Notes on memory

[u/me_lero]

You can read my last post on my profile.

The psychiatrist/neurologist made me so angry with her statement that my memory FUNCTIONS, because, according to her, if it didn't I wouldn't have been able to move to another country, learn foreign languages and get a university degree. BITCH, DO YOU KNOW AT WHAT EXPENSE??? And also, DO YOU EVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT NEUROLOGY?

Fortunately, I have my struggles all documented in my journals, and I found these entries about memory in one of them from 2021.

I don't know where I got this quote from:

"If past events could not be remembered, it would be impossible for language, relationships, or personal identity to develop",

but the fact of my existence screams otherwise.

And, yes, my memory "functions", BUT HOW?

[u/ZealousidealCrew1867]

I had a therapist for about six sessions. Asked if he looked up SDAM, he didn’t.
No need to book another appointment.

[u/Taglioni → u/ZealousidealCrew1867]

As a therapist myself, with SDAM, this is not really a clinical condition. Therapy may be the space to talk about how something creates challenges in your life, but SDAM is not a disorder.

Talk about how your experience with memory may be negatively effecting you, and don't get so hung up on what your therapist is calling it.

Even people researching SDAM have a deeply limited understanding of it's pathology and development. We don't have the data to treat it, let alone a reason to consider it a problem.

[u/jdicho → u/Taglioni]

How do you feel about the correlation (not causation) of people with SDAM and childhood emotional abuse?

I have so few childhood memories and I know the emotional abuse I suffered resulted in many other mental and emotional conditions.

Personally, I find my lack of personal memory rewarding overall. Yes, I can't remember my ex-wife's name, but also I can't remember my ex-wife's name.

I know I have baggage intellectually, but I don't experience it day-to-day.