do you have this problem too?

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everyone makes mistakes, but when i do, i never forget them, and i dwell on them profusely, and i really have trouble forgetting it, i used to resort to hitting my head, as if i could knock the bad memories out of my head, but i am finding that it is not a good idea, because i get headaches after attempting to remove the memories. do any of you do this, and do you have this problem, do you know what i should do? just need a little advice...

OH MAN do I have that problem! I may NEVER forget them. Think about times you have happily surprised yourself! Think of mitigating criteria! Try to think of ANYTHING else! Do something else.

Don't try to hurt yourself, etc...

Steve

I get that problem too, I don't really have a good coping mechanism for it, I just try to focus on something else to eventually get rid of the thought.

Yep, I remember quite minor blunders that occurred 15 years ago and still can feel acutely embarrassed.

I do this all the time. The remembering, the re-embarrassment. I blame it on being
disadvantaged/ punished/looked down on for being myself, because its made me feel like there's no more room to screw up to add to my being.....whatever negative crap people pinned on me. And still do. Really like, it isn't a trait in itself as far as I can see, its the way I was brought up and society's views.
Anyway this had and still has a horrible affect on me. I'm so worked up this way sometimes its as if Eddie Vedder just saw me pop a zit or something when its really me thinking about the most insignificant mistake way back when............I have nightmares about being humiliated and wake up with my heart pounding and stuff.
I find some of my favorite music helps. Other than that I try to think/do something positive or useful, like sometimes I'll read or watch tv or surf the net long enough to get my mind off the embarrassment and then go do something more phyical for a while. Also, posting or talking to a shrink or telling someone who understands has/does seem to help a bit.

I feel many mistakes as if they occured recently, I just try to distract myself, usually by watching TV.

I have this problem too. When I remember things, I feel the same emotions I felt when that things happened.

I'm the same! I'm constantly plagued with memories that make me squirm. I have a resulting compulsion to repeat words or phrases, usually in my head but sometimes out loud, to distract myself.

Yes I had really bad experiences that grip like a pit bull terrier and will not let go. I often then go through bouts of banging my head with my fist as the memories of those bad experiences keep going around and around my head like a wheel. As least that is better than what I used to do when I was a little kid when on occasions I prostrated myself on the cement pavement and banged my head on it until I had to be rushed the the hospital for it to get stiched up. One time I banged my head on the basement wall so hard I staggered around and started vomiting everywhere.

Yeah, I never forget them, I wish I would.

Yeah, I also have this problem. The only way I am able to deal with it is to choose a 'power' word, a word I can say out loud firmly and focus on it to will the memories back into the dark parts of my mind. You need to focus on something different.

I'm going to offer a strange point of view here.

Look I definately understand the need to redirect focus if something is bothering you to the point of stress...

I do it myself with music, and various cartoons.

However, I think ultimately, facing the problem itself, pulling it apart, and realising it is behind you is a very important step in growth.

Meaning put it off, spread your focus, but in time, take on this problem, pull it apart logically for what it is, and most the time you'll see the WHY of what happened and it will make it so much better.

Yes certain times I've lost control will always plague me, however I face them when I'm feeling particularly strong and reflective, in order to make sure they don't repeat.

Yeah, I have this problem, too. I'm a huge prefectionist (which I think goes with AS) and when I don't do something or complete something just right or to my standards, I beat myself up over it. I'm my worst critic. ;

I think Tori Amos's song 'Precious Things' is about exactly this!

I replay the memories I have of certain situations over and over in my head like I'm watching a movie.

I've even had conversations replay and unfortunately there have been times when I've responded out loud. Thankfully, I'm alone most of the time when this happens and I've really only had it happen a few times in front of my daughter.

It's not that I'm responding to the whole conversation out loud, just one word, or a few. Usually they make sense in the conversation that's happening anyway - so no harm done. I'm not feeling like I'm actually having a conversation with the other person in real time, it's just my way of changing what I said in the past to try and make me feel better about it now.

When I was younger, I used to have recurring dreams about a kid who when I was a kid too, I really wanted him to be my boyfriend. He liked the girl next door to me though because she wasn't "weird" according to him. The dreams would help me because I'd only have them when I had some decision to make in my life. It was like he was in the dream to remind me not to be "weird" when I made my decision. the dreams went away and I can't explain why other than I guess I take more notice now of trying not to be weird on purpose.

My memory replay, can be of good times too though. Those are the ones I enjoy. But when I get trapped in a loop of seeing the hurtful times and wanting to change what I did, those are hard to shake. Like a lot of others have mentioned here - I try to distract my mind and change the subject by doing something else (usually focusing on one of my obesssions helps.)