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Memories

Hergé

I was having a discussion in relation to a psychological assessment, when the subject of childhood memories came up. The problem is that I really can't remember any of my younger life and what I can remember almost seems as if it's a story someone told me, rather than a first hand experience.

It's a weird concept that when you remember something, you don't remember the original event, you remember the last time you remembered it. I think since I'm one of those people who ruminates, I may have either just remembered my memories away or just buried them somewhere away somewhere I can't easily locate them.

Oddly I can remember the layout of both my infants and junior schools even though I've not set foot in either of them for over 40 years.

How are your recollections of your younger selves?

  • My memory is an interesting one. I tend to have a very good long term memory so have strong memories of childhood although I do think I have created some memories I'd forgotten through photographs.

    I do not have a good memory for places or what they look like. I have a poor visual memory so I assume this is why. 

    But people and events I'm pretty good at.

    Some of my earliest memories like early childhood holidays are all a bit jumbled. I think I've amalgamated my first three holidays into one big memory.

  • I remember loads of stuff, but my Mum is the opposite and so was my Dad, I remember loads of stuff from school and my earlier life, but they not only don't remember about me, but about themselves too, so much so that they often accused me of lying when I remembered something that they didn't. I think the not being believed about so much ordinary stuff made me remember more because there was no one to share my past with.

    But I agree that there are some memories that get reinforced due to repitition or looking at a photograph, there's one of me aged about 2 or 3 where I'm wearing a waist apron, the first I was allowed and thinking I must be a big girl now to be allowed a proper apron and carry my own empty plate to the kitchen. 

  • Full detailed recall of just about everything from age 3 onwards (something upon which my Assessor made particular comment as I surprised the Assessor by being able to provide a full account of experiences which took place when I attended Nursery School). 

    It is as though I was not designed with an "archive" function (in the way most people seem to be).

    There are pros and cons to this feature.

    It means that I do have access to deep history of what, why, when, where, who and how ...of most things - which can be helpful to me.

    However, the downside; is I also have ready access (sometimes unable to apply an effective exclusion filter) to negative or traumatic experiences too.