Struggle to remember details from books and films

Me too, it was on a VHS

The usual is an all night thunderstorm. That's through the speakers though.

I top it up with an audiobook I know well (usually Agatha Christie) so when I wake in the middle of the night I have a rough idea of how long I've slept based on where the book has got to. Stops me wanting to check the time on my phone.

Prior experience in a shared house with noisy housemates made having both essential. Thank goodness I have my own flat now, but I'm too used to hearing the thunderstorm to sleep without it now!

Ha ha. I have found it to be very helpful at bedtime as it’s when I notice the constant ringing in my right ear. What sounds do you find most soothing? 

I've got tinnitus too. It's pulsatile and is intermittent, but when it's bad it'll wake me up... So, I also have a sleep mask/headphone combo. Great minds think alike eh?

That was kind of your sister. I wish mine went out and gifted me Wicked lol!
Have you watched it yet? I love it, I thought it was such a great musical film.

I have the same problem as well. I’ve always had this inability to remember things from what I watch and read, at school some of my teachers used to accuse me of intentionally forgetting these details, but it’s actually a very real problem. When I’m stressed I notice I forget more so I try not to be too stressed when reading and watching something.
One thing I’ve started doing is writing down characters in the book or film, I check IMDB for films and write out the cast. This helps me to remember people better. Just a little suggestion for you to try. It might not help but I’ve found it helps me with this problem.

Congratulations on your diagnosis. Welcome to the group! 

Reading replies here, and other experiences it does seem that it's likely an autism thing. Maybe because we have so much to process we can't retain as much info?

Confused300492 said:

I'm newly diagnosed with autism

Welcome to the community and congratulations on your diagnosis!  

I first watched it around age 7 or 8 back in the 80’s on a VHS video. I’ve loved it ever since and love films from that time.

Glad you enjoyed it 

I too listen to things in order to improve my sleep, I suffer from tinnitus as well which doesn’t help matters. I use an audio sleep mask from Sleepathy (other brands are available), I play natural sounds on them like crackling fire, artic wind, beach noise and thunder and rain. It really does help with my quality of sleep. 

Just thought it might be worth a try for yourself?

Glad you like the film. It’s my all time fave!

Talking to myself definitely helps me process things better for sure as even when I write lists I forget to look at them. I have kind of accepted that forgetting is just part of who I am and I try not to let it get to me so much now.

I hope you can find a balance somewhere and happy to chat if you ever need to

I'm newly diagnosed with autism and I am really confused as I always thought that the way I am is the way most people are if that makes sense. Things that I read about autism is like reading a biography about myself, but one thing is exactly what you have written, all the way through anything I watch I have to rewind it all the time so I get the tiniest details and then I can't remember them when it's ended it's ridiculous. My doctor sent me for a brain scan before my diagnosis which was clear but I was the one who asked for a referral after speaking to a friend who was also diagnosed but was just telling me about it and until then I never dreamt of me being autistic in the slightest I feel very confused about the whole thing so I thank you for drawing my attention to the fact that this my be my autism and not in fact anything sinister 

Re audiobooks BBC Sounds have quite a few you can listen to free. I have bought audiobooks, (always ones read by a properly trained and qualified actor because they're usually so much better at it than untrained amateurs), but tend to listen to the same ones over and over to help me sleep. Or keep me entertained while I lie in bed unable to sleep, more like.

I'm terrible at recognising faces, and not good with names either. I usually assign people a name based on their appearance e.g. "big chin woman" or "good hair man" etc. That way I get a visual clue to who they are each time they pop up. Makes it very hard to discuss programs with anyone else though.

I actually quite like having a "shallow" memory for fiction, because if I liked it I can watch it again not long  afterwards without my brain spoiling the ending  for me! 

Thanks for the good suggestion. I am overdue an eye test, by about five years... I meant to go back but had health issues with my mum so it sort of got pushed aside. My sight has had problems in the past though it did correct itself... no more glasses. Yay. But it's possible my eyes have changed again and I need to have a new script.
I'll try to arrange an appointment with the Outside Clinic. I use them for my eye tests now as going in to an actual opticians was too stressful and kept causing meltdowns.

Hello Take5.
I'm sorry this is something you suffer from as well. It's really tedious isn't it. I'm glad you've found audiobooks helpful, this is something I've been dying to try out but haven't bought one yet. Now I've read your experience with audiobooks has been helpful I think I will try and get one too to see if it will help me as well. It might be connected. My therapist suggested talking to myself aloud to try to help process things better.

I saw Weird Science. I love it.

I did like Weird Science and have watched it a few times myself but maybe not 100 times...good film though 

Hey PhantomG

i can safely say that all you describe above I suffer with also. I am undiagnosed atm but I’m fairly sure I’m not ADHD. I enjoy watching things but don’t remember anywhere near what I would like to. My favourite film (Weird Science) I have watched probably near to 100 times and still my memory is limited. Reading is also a problem to me as I don’t take it in so I discovered audiobooks…. When I hear it out loud it does help but I would listen to the same book 2 or 3 times. 
I can’t say if it’s an autistic thing but I struggle as you do. My therapist said that I probably talk to myself a lot to process things better, wonder if it’s connected??

Well at least you can watch or read stuff over and over without getting bored. But that bit of flippancy aside, I do get that it's worrying, especially if it's a fairly new thing, there are things you could try though, have your eyesight tested and make sure thats OK, maybe if you can't see properly you're not taking as much in as you previously would have done. Opticians can often tell if theres something physical going on that may be effecting you.