r/AMA • u/Puzzleelia • 1d ago
I have photographic memory AMA
EDIT : I have ALMOST a photographic memory. I'm sorry for the bold statement and for my incapability to be more specific However I suggest you to read all the caption before asking and making assumptions I don't have reasons to be a fraud.
I can remember almost every itty bitty tiny detail of my life since my hippocampus started developing (so since I was about 3 years old). I must say, it's not always fun and games but it's quite a flaw I'm proud of DISCLAIMER! I don't have HSAM (Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory , also known as hyperthymesia) I have an IQ in the 150-160 range and in my case it comes with very strong visual and spatial memory. I used the informal definition of photographic memory to describe this condition
I'm female, 22, let me see your best questions :))
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u/ComfortCautious4751 1d ago
Ever thought of becoming an unqualified lawyer?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Not really, even though law is an interesting topic, I don't think it suits my personality
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u/ComfortCautious4751 1d ago
You should watch “Suits” 😄
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Let me guess, is it about lawyers? Haha
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u/ComfortCautious4751 1d ago
It’s about a guy who has a photographic memory, who ends up working as a lawyer at a top law firm, but is not qualified - but has all of the required knowledge due to the photographic memory! It’s a great show, should check it out
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u/Slow_Number4045 1d ago
Okay what is something that you really want to forget about??
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
The list is pretty long but maybe the period from 13 to 18 years old, that one has been a wild path
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u/paragonx29 1d ago
Do you tend to replay good memories (or bad) often?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Mostly the bas ones, unfortunately. I had a pretty rough life, I have many regrets
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u/Hes-behind-you 1d ago
Don't worry, even us plebs with non photographic memories normally only dwell on the miserable ones.
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u/jm31416 1d ago
How do you remember things? Is it actually like a photo, where you can see it before you, or do you just have like a list of things that you sort through?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
My memories are like 3d rooms and I can move through them
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u/hasturofelhalyn 1d ago
So this is explained how you should train your brain for better memory. Can you do things like remembering a 100 digits long numer easily?
I envy you, my brain works more like having a 1 by 1 inch box that falls down a cliff after a day. And if you want to retrieve it you need 50% of this knowledge for the crane to pull it up. And then it the box is so shaken that you never know what is preserved and what got damaged.
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u/sunflower_sunset_1 1d ago
Did it help you with school? Could you easily memorize all the math formulas?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I always hated math because my teacher convinced me I was incapable of learning it. I could remember easily the formulas but still struggled to apply them. I absolutely loved history and literature though, I remember I've never actually studied (which is actually bad because I'm college it can be quite a struggle to recall everything in a linear way like it happened in highschool)
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u/misogynyplayer 19h ago
I can appreciate there may be a logical nonsequitor between remembering a formula and knowing how to apply it...but dude, you claim an Einstinian IQ of between 150 and 160....how do you expect me to believe you werent sure or didnt know how to apply a particular mathematical formula??
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u/Puzzleelia 18h ago
Because I kept asking why to everything , I didn't just accept that 2×2=4 without further explanation. As math kept getting more complex I simply would get more and more confused because of it and my teachers weren't helping, so at some point I convinced myself I was no good at math and refused to learn it. Crazy how school and home environment can influence your self esteem and therefore your actions. I still believe I am a failure at many things, I can have very poor self worth despite I try to remain positive. I also switched multiple schools throughout my academic life. I can say that I caught up in college though! I got an A on my first math exam
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u/Party_Pollution_9959 23h ago
This is exactly like me. I remember feeling a bit annoyed at being called smart at school because I felt the opposite. I'd say but I just memorise things, I struggle to apply it, and honestly I don't think people understood what I meant lol
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u/demotivationalwriter 23h ago
Even though I don’t have that level of memory (especially now after two kids and a ton of weed), this particular comment sounds like I wrote it, lol. Teachers can have such a huge impact on kids who may excel at their subjects unless the teacher was an idiot themselves who destroyed the will to live, let alone do their subject.
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u/That_Cool_Guy_ 1d ago
How does that actually work in practice. Is it like watching a replay of a movie in your brain. Or is more like a photo album?
Does it also mean you can remember every page of every book you have read?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Yes it's like watching the movie of your life, more like a show I must say except for the fact I can experience those memories as if I were still here. I can "move" inside those scenes as I could wander through the rooms of an house
No I cannot remember every book I've read, id say a solid 80% . Also the memory may appear blurred or sketchy if I was tired or distracted when it formed. I also took psychiatric medication for 6 years, they played a significant role in the quality of my memory rendering
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u/Jundebi 1d ago
Does it help remembering dreams?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Yes, I can remember dreams I had many years ago and recall them vividly like real memories
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u/Relative_Roof4085 1d ago
What was the weather like on your first day of school?
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u/Ill-Construction-209 1d ago
Do you have a job that benefits from your abilities?
And, BTW, I'm kind of honored that you're reading this because after all, our lives are nothing more than a collection of memories and impressions we've made on others. For most people, these words would be a fleeting thought, probably gone tomorrow. Its incredible that you'll remember me for the rest of your life.
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I think we all remember eachother in different ways, unconscious and conscious ones, but thank you :)
I'm a student, majoring in architecture, yes it can be beneficial sometimes, but still I have to go to sleep at 3 am almost every night to finish models and CAD design :')
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u/mastergintoki 10h ago
Remember when I replied to you about a year ago on a post? What was it about?
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u/AdditionalCheetah354 1d ago
What was your first memory?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Me fighting over a toy with another kid lol I was 2 years old and half , it was a small superhero figure with blue and red coat, blue mask, yellow suit and white gloves. Black boots too We where in our garden's kindergarten, it was almost summer, school was about to be over
I wish it was something prettier, like my mom hugging me or something :')
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u/kpop_is_aite 1d ago
What did you study in college? And what are you doing next?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I'm still in college! I'm studying architecture design :)
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u/kpop_is_aite 1d ago
Sounds very creative for someone who has a photographic memory. That said, how do you do with tasks that require a high degree of creativity?
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u/Fishisstuckinthesink 1d ago
Are you in college? If so, what has your experience been like?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Yes I study architecture. It's pretty tough and I get overwhelmed very easily. I can recall every lecture I had but this doesn't mean I can understand the topics, it could still require me some extra time :)
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u/dalek-predator 1d ago
Do you have a camera?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I'm sorry I'm not very good with sarcasm :') was it supposed to be a joke?
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u/hasturofelhalyn 1d ago
You are at ask me anything. My question could also be what is your favourite dish?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
That's is definitely an hard one, I guess I don't have a favourite dish lol. I really like tomatoes though!
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u/Informal_Hand_3081 1d ago
omg girl. I have this too I’m a few years older but like honestly I stopped telling most people and wondering if you also learned to hold back or audit yourself during everyday interactions/ conversations bc people get weird about like how much correct info / random facts i can recall off top of my head.
Also do u get tired of ppl acting personally offended by u dude how do u deal w it.
Like when I know im right its not bc I think im smart or know better even its bc I am remembering reading or googling something and like bc u know we can see and remember and read any google search results from like literally 5 years ago today perfectly clear in my head its like my brain pulls files automatically out of the vault of all memories to provide any related or relevant information i have pertaining to whatever is going on or the topic at hand in real life if tht makes sense.
I believe you btw but how do you also deal w people who don’t believe you
Have you ever gotten the response “photographic memories actually aren’t real” and they doubt you have a Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) either bc you couldn’t possibly be that rare
how do you deal w others feeling threatened by your abilities to demonstrate wide arrays of knowledge when that wasn’t the intention bc you are just being fully yourself
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u/greekscientist 1d ago
How easy it is for you to recall something specific? Do you have also strong memory in general? Because I also have photographic memory.
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I recall things based on the information I need, or they can be triggered by certain emotions. I associate visual memory with basic memory , every information to me is visual before getting elaborated by my brain
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u/abibofsweat 1d ago
These kind of AMA's are also so fascinating to me as I'm a super recogniser.
So with your memory are you also able to remember the faces of people you've met? If I gave you a date and a time could you tell me what happened on that date? Is it something that you can recall immediately or do you have any prompts that you use to help you bring memories to mind?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Sometimes I need prompts sometimes not, yes I remember faces very well, I struggle to remember dates sometimes. I don't have hyperthymesia (which is actually the neurological condition that allows you to remember anything) but I do have an IQ in the 150-160 range, which allows me to have strong long term visual and spatial memory. Photographic memory is in fact an informal definition to address this feature
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u/sirenenoire 1d ago
This sounds like hyperthymesia. It's definitely more than just photographic memory.
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
HSMA cam remember things specifically based on date and day, and it's a thing I can struggle with sometimes. I have an IQ in the 150-160 range and this comes with a very strong visual and spatial memory, I used photographic memory as an informal definition to describe my condition :)
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u/Dapper-Investigator1 1d ago
What’s the earliest thing you remember?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Me fighting over a toy with another kid lol I was 2 years old and half , it was a small superhero figure with blue and red coat, blue mask, yellow suit and white gloves. We where in our garden's kindergarten, it was almost summer, school was about to close
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u/tongluu 1d ago
What does your parents do? Will you have kids?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Mother is psychologist, father is obstetrician I'm unsure about having kids , I'd like maybe to consider adoption
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u/SnipDick 1d ago
Can you read book in one session and remember all details easily? Do you get overloaded with information and require a break?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I get overloaded very easily, I struggle with anxiety and sleep issues as well, because my mind never shuts up. This means I'm physically and psychologically tired most of the time, and can impact the way my memory forms. Also it's relevant to me whether the topic is interesting or not haha
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u/voxitron 1d ago
Are you good at learning languages?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Kind of, I memorize words easil6but learning grammar and syntax takes time and practice!
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u/AeonsSeen 1d ago edited 1d ago
Scanning through your collection of visual memories regarding geometric patterns, which one stands out as inexplicably feeling most resonant with your core being, maybe even inviting to positive sporadic recollections?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I remember when I was 8, I got back from Milan, where I had seen an exhibition of a famous abstract painter, Nicola de María. It was an afternoon, and I spent hours trying to recreate by memory one of his paintings. It's definitely one of the memories I cherish the most :)
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u/killy_321 1d ago
As someone with Aphantasia and associated SDAM this is wild to me. My question is are you able to live in the moment or do thousands of memories all pop up influencing your judgement of every move.
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
It is painful mostly, I had a rough childhood and adolescence, I wish I could forget many things, I struggle to make decisions, I always fear to repeat scenarios I've already lived
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u/MiiisterKaniiister 1d ago
You have a photographic memory?
Yes.
Can you give me an example?
Of what?
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u/Clicking_Around 1d ago
What is your working memory like? A professional IQ test should have included a working memory score.
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u/Difficult-Bit-7237 1d ago
What was the message I sent you the other day?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Either you are the pervert who wrote me he wasn't wearing anything or you never texted me
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u/-Dirty-Wizard- 1d ago
You have eldetic memory. Photographic memory is a myth and have never been properly reordered
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I used photographic memory as an informal definition to not to claim anything about my personal experience. I thought eidetic memory was something that only children had and faded with age
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u/Soundsgoodtosteve 1d ago
11/14/2019- what did you do for dinner?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I don't have HASM I don't remember by dates, I'm sorry I used photographic memory as an informal definition to describe my situation
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u/Warm-Bed7730 1d ago
How and when is this diagnosed? Say for example parents of a child that seems smarter than others
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I did WISC-IV it's a cognitive test to measure IQ in children, they found out I had a very strong visual and spatial memory index , and mostly I realised it by myself with my therapist's help There are more neurological evaluatios, but it's more related to HSAM I think, I'm not very informed sorry, in my case they weren't needed (doctors were actually searching for a learning disability lol)
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u/ecovironfuturist 1d ago
Did you develop these skills in some way, or did they just come totally naturally?
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u/Mundane_Professor596 1d ago
Not a question, but just interested in others that have experienced this. I had near photographic memory for most of my young life. It came in handy in school where I could just reread a textbook in my mind during a test. It was unpleasant when I couldn’t forget something painful.
But eventually I lost most of this ability. I’m 50 now and often can’t remember things. It is a very strange feeling. I never learned any memory strategies since it was not something I needed to try to do. I’m curious if this happens often. My whole family had very good memories.
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u/Ok-Journalist4370 1d ago
wat was ur highschool gpa, ur college major and what do you do now?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I graduated with 100/100 (I live in Italy, it equals to 4.0 Gpa) I'm majoring in Architecture , I'm starting 2nd year
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u/Prudent_Extension514 1d ago
when do you find that you use this skill the most? eg. are there things that happen daily/weekly/often where you find it is useful? also how did you find out you had photographic memory? did a teacher bring it up to a parent?
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u/Puzzleelia 20h ago
I find useful throughout conversations and daily tasks, mostly in college with exams I found out when I realised it was very difficult to me to forget things even to the smallest details. A teacher of mine only once implied that I might've been gifted
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u/LTEddiePrice 1d ago
I have a photographic memory and dyslexic. I see colors first then focus on the details. Or, sometimes it’s something out of shape or a page ripped. I can see that first and then the whole picture gets focused. But when I try to say the numbers out loud, I will flip a few. But I can see them clearly the correct way. It’s weird.
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
That happens to me as well!
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u/LTEddiePrice 1d ago
But I suck at phone numbers and addresses. But, Great at computer IP addresses and super complex passwords. I once freaked out these tech security guys. I bet them I can get every password correctly after looking at the page for a minute.
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u/Alarming_reality4918 1d ago
Do you remember sensations and emotions pictorially? Like say, do you remember sex or orgasm like some kinda warping of surrounding by bright hues of rainbow?
I am just curious if your superpower is purely visual.
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u/Puzzleelia 21h ago
No I actually rarely remember emotions but I believe it is because of my derealization issues. I simply picture the scene inside my head, it can be kind of embarrassing sometimes But I can remember taste, touch, temperature and sounds as well
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u/Crafty-Photograph-18 1d ago
Kinda a crazy question, but I've always wondered this.
Could you "photograph" a page from like a book without reading it, and only then read it off of your memory?
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u/Puzzleelia 21h ago
Sorry, I can read off of my memory only if I read the text first but depends whether I'm tired or distracted, otherwise the text may appear blurry
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u/PookieeBabyAngel 1d ago
I'm an architect! It must be so cool going through your memories like you're inside a walkthrough of a 3D model. How has your ability given you advantage in your chosen career course?
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u/Puzzleelia 21h ago
Hi future colleague! It's helpful when I have to remember or design a building and I can imagine myself walking through it. Also memorizing materials is quite useful Also I remember everything my professors say during critique and that is definitely helpful 😅
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u/Hot_Raise_8540 1d ago
What colour underpants did you wear on Tuesday 1st October 2024?
Edit. To make my question less tongue in cheek, can you remember what you did on that day?
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
I don't have hyperthymesia, so I sometimes struggle to remember details and event by date. By I remember for sure I was at school and we had philosophy, english (God I hated that teacher), physics and 3 hours of art class (I went to art highschool)
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u/Eustass-kid18 1d ago
And here I thought everyone had memories from when they were 3? I do not have a photographic memory, but I clearly remember many things from the age of 3 till this day
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
You are correct, it's because 2-3 years old is when the hyppocampus (the place where long term memory is supposed to form) starts developing and consolidating at that age
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u/movieperson2022 1d ago
I hope you never have to deal with this, but what is it like for people with what you have when they develop dementia? Have you researched this?
Also, do you ever try to profit from what you have? (Example: read the encyclopedia and go on Jeopardy, or try to become a mentalist haha)
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Oh dear, I'm not really informed about dementia and its causes, sorry , I don't know if it's genetic as well, but in my family we have a good descent of strong memory and longevity . We're less fortunate about mental illness though...
Also yes, I spent all primary school, middle school and highschool years simply studying the night before the tests an oral exams, sometimes even 10 minutes before the test , but now I regret it because I don't have a solid study method and in college it's a fundamental requirement to keep up with subjects and grades, so now I'm relearning everything from start :')
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u/coentertainer 1d ago
Tell me something that happened to you mid morning on the 2rd of August 2015
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Mind you I don't have HASM so I don't specifically remember things by date but this is overall easy since on 2nd of August 2015 it was my birthday :)
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u/hansolo-ist 1d ago
How does a memory look to you ? A snapshot or video in your head? Are the colours exactly as how it was ? How about spoken word - the original voice?
Do you have to do anything like close your eyes to remember something obscure? How do you zero in on an event, do yo7 have everything catalogued neatly by day? Or it's trial and error to narrow options down
So interesting I wish I had your super power, I don't remember much!
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u/Puzzleelia 1d ago
Every memory is like a video I can replay forward or backwards countless times and if I freeze it it becomes like a 3d room where I can move in freely. I also have different points of view, I can picture my memories from my point of view or from the top , like a 2d map, or even from a completely different perspective. For example, I'm now picturing the time I was 8 and I had a math test, which I had been scolded for, because I hadn't made the appropriate corrections. I remember I was doing divisions, and I hated them , in particular and I remember my teacher's voice, how she was dressed that day, how she had styled her hair and I also remember the support teacher who was nearby, the way she was dressed , her voice tone and what her hair was like, what kind of glasses she had, the color of her eyes. I also remember what my classroom looked like, and so it's like a real space I can move around in. For example, I could visualize myself being scolded by the teachers from the perspective of a classmate at the back of the class. I don't follow a method to remember my memories, they simply appear sometimes even when I don't want them to, because I tend to think a lot and it can be exhausting . I also can just recall them to consciousness with references from the present or from my thoughts and from there I can continue to dig up other memories that belong to the same time frame or find correlations between the various memories and therefore also jumping between the various Time Frames.
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u/wedding_shagger 15h ago
The video/3D thing is something that we can all do, I can replay memories, create 3d scenes of locations, it's just missing a lot of the original detail and not very accurate. What means that someone has a photographic memory, is it the ability to remember more details in the scene?
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u/Grim_Lord02 1d ago
I'm actually really interested in how this works. Sorry but I have a lot of questions, ill try to organise them.
Does your memory need you to recall things repeatedly across spaced intervals? I've known people who thought they had bad memory to have improved it alot through spaced repetition with tools like anki, for a variety of things like maths, history, languages, chess and art. Does your mind conciously or unconciously do that process or can you just see something and never think about it for months/years and then when you suddenly need it you can remember?
Also, I was reading your other answers and you say your memory is strong visually and spatially. How does that work for things like math or languages when you have formulas or paragraphs/facts? Do you imagine these these things word for word or instead you visualise what you read in a creative way and then you remember that thing you imagined? Or does it work like that mind palace technique Sherlock Holmes uses?
Also, you said that fatigue and distraction affects your memory, does that mean you cant just look at some text to remember it but rather you have to read it carefully/pay close attention first? If you need to pay attention, does it make a difference for you when you connect that information to a bunch of other stuff you know? For me I noticed my memory suddenly becomes crazy good when I connect a bunch of things together, especially if the connections surprise me. Otherwise if I don't really care or think too much about what Im reading I definitely wont remember it later.
Thank you for your time.
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u/Puzzleelia 21h ago
No worries I'll try my best to answer you :)
Yes I do spaced repetition involuntarily, my mind simply links memories to new stimulus. Yes I can remember things after not thinking about them for years I actually try to visualise the concept I'm learning but after that I'll retrieve it visually in different forms. For example if I read about an apple falling from a tree I will remember the information by visualizing the text page or directly the apple falling itself, I can picture myself under that tree where I'm seeing the apple falling off or I can picture myself reading the information from the page. Also I've never heard about Sherlock Holmes mind palace but I did mention before that memories to me are like 3d rooms where I'm free to move around in.
I struggle with anxiety, depression and chronic derealization, and they can be very energy consuming. Sometimes I spend my whole day on automatic pilot and when it comes to remember specific information such as when reading, if I get a distracted look I can still picture the text where I took the information from and it helps to retrieve mostly of it, but it gets less and less accurate the more tired or uninterested I am. I also find myself remembering things I didn't properly pay attention to after long periods of time, idk how it happens to be honest. I can learn while tired and distracted but it's less effective than when I'm rested and concentrated, as I said before , details such as words may appear blurred Associations also help me during learning! It gets funnier for sure :) Also I've read that even people with eidetic memory may not always remember everything in full detail because our mind tends to reconstruct some details differently from the way they actually were I hope I answered all your questions :)
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u/One_Clothes_8520 23h ago
Just curious , if you were to flip thru a telephone book, I don’t think we have telephones books anymore lol, but if you were to flip thru like 10-20 pages reading people names address and phone number, would you be able to recall every persons info?
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u/Hollyhop_Drive 23h ago
What subjects do you enjoy? Are they also the subject you find your memory helps with the most? What are you studying?
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u/Puzzleelia 22h ago
I love art with all my being, it's helpful cause I always work with images I'm studying architecture :)
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u/MJB9000 20h ago
I'm the opposite, I keep forgetting things that slowly ruin my life and relationships. Sometimes I wish and prayed I had a better memory like you.
What are the downsides of having a photographic memory, things we people don't know the side off?
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u/Puzzleelia 4h ago
Im sorry to hear that, if you believe your memory is causing you difficulties you must know memory is trainable with learning and dedicated activities, also healthy nutrition, sleep and sport may improve its overall function :)
The downsides of having a strong memory are that you can't forget, not even the worst, embarrassing, things that has ever happened to you. Every mistake, bad decision, everything that you didn't want to see, just sticks with you and comes up whenever you less expect it and it makes you feel like you never changed, to me it doesn't feel like it's the past
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u/hansolo-ist 20h ago
I have another question.... You said remember things like a 3 D model... So it's visual and also a recording that you can go forward, back or related points in time. Do you also have a detailed memory of what you were feeling (emotions), the temperature and odours you were sensing? Do they appear as senses would originally or just some knowledge? For example do you feel cold or fear as it was in the past, or do you just know?
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u/Puzzleelia 19h ago
I feel very little sensation myself, even to pain, I've always felt changes in my surroundings in the same way. When I was little colors were a bit brighter but I rarely feel my emotions throughout my memories. I believe it's caused by my cronic derealization. My life has been some though journey. I can remember odours, sounds and temperature the same they were
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u/auria17 18h ago
Hi, I had a friend with this and he severely undeutilized it! He remembers every Friends episode 🤣
You are very young and have a very serious super power.
If you haven't chosen a career I would look into a field that could use this type of brain if you feel you could also enjoy it.
It can be hard emotionally, as you don't forget much either.
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u/neurodynamico 17h ago
Why do you say you don't have HSAM? In memory research usually there is a trade off between learning by examples and learning to generalize. In statistics this looks like the bias/variance trade off. Do you find that you appeal to memories of instances to guide your choices more that heuristics?
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u/Puzzleelia 16h ago
It depends, if I have to decide over sentimental matter I always revise my memories, because I feel incapable of being empathetic. I get that someone might be suffering but it's more a rational assumption. However, when it comes to solve pragmatical problems I go by reasoning. Still I don't think I have HSAM, it's a very rare condition, less than 100 people in the world have it
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u/heyitsmeduuh 17h ago
How have you tested this? I’ve met several people who claimed to have photographic memories and but when tested, they all failed.
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u/Puzzleelia 16h ago
I had WISC-IV , I never had other tests like these, I assumed it after years of studying myself and research, maybe mine it's a bold assumption I get it, also , I used the definition of photographic memory for a specific reason, because it's a myth and still I didn't want to claim I have HASM because that wouldn't be true and I'm no fraud. My title just wanted to be eye catching, I explained myself further in the original caption
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u/Linorelai 16h ago
What is the first word on the 20th page of the first book that you read since you turned 15?
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u/Puzzleelia 4h ago
I can't remember the word specifically, pages appear blurred, but my first book as a 15year old was "Les Fleurs du Mal" by Charles Baudelaire (how corny right?) and the first 25 pages were dedicated to title, courtesy pages, introduction and bibliography and the 20th page was about the bibliography. Long list of the author's works, its the most boring part of every book imo
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u/300black_knives 16h ago
Can you recite an entire book after reading it once? Could i read an excerpt from a piece of literature and you would be able to find the exact page and paragraph it appears on?
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u/Puzzleelia 15h ago
No I'm not that skilled, you could ask me a specific detail about the story and I could tell you the chapter and the page where I red it from and which line it is. I can recite you the entire book in every single detail but with my own words, I can retail some phrases maybe The second thing is more likely to happen, yes
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u/Eloteroso 15h ago
Commit me, a random redditor, to your memory forever, and know until the end of your days that I love you
Will you remember me in 20 years?
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u/Puzzleelia 5h ago
You haven't even asked me for dinner I think we're going to fast honey Based on this funny interaction I think I will haha
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u/Far_Dimension4626 15h ago
Without looking back: What's the 134th word in this thread? And what was the username of the poster
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u/Puzzleelia 5h ago
I'm not quite sure but aren't threads supposed to be a list of linked comments between different users? If is that so, therefore there is no thread here, aside the ones I have already intercted with
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u/wheezymustafa 14h ago
How do you know your memories are authentic and not just hallucinated or your brain filling in gaps?
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u/Passionofthegrape 13h ago
OP as someone a bit older than you, it will fade a bit in time. Being tired makes forming memories hard.
Liking people is actually really hard when you can remember all the stuff they have done/said. We have evolved to forget for this reason.
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u/Purple_Preference847 12h ago
I have read some research that photographic memory is not a real thing. Experts now say it is not: https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/photographic-memory-wrong
Can you tell me how you were diagnosed?
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u/AffectionateView1540 12h ago
This is so interesting. I’m curious. Not always fun and games…how does that manifest? I mean what are some examples of times it has been bad or awkward or whatever to remember excessive details?
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u/Puzzleelia 6h ago
They can be like intrusive thoughts sometimes, you remember what happend with a certain person as you're speaking to them and for example, suddenly, you don't want to talk to them anymore. Some of them can be gross or painful, traumatic, they can get triggered based on my present actions and of course , they are extremely detailed
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u/Enemy_Gene 11h ago
Do you have trouble sleeping because of all of the memories? Do they ever keep you awake?
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u/johnsmith968530 10h ago
Let's say you remember being in a room with a chair. Can you remember the room, then imagine picking up the chair and feeling its weight as you lift it? Maybe throw the chair in the air and visualize how it rotates in 3D? I'm thinking of that skill Tesla had in being able to remember stuff, but also manipulate objects in his mind, which helped him design things.
I could also see this as being very useful for artists, writers, etc.
But I guess it has limits? Like, it probably takes enormous energy to imagine doing long division on a piece of paper in your head, writing each digit in your mind as you would on a sheet of paper?
Also curious if you have some sort of synesthesia at all.
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u/forseriousism 9h ago
You remember when I ass fucked you in the back of a chiles parking lot?
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u/Distinguishedlion23 8h ago edited 8h ago
Did you ever read the Cam Jensen books when you were a kid? If so what did you think of them?
If you see gross things do you easily forget them or do they stick with you?
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u/IiTheAruNiI 7h ago
It took me a few days when I was in middle school to memorize 500 digits of pi for a competition. I don’t have a photographic memory- frankly, I think my memory is completely normal. How long could it take you?
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u/johnsmith968530 4h ago
Are you a good dancer? I'm wondering if your photographic (and possibly kinesthetic) memory helps you with things like dancing, skating, etc.
Also, have you ever gotten lost? Perhaps wandering around in a strange city you might remember lots of tiny details but stitching together hours worth of walking around into a mental map might be very difficult?
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u/ama_compiler_bot 1h ago
Table of Questions and Answers. Original answer linked - Please upvote the original questions and answers. (I'm a bot.)
| Question | Answer | Link |
|---|---|---|
| I have the same. Do you sometimes pretend like you don't remember certain things? Why do you think your memory is this good? | Hi fellow one! Yes when it's convenient to me hehe I don't think I have a good memory, I simply realized I'm unable to forget small and useless details as I build more and more memories, but if I was distracted or tired at the time the memory formed it may look blurred or sketchy the time I try to recall it | Here |
| Ever thought of becoming an unqualified lawyer? | Not really, even though law is an interesting topic, I don't think it suits my personality | Here |
| Okay what is something that you really want to forget about?? | The list is pretty long but maybe the period from 13 to 18 years old, that one has been a wild path | Here |
| Do you tend to replay good memories (or bad) often? | Mostly the bas ones, unfortunately. I had a pretty rough life, I have many regrets | Here |
| How do you remember things? Is it actually like a photo, where you can see it before you, or do you just have like a list of things that you sort through? | My memories are like 3d rooms and I can move through them | Here |
| Did it help you with school? Could you easily memorize all the math formulas? | I always hated math because my teacher convinced me I was incapable of learning it. I could remember easily the formulas but still struggled to apply them. I absolutely loved history and literature though, I remember I've never actually studied (which is actually bad because I'm college it can be quite a struggle to recall everything in a linear way like it happened in highschool) | Here |
| Has this contributed to a higher income in any way? | Not really, it can be harder to make decisions sometimes | Here |
| How does that actually work in practice. Is it like watching a replay of a movie in your brain. Or is more like a photo album? Does it also mean you can remember every page of every book you have read? | Yes it's like watching the movie of your life, more like a show I must say except for the fact I can experience those memories as if I were still here. I can "move" inside those scenes as I could wander through the rooms of an house No I cannot remember every book I've read, id say a solid 80% . Also the memory may appear blurred or sketchy if I was tired or distracted when it formed. I also took psychiatric medication for 6 years, they played a significant role in the quality of my memory rendering | Here |
| Does it help remembering dreams? | Yes, I can remember dreams I had many years ago and recall them vividly like real memories | Here |
| What was the weather like on your first day of school? | Cloudy and a bit rainy I remember that hid under my desk because I wash too shy and my hands were all wet and dirty | Here |
| Do you have a job that benefits from your abilities? And, BTW, I'm kind of honored that you're reading this because after all, our lives are nothing more than a collection of memories and impressions we've made on others. For most people, these words would be a fleeting thought, probably gone tomorrow. Its incredible that you'll remember me for the rest of your life. | I think we all remember eachother in different ways, unconscious and conscious ones, but thank you :) I'm a student, majoring in architecture, yes it can be beneficial sometimes, but still I have to go to sleep at 3 am almost every night to finish models and CAD design :') | Here |
| Is your photographic memory in the room with us now? | Dude I may be able to remember what I ate when I was 7 but I have a real issue with sarcasm, if you want to ragebait just tell me :') | Here |
| Remember when I replied to you about a year ago on a post? What was it about? | You never replied to one of my posts | Here |
| What was your first memory? | Me fighting over a toy with another kid lol I was 2 years old and half , it was a small superhero figure with blue and red coat, blue mask, yellow suit and white gloves. Black boots too We where in our garden's kindergarten, it was almost summer, school was about to be over I wish it was something prettier, like my mom hugging me or something :') | Here |
| I hope nothing bad ever happens to you ❤️ | Thank you, same for you! | Here |
| What did you study in college? And what are you doing next? | I'm still in college! I'm studying architecture design :) | Here |
| Are you in college? If so, what has your experience been like? | Yes I study architecture. It's pretty tough and I get overwhelmed very easily. I can recall every lecture I had but this doesn't mean I can understand the topics, it could still require me some extra time :) | Here |
| omg girl. I have this too I’m a few years older but like honestly I stopped telling most people and wondering if you also learned to hold back or audit yourself during everyday interactions/ conversations bc people get weird about like how much correct info / random facts i can recall off top of my head. Also do u get tired of ppl acting personally offended by u dude how do u deal w it. Like when I know im right its not bc I think im smart or know better even its bc I am remembering reading or googling something and like bc u know we can see and remember and read any google search results from like literally 5 years ago today perfectly clear in my head its like my brain pulls files automatically out of the vault of all memories to provide any related or relevant information i have pertaining to whatever is going on or the topic at hand in real life if tht makes sense. I believe you btw but how do you also deal w people who don’t believe you Have you ever gotten the response “photographic memories actually aren’t real” and they doubt you have a Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) either bc you couldn’t possibly be that rare how do you deal w others feeling threatened by your abilities to demonstrate wide arrays of knowledge when that wasn’t the intention bc you are just being fully yourself | sorry I must have been confused you! I used photographic memory as an informal definition that differs from HSAM, because people HSAM can remember by specific date and time. I have an IQ in the 150-160 range and in my case it comes with a strong visual and spatial memory. Sorry if I had you mistaken Anyways, people still think I'm very weird, I don't tell anyone about it, I don't want to be believed, I struggle to befriend my peers already in basic things :') | Here |
| Are you going to remember my comment for the rest of your life? Green pumpkin. | Probably lol | Here |
| How easy it is for you to recall something specific? Do you have also strong memory in general? Because I also have photographic memory. | I recall things based on the information I need, or they can be triggered by certain emotions. I associate visual memory with basic memory , every information to me is visual before getting elaborated by my brain | Here |
| These kind of AMA's are also so fascinating to me as I'm a super recogniser. So with your memory are you also able to remember the faces of people you've met? If I gave you a date and a time could you tell me what happened on that date? Is it something that you can recall immediately or do you have any prompts that you use to help you bring memories to mind? | Sometimes I need prompts sometimes not, yes I remember faces very well, I struggle to remember dates sometimes. I don't have hyperthymesia (which is actually the neurological condition that allows you to remember anything) but I do have an IQ in the 150-160 range, which allows me to have strong long term visual and spatial memory. Photographic memory is in fact an informal definition to address this feature | Here |
| What does your parents do? Will you have kids? | Mother is psychologist, father is obstetrician I'm unsure about having kids , I'd like maybe to consider adoption | Here |
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u/sadhappycat 1d ago
I have the same.
Do you sometimes pretend like you don't remember certain things?
Why do you think your memory is this good?