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Original poster

Face blindness anyone?

73 replies

WoeIsMee · 26/04/2020 17:54

Does anyone have it? It’s when you can’t recognise/have great difficulty recognising people.

OP posts:
Cooroo · 26/04/2020 20:00

It's called prosopagnosia. I have it mildly. I used to get people mixed up at work (bloke, brown hair, 30s...). I never recognise people out of context unless I know them well.

Selford · 26/04/2020 20:04

If anyone is interested, Swansea Uni is doing research into this. I did an online questionnaire for them a year or so ago - there's a link on the Get Involved page on the website for people to volunteer.
sites.google.com/view/face-research-swansea/home

Apparently Stephen Fry also has face blindness - he featured in a Radio 4 doc www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000b4wc. Comforting to know what someone really smart, and also successful has difficulties - not that I'd wish it on anyone!

SavoyCabbage · 26/04/2020 20:07

My dd had a little boy in her class who had this and his mum took a photo of all of the children’s shoes on the first day and made him a book of who was who in relation to their footwear.

PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle · 26/04/2020 20:12

So it's not just me!
That's a relief. I've never before heard anyone mention this and I thought I was the only one. My husband is the opposite and can recall faced easily. I can meet someone on the street that I know but if they're out of context then I'll have trouble remembering who they are. It can be very embarrassing.

Perfidy · 26/04/2020 20:12

Yep, family and friends ok. Close colleagues yes. But anyone else have to have met them many times. It’s so embarrassing and people think I’m rude or was pissed when I met them.

DC3dilemma · 26/04/2020 20:14

I have this (prosopagnosia) and have assumed it’s because/to do with having a high AQ.

I can get common faces in my head if I see them regularly but going back to work after annual leave or even worse, mat leave, has been really difficult.

I’m also worse with nondescript faces, people without notable hair colours or styles, no glasses etc.

I used to have some difficulty with my 2nd child. 1st had huge curly blond hair from birth, 3rd has loads of curly brown hair, but my second was near bald until 2 and I used to have real difficulty picking him out from other babies and toddlers at nursery. It was really embarrassing..and I do wonder if seeing his own mum gaze blankly past him has had an affect on him. One day they’d put him in spare clothes and because I’d been relying on recognising clothes, I flew into a blind panic that he wasn’t there. All the staff were looking at me like I was nuts as he was literally 2 metres from me.

gamerchick · 26/04/2020 20:18

I do, it's the bane of my life. People who know me well, know to come and give me a poke if they see me while out. People who don't, I tell them I have a face blindness and to bear with me. Its the same with fixing names to faces, takes me ages but the vast majority of people are understanding when I tell them.

Its nothing to be ashamed of man. Don't struggle with it, just be upfront.

Dk20 · 26/04/2020 20:19

I think my ds has this.
He doesn't recognise anyone anywhere.
Eg, he has been football training weekly with the same trainer for almost 2 years. But if we bump into the trainer anywhere else, ds doesn't recognise him.

VodselForDinner · 26/04/2020 20:20

I have this too. It can be very embarrassing.

I work in HR. In my earlier career, I’d interview someone on a Monday, have them back for second round later that week, and would struggle to recognise them in reception Blush
Or would spend about 4 hours sitting across from someone in a disciplinary hearing, then walk past them in the canteen the following day and not even acknowledge them.

I really struggle with it.

I now always tell people that I’m terrible with faces. I’m really good with other details like names of children etc. That can help cover it up.

As an example, I’ll see someone I know I know but don’t recognise them so I’ll ask a very generalised “how are you all” type question with the hope they’ll say “all good, Ava is starting with crèche next next week and Julie is going back to work”.
That helps a lot.

I also try and link people to physical attributes but I’m lucky in that I’ve never spoken these out loud!

People I know include- Sarah with the birthmark, John with the eyeliner (he doesn’t wear eyeliner, he just has a lovely dark lash line that’s very distinctive), and Dermot with the lisp.

Odyc · 26/04/2020 20:26

Yes I have this and my son does too. When I was young it wasn't a problem but in my 30's and 40's have struggled with it because I have been meeting many new people who I don't see regularly through becoming a parent and doing voluntary work and also moving house.

eldeeno · 26/04/2020 20:26

I have this a bit, but I think it's a side effect of having Aphantasia. I seriously struggle to picture my own Children’s faces in my mind. Given that I'm a teacher, it's a nightmare!

I'm just honest with the students that I have this, they're usually fascinated by it, and don't take it personally when they know. Previously, I had to use mnemonics to remember the student's names... like loud Larry and the like.

Look it up, I think the two might be related...

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphantasia

NeedToKnow101 · 26/04/2020 20:26

Pretty sure my mum had it.

dudsville · 26/04/2020 20:36

No matter how much i want to i just literally can't seem to log faces. It takes me several regular meaningful meetings, and even then if there's a break for a few weeks they're gone from memory. When i initially meet people i try really hard to focus, and sometimes i make notes about some distinguishing features, but when i try to call them to mind i can tell you what they were wearing, how they stood or sat, near verbatim what we spoke about, but the face is a blur in my memory.

HollowTalk · 26/04/2020 20:38

There's a really great thriller called Remember Me by Amy McLellan about a witness to a murder having face blindness. It's here if anyone's interested.

RomaineCalm · 26/04/2020 20:39

I know loads of people. I remember everything about them - age, children, jobs- but will ignore them completely if I see them out and about. Same with my friends from when I used to show horses. I would recognise the horse but not them. So without the horse I was completely lost. It’s so embarrassing. But not so bad that I don’t recognise my family and close friends - although sometimes I have to look at photos as I cannot imagine them in my mind if that makes sense?

This is me! I recognise cars and dogs if we see people out and about but if they were to go for a walk without the dog I would ignore them completely.

It's hugely embarrassing particularly at work. Over the years I have found ways to get around it but there are meetings and events when I can be talking to someone with absolutely no idea who they are and desperately hoping that they will throw me a clue. Out of context I have absolutely no chance.

RomaineCalm · 26/04/2020 20:41

I struggle with films/ series if there’s two actors who have similar features

This too! I'll recognise a character from what they are wearing but if they change their outfit I'm stuffed.

Isesgirl · 26/04/2020 20:43

I have this too and it can be really embarrassing. I echo the people who have said they recognise people "in context" - ie other school mums at the school gates, work colleagues at my place of work but if I see them in Tesco, for example, the best I can hope for is that something identifying will come up in the - sometimes excruciating - conversation, which will make my brain "click" as to who they are.

I have explained it to quite a few people and I find most are quite accepting of it just being a quirk that I - and many others - have.

I also often struggle with TV shows and films where actors look similar and lose the plot quickly if there are two brown haired males and one is the good guy and one is the bad guy.

Grabbber · 26/04/2020 20:55

Woe exactly that! I say that I have great difficulty recognising people, so if they ever see me out and about, and I appear to be ignoring them - I’m actually not. I just haven’t recognised them.

Oblomov20 · 27/04/2020 07:43

I signed up to the research selford posted.

But what I really want is tips to work around it.

I have previously read up on it but found nothing helpful.

Peppafrig · 27/04/2020 07:45

Yes I have trouble recognising people if I see them out of context for where I know them. I have walked by my neighbours in the supermarket and work colleagues at parties etc.

Oblomov20 · 27/04/2020 07:48

Like Dinner, I now specifically tell people, in a laughing jokey way:

"Oh I'm terrible with faces. But I'm great at remembering odd details! "

Ha ha. Tries to laugh it off.

Dinner: "I now always tell people that I’m terrible with faces. I’m really good with other details like names of children etc. That can help cover it up. "

borntobequiet · 27/04/2020 07:50

Another teacher here with it. Seating plans help.
In town I just used to assume I had taught anyone I met of a ceand smiled nicely at them

borntobequiet · 27/04/2020 07:50

Oops post mistake...of a certain age

Oblomov20 · 27/04/2020 07:51

Is it very rare? What % of the population have it?

MrsRobinsonsHandprints · 27/04/2020 07:54

Since finding out about it I've started telling people that I have face blindness, in general people are fascinated.
I also remember lots of details about people.