Is it common to have trouble remembering important details? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 2 weeks ago by clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works to c/adhd@lemmy.world

21 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I forget medical info all the time. When was my last dentist visit? I dunno. Which kid had their tonsils out? What's my blood type?

Wife asks "remember when I had strep last year?" No...

Has anyone in my house had COVID? I think so, but which one(s)?

I forget vacations we took, what states I've been to.

Terrible at remembering people that I've met even a bunch of times.

Horrible at work. I'm on top of what's happening now, mostly, because I have notes, but what happened a year ago? Gosh.

It's really frustrating living like this, but I don't know how much might be my ADHD and how much is just me having a bad brain.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] can@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 weeks ago

I can relate to this and I'm unsure if it's part of ADHD but I'm sure it contributes. Sometimes I wonder if I have a less extreme version of SDAM.

Autobiographical memory may differ greatly between individuals. Hyperthymesia, also known as hyperthymestic syndrome or highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM), is a condition that affects an individual's autobiographical memory, essentially meaning that they cannot forget small details which otherwise would not be stored. It forms one extreme, in which a person might recall vividly almost every day of their life (usually from around the age of 10). On the other extreme is severely deficient autobiographical memory (SDAM), where a person cannot relive memories from their lives, although this does not affect other memory capabilities or general cognition.[SDAM is a severe autobiographical memory deficiency, but without amnesia.

[-] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 weeks ago

Huh. Maybe I'm on that spectrum. I barely remember anything from before I was 20 and as I said up top I have some really big gaps after that too.

I wonder how you would find out for sure.

[-] can@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

I'm not sure how well known or studied it is. Trauma can also cause gaps in memory.

[-] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago

Well, thank you very much for pointing this out.

this post was submitted on 22 May 2025

24 points (96.2% liked)

ADHD

11196 readers

41 users here now

A casual community for people with ADHD

Values:

Acceptance, Openness, Understanding, Equality, Reciprocity.

Rules:

No abusive, derogatory, or offensive post/comments.
No porn, gore, spam, or advertisements allowed.
Do not request for donations.
Do not link to other social media or paywalled content.
Do not gatekeep or diagnose.
Mark NSFW content accordingly.
No racism, homophobia, sexism, ableism, or ageism.
Respectful venting, including dealing with oppressive neurotypical culture, is okay.
Discussing other neurological problems like autism, anxiety, ptsd, and brain injury are allowed.
Discussions regarding medication are allowed as long as you are describing your own situation and not telling others what to do (only qualified medical practitioners can prescribe medication).

Encouraged:

Funny memes.
Welcoming and accepting attitudes.
Questions on confusing situations.
Seeking and sharing support.
Engagement in our values.

Relevant Lemmy communities:

Neurodivergent Life Hacks

lemmy.world/c/adhd will happily promote other ND communities as long as said communities demonstrate that they share our values.

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

MrPoopyButthole@lemmy.world

MrPoopyButthole@lemmy.dbzer0.com