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Struggle to remember details from books and films

C

Hello,

Please can you help me with this.

I’m an autistic-ADHD. I’m at a loss with my memory. It’s awful, I can hardly remember books or films after finishing them, and character’s names don’t register with me. I’m left unable to recall who was who, it takes the edge off of it for me and I’m left feeling like what’s the point in reading or watching anything. I can normally remember the main characters names but everyone else is forgotten.

I went to see my doctor as I worry about a brain tumour or something like that as I get headaches frequently and suffer pretty extreme tiredness and fatigue. But my doctor wasn’t convinced of sinister health and thinks it’s much more likely to do with my ADHD.

Today my big sister very kindly bought me this new Wicked dvd and I was really happy because I love escaping in to a good film but I’m sad too because I know I’ll not be able to remember it properly.

There’s nobody else in my family with autism or ADHD and that’s why I thought I would ask here as I don’t know much about it either.

Parents

  • 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??

  • in reply to Take5

    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.

  • in reply to C

    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! 

  • in reply to Take5

    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!

  • in reply to Tears_before_bedtime

    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? 

  • in reply to Take5

    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? Slight smile

Reply Children
  • in reply to Take5

    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!

  • in reply to Tears_before_bedtime

    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?