Just thinking about my memory:)

[lewber]

Since high school, I've had memory issues. I can remember people, directions, and how to do my job. But I don't remember events or people well. There are so many people who I went to high school with, who my close friends know I knew, that I don't place at all.

When you remember being at an event- a party, a wedding, etc, how do you remember it? Do you picture it in your head? Can you place yourself there? Can you remember yourself being there? What is a memory?

I read somewhere that to make a memory you must have an emotional connection to the place, event, etc. This makes sense to me and I sometimes think I'm in my own world, whether that's from brain fog or just spacing out, so no connection was made. My son has a great memory and will tell me things I said when he was little or sometimes even a few weeks ago that I have literally no recollection of. That's creepy!

Is there anything I can do to improve my memory? I have tried to be more present during things I want to remember and that has helped. I take lots of pictures on my phone so that I can look at those to spur on the memory.

It seemed to happen about the same time I had my first period, so I wonder if it's hormone related. Or maybe I was just more present in my life before I became a teenager. I can picture and place kids I went to elementary school with but not high school.

Anyway, just rambling:) and wondering if anyone had similar issues.

[creekland]

I've never had a good memory for people.  I also have a degree of face blindness - not the worst I've heard about - but worse than anyone else I know IRL.  I've often wondered if the two go together.

 

My solution is to use hubby to help me remember people and my middle son to help me remember any event we've had since his birth, my sister can help with things from my youth.  ;)

 

Interestingly enough, the rest of my memory was superb (Jeopardy style with trivia or work/academics related).  It's mainly things with my life that don't get remembered as well.  I used to remember my life facts better (only people things were worse), but radiation took a toll on that too.  Even past trips are now getting blurry.

 

Such is life.  I live in the "now."