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Do I have poor memory? Does anyone relate? How do you remember things?

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
Staff member
Premium Member
I seem to remember things in glimpses, kind of like how one might remember a dream.

I can remember bits and pieces of my childhood, or even just last year, but never in detail. It's sort of like flash images. I can remember 'things' though, as in concepts and things I've done, if I think long enough, and those could summon more flash images. But very rarely more than a few seconds of 'video'-like memory.

I saw a picture of an old game Crash Bandicoot on Reddit. I saw the mask he wears in the image. Just a couple days ago I was talking with a friend at work about Crash Bandicoot and how I used to play that game as a kid, but the details of the game like certain levels, or even that signature mask he puts on to level up, didn't come to mind. Now that I think about it more I can remember more details about the game. I suppose it's possible I wasn't putting effort into activating the memory at the time in the midst of conversation.

It would be more fun if I could recall things like that mid conversation. I could've tried to replicate the noise he makes when he puts on the mask, or even just mention the mask.


What's your memory like? Is it pretty vivid and detailed?
 

JustGeorge

Imperfect
Staff member
Premium Member
My memory is embarrassingly bad. I will say its gotten to the point of actually causing problems; I blame trauma in recent years. Before that, it was average.

But I seem to recall travel better than most. Not the vacation itself, but the road. Not sure why.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
Most humans have unrealistic expectations about memory in part because they are not taught about how it works. All memory is reconstructive, it's not like a book where information is fossilized onto a page. Yet many think it is supposed to work that way (it isn't and doesn't) then conclude their memories are bad (they aren't). Oh well.

 

Secret Chief

Degrow!
I'm 79. My long-term memory has never been particularly good. As I age I've become increasingly aware of short-term issues as well, the most common being lethologica.
Not heard of that term before. I was only saying the other day, to wotsit, you know about that, er, thingy, sometimes you can't just.... what was I saying? Oh yes, that actor, what's his name? He was in that thing with oozit... the one that used to be married to... the blonde woman, you know...
 

Secret Chief

Degrow!
Only the other day the vet said our cat was experiencing cognitive decline. At least I think it was the vet. I'm pretty sure she was talking about the cat, whatever his name is.
 

Regiomontanus

Eastern Orthodox
I seem to remember things in glimpses, kind of like how one might remember a dream.

I can remember bits and pieces of my childhood, or even just last year, but never in detail. It's sort of like flash images. I can remember 'things' though, as in concepts and things I've done, if I think long enough, and those could summon more flash images. But very rarely more than a few seconds of 'video'-like memory.

I saw a picture of an old game Crash Bandicoot on Reddit. I saw the mask he wears in the image. Just a couple days ago I was talking with a friend at work about Crash Bandicoot and how I used to play that game as a kid, but the details of the game like certain levels, or even that signature mask he puts on to level up, didn't come to mind. Now that I think about it more I can remember more details about the game. I suppose it's possible I wasn't putting effort into activating the memory at the time in the midst of conversation.

It would be more fun if I could recall things like that mid conversation. I could've tried to replicate the noise he makes when he puts on the mask, or even just mention the mask.


What's your memory like? Is it pretty vivid and detailed?

My short term memory is truly aweful. Long term, though, is very good, especially faces - I never forget a face.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
I'm 79. My long-term memory has never been particularly good. As I age I've become increasingly aware of short-term issues as well, the most common being lethologica.
I'm 79 too, and mostly my memory is not that bad - from the results I tend to get as to TV quizzes and such (compared with others), although much will be missing due to not having much interest in various genres of music or sport for example. My memory for faces seems to be quite good too - given that I can still see the corner shop owner (a woman) where I used to go shopping when I was aged about nine, and can still recall most faces in my life. I do tend to have the occasional drop-out as to trying to find the right word sometimes (lethologica?), and which is why I try to keep up with my reading. And given that I have done so much, mostly non-fiction, my vocabulary is not that bad. My memory used to be very good, and perhaps aided by having to remember all the formulae on our engineering course. I also have done a fair bit of writing - equivalent of two longish works (which will probably not see the light of day), so perhaps that helps too.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I remember things pretty well, odd, strange, unusual things I'm very good at remembering, that makes me good at trivia but useless in the real world.
Funnily enough I've noticed in the last month or so that my short term memory is letting me down. If it doesn't improve i intend talk to my doctor about it next visit.
 

Regiomontanus

Eastern Orthodox

Secret Chief

Degrow!
I remember things pretty well, odd, strange, unusual things I'm very good at remembering, that makes me good at trivia but useless in the real world.
Funnily enough I've noticed in the last month or so that my short term memory is letting me down. If it doesn't improve i intend talk to my doctor about it next visit.
With age, it is the ability to create the memory which deteriorates. Hence STM is the one that is affected, rather than LTM.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I've started using the diary on my phone to note appointments and tasks.that I've never had problems remembering before, this is a worry, but it least it works so long as i remember to enter the task ;-)
 

JustGeorge

Imperfect
Staff member
Premium Member
I've started using the diary on my phone to note appointments and tasks.that I've never had problems remembering before, this is a worry, but it least it works so long as i remember to enter the task ;-)
I started logging them online, but I keep forgetting to check the log(no joke, its a problem).
 
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