Memory oddities

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When I was getting diagnosed I was telling a story to answer a question. I mentioned seeing someone and being "reminded that she was a real person". I then clarified the statement by saying "not that I really thought that she wasn't real, it's just that it was so long ago that" and then she finnished my sentance saying "that it felt like it never really happened?", and I said yes.
After sometimes just one day, things seem like they happened a long time ago. I watched the movie "But I'm a Cheerleader" one day. Later I was thinking about it and my brain estimated the time elapsed since I saw it as one week, but after an instant of thought I realised it was yesterday that I saw it. It wasn't even a full 24 hours. I've noticed a lot of my experiences seem vague and distant after only a short time. Like I saw them on TV or they happened to someone else and I only heard about them.
I would assume that this was a symptom or else she wouldn't have said it, but I thought I'd ask anyway. Does anyone elses memory work this way?

Last edited by MinorAnnoyance on 22 Oct 2006, 1:45 am, edited 2 times in total.

My memory for personal experiences is terrible. I have no eye for detail.

in relation to people, mine sucks, in relation to facts and things I want to learn, it seems nearly flawless.

Yes, I have felt this way often, like stuff in the past sometimes doesn’t feel like it really happened. But I don’t know if this is a symptom or not, I thought every one was like this.

However, there have also been times for me when past situations felt more recent then they really were.

Tthe thing that seems to be the most remarkable about my momory is the long-term. I have memories of learning words and their meanings... example:

The first place my parents and I lived in (we moved out when I was about 2) was a town house on Regina St here in Moncton. I can draw a floor plan of that place to this very day. Also, I remember the words I learned. Example:

I am walking (toddling, technically, I guess...) down the hall, "sippy cup" in hand. I had expressed to my mum that I wanted a "big girl cup", but she said to me, "No, Tracy, just in case..." the way I imagne parents do. The thought I remember echoing through my 1 and a 1/2 year old brain is (and this is funny...) "Just in case... Suit case... CASE...CASE..." Nonsensical, I know... but this is my earliest memory. After that comes the flood... And the death of the short-term.

I remember when I discovered that Santa Claus was fake. I was 3 years old and Santa Claus wore the wedding ring of my mothers cousins husband...I ruined Christmas for them. 1974.

I guess I was around 8 years or so. And told my mom there is no Santa. She gave me some
bull$hit like if I did not believe in Santa I would get no presents.

I use to see "traditional therapist" and they would tell me that I was "out of touch with my feelings" because a lot of time when I would be recounting things that had happened(many bad events)I would laugh or be smiling.It was like I was recounting something I had read because I had no emotional attachment to the event.I know I was hurt ,angry,sad,at the times they happened,but didnt feel that way anymore.They were just "stories".Just the thought that I use to be three feet tall,saving insects from the swimming pool....I think....who was that kid.I just cant believe that is the same ....ME.I have a few,very vivid,snapshot memories of growing up but dont remember any of the day to day stuff.What kind of food did I eat,how did I get it,etc.

My biggest problem has been memory, long term of short.Since I was young,I could never remember where my comb,shoes,homework was,when it was due.(now it's car keys,mailing bills on time,staff meeting)But I can remember floor plans for all the houses(many)I have lived in and studying the Greek alphabet when I was in second grade.

Memory,like sleep,dreams,death....fascinates and confuses me....what is real and what makes it so?

everything is real and existence makes it so

My memory is somewhat random. Most often it's fairly accurate, but then sometimes it feels like something that happened yesterday happened ten years ago, and then something that happened ten years ago happened yesterday.

I think I have an occasional glitch in the ol' time-lapse system.

If I try to recall memories using gut feelings, I get the whole timescale of when the memory happened ALL wrong. A memory will feel like it happened yesterday when it happened a month ago. But then a memory will also feel like it happened months ago when it was only a couple of weeks ago.

I have to make a conscious effort to anchors in my memories. If there's a moment i know I will want to remember, I make it a point to look at a calander and memorize the date as best I can. That way I have a number in my head I can associate with that memory.

Doesn't always work but it's the best system I've got that works.

Well it seemes like it's common enough that it's an asperger thing, but then again I don't really have a control group, so I can't really be sure.

Sometimes after hearing a song I get a small flashback of a random place. Maybe because the last time I actually visited that place was at a time I heard / thought about the song.

I am terrible at somewhat good at remembering vague details in the very short terms, although not the specifics (like the words people use in conversations). At some point certain things seem to just vanish from my memory though. I am good at remembering facts (although not figures) that I read from books and because I read alot of books that cover the same territory certain facts get imprinted in my brain.

And oh my god, if someone gives me a list of several things to remember at once - it fries my brain. I mean, it just scrambles my brain. I have to make lists for everything. I cannot remember a big list of things given to me orally.

If someone gives me a short list to remember, say ...3 things, then I am better able to remember them. But that's only if I don't think about anything else entirely. Or dual process the information. Like concentrating not so much at the conversation at hand but concentrate twice as hard on the list given to me. Which puts my mind somewhere else altogether. I'm listening to you and processing what you're telling me. But I'm also concentrating on the mental list so hard that I'm kind of not in the conversation 100%.

It's actually very taxing.

Personal memories, yes, learning no.. If I'm interested in it then I will learn but thats the same for anyone..

Generally, I can pinpoint exactly when something happened.. my concept of time is good