The biggest impact from my adhd is actually a shorter than average short term memory span. Mine was found to be about 8.5 second, with the average humans being 18.
My long term memory is fine, probably better than most but it’s getting stuff in there that’s the issue.
I remember things from my early early childhood. My older sister doesn’t remember shit from back then. She has no idea what our forst apartment looked like and when we moved and all that. I remember everything.
But when i put my screwdriver somewhere, 4 seconds later, the screwdriver might as well not exist anymore.
I seriously remember breastfeeding. I remember sleeping in a crib beside my brother. I can close my eyes and tour every place I spent time as a child.
And like your sister, my brother remembers none of it. I’ll bring up something that meant a lot to me and he always replies the same, “I don’t remember that time.”
Like this one weekend. We rented Turner and Hooch, We’re Back: A Dinosaur Story, and Fern Gully. We intended to stay up and watch them so we pulled out the bed from the couch and instead talked until we fell asleep. We got up early and watched all three. My brother was nuts about the character Batty and wanted everything Robin Williams was in after that. He went around all day saying “are you sure? Are you positive? Only fools are positive.” I seen the cartoons only once and I still remember character names and plot lines.
I tear up thinking about that morning. Him, “I wish I could remember it.” And that’s his answer for all of it.
Now ask me what I did two days ago. My answer will be the same as his for what we were doing then. I legit can’t remember past yesterday.
I’m in the same boat. What generally works for me is writing it down and learning from physical books. For whatever reason those two things combined help get things past the poor short term and into the long term storage
Yeah writing down is a big help, I think it’s too do with multiple things. You have to focus more on what you’re actually writing. As well as you have chance for multiple memories, the thinking itself, think of writing it, actually writing it, the muscle memory of writing it, and then reading it again afterwards.
Yea exactly. And part of it too is if you’re taking notes and get kinda distracted in the middle the “lost thought” is right there on the page so picking back up is easier
Nothing like having to constantly remind yourself about things so you don’t forget, even little things like transcribing a measurement or something, or sit immobilized over a pending event because you don’t want to do anything that might distract you from engaging in said thing. Having to re-read things several times to keep it in short term memory and then having to check that yes, indeed, you did it right, and then check a couple more times to remember that yes, you did check it, and it’s still right.
The biggest impact from my adhd is actually a shorter than average short term memory span. Mine was found to be about 8.5 second, with the average humans being 18.
My long term memory is fine, probably better than most but it’s getting stuff in there that’s the issue.
Edit: short not shirt
I remember things from my early early childhood. My older sister doesn’t remember shit from back then. She has no idea what our forst apartment looked like and when we moved and all that. I remember everything.
But when i put my screwdriver somewhere, 4 seconds later, the screwdriver might as well not exist anymore.
I seriously remember breastfeeding. I remember sleeping in a crib beside my brother. I can close my eyes and tour every place I spent time as a child.
And like your sister, my brother remembers none of it. I’ll bring up something that meant a lot to me and he always replies the same, “I don’t remember that time.”
Like this one weekend. We rented Turner and Hooch, We’re Back: A Dinosaur Story, and Fern Gully. We intended to stay up and watch them so we pulled out the bed from the couch and instead talked until we fell asleep. We got up early and watched all three. My brother was nuts about the character Batty and wanted everything Robin Williams was in after that. He went around all day saying “are you sure? Are you positive? Only fools are positive.” I seen the cartoons only once and I still remember character names and plot lines.
I tear up thinking about that morning. Him, “I wish I could remember it.” And that’s his answer for all of it.
Now ask me what I did two days ago. My answer will be the same as his for what we were doing then. I legit can’t remember past yesterday.
Hey you have the same thing as Marilu Henner!
https://www.brainandlife.org/articles/actress-marilu-henner-has-a-highly-superior-autobiographical-memory-a#:~:text=Actress Marilu Henner has a,Take April 30%2C 1980.
I hate it when I forget about my shirt
I’m in the same boat. What generally works for me is writing it down and learning from physical books. For whatever reason those two things combined help get things past the poor short term and into the long term storage
Yeah writing down is a big help, I think it’s too do with multiple things. You have to focus more on what you’re actually writing. As well as you have chance for multiple memories, the thinking itself, think of writing it, actually writing it, the muscle memory of writing it, and then reading it again afterwards.
Yea exactly. And part of it too is if you’re taking notes and get kinda distracted in the middle the “lost thought” is right there on the page so picking back up is easier
Nothing like having to constantly remind yourself about things so you don’t forget, even little things like transcribing a measurement or something, or sit immobilized over a pending event because you don’t want to do anything that might distract you from engaging in said thing. Having to re-read things several times to keep it in short term memory and then having to check that yes, indeed, you did it right, and then check a couple more times to remember that yes, you did check it, and it’s still right.
Fffuuuhhh…. hate that.