stuff for a long time and the things that trigger those memories seems to be an ever growing list

Thank you.

I can always rely on you to provide an erudite post that's really helpful.

I will take that link but there's lots in what you say that resonates.

I would normally quote all the relevant parts but as one ID has been relegated to jail I won't take any risks with this one.

This is fascinating:

Autonomistic said:

This interesting article explains how memories are stored in the amygdala, rather than the hippocampus, when we are stressed or anxious. I have read previous studies about how the amygdala can be larger in autistic people. That's probably because we're storing so much in there! The memories stored there have sensations and feelings associated with them and this is what causes flashbacks and being able to relive trauma that may have happened decades ago with the same intensity.