Does anyone else not remember?

[lemonsaretheonlyfruit]

I consider myself to be a pretty well rounded / functioning person. But I don't seem to have any sort of memory. My DD (14) has an Autism assessment in 2 weeks and I am trying to think of things from when she was younger and I really struggle. I don't remember any 'facts' from school or even what happened a couple of years ago. (Ie this week my mum asked me what the handyman did with the door lock when he came six months ago and I have no idea). I just don't really recall much that happened in the past. Is this common? I have no idea.

I do remember what happened yesterday but not 6 months ago for example.

I do have very similar where I only remember really important events. I always put it down to being too busy/having too much to think about, so my brain prioritises the main things.

How old are you OP could it be peri/menopause fog?

Me!
Friends talk about family traditions etc from when they were young, I just can’t remember this stuff. Regular meals, what happened at Christmas etc. I also think this is a reason I find it really hard to learn and retain facts, particularly if I’m not very interested eg politics.
However the area I work in I’m quite knowledgeable and learn quickly, perhaps because I’m more interested.

@Whatoflife is this the reason? I have no idea. I don't want to be this way but it seems to be how it is. I remember 1 fact about France invading the Ruhr in 1923 (no idea why I remember thAt one thing) bud that's it. Why?

@Whatoflife this is me. People remember all these things. I think I'm ok in general but I don't remember any of this stuff! I feel embarrassed the whole time and juSt gloss over it

I have no idea!
Interested to see if anyone else comments.
I’m not stupid at all I just cannot retain information!

@HeadacheGrey maybe but I think I have always been like this

Same, and I always read the news and try and keep up. My general knowledge is appalling.

@Whatoflife this is me!!

I can't remember things. In fact, I feel sad as I can't remember my dc when they were babies/toddlers to the point where I look at photos and have zero recollection of the day/event the photo was taken at. I also look at my DC's clothes in photos and have no recollection of them and wonder where they came from.

I'm the same. Educated to phd level but can't remember anything about my degree. Not even the basics to explain DC's homework. Can't get a job. Don't remember conversations, places and can't picture things in my mind e.g. what the DC looked like as babies, need photos to see.

This is why I take lots of photos.

I think it's a blessing too, many awful memories have long been deleted.

Then again sometimes in dreams I am in places I have long since forgotten, with people I haven't thought about in decades or couldn't consciously picture. so I think it's there somewhere.

I had this same issue and it turned out to be a very severe B12 deficiency, which I'm supposed to be having tests for to see if there is a condition causing it.

I used to have an excellent memory. But I never seemed to get over baby brain and then started the menopause. My memory is buggered.

My memory is very patchy, and I have trouble learning things unless I’m very invested. But my instincts are very good so I’ve sort of got by on that. I’m also good at playing to my strengths.

If I were a child in primary school now I would definitely be diagnosed with ADD, I remember being shouted at a lot for not being able to sit still or concentrate or learn. When I started in reception my older sister was dragged in to stop me ‘making noises’. I wonder if that has a place in the whole complex memory and learning thing. It’s like my brain was too full and I was constantly trying to calm myself down, so there was no room for organisation or learning. It didn’t go down great in convents in the 70s .
I also have this thing if I need to talk about things like insurance, investments, complex mortgages etc my brain just turns into scrabble eggs and I can’t retain any information or respond to questions. Learning a language sense like a super power to me.

My DH has very limited long-term memories. So, for example, his family went on a few foreign holidays when he was a child but he has no recollection of any of them. There are a few times when we've discussed going to a particular country and MIL tells him they went when he was a teenager but he can't remember a thing about it. He also has very little memory of the DC being born etc. But he does have an amazing sense of direction and can remember a how to get somewhere without satnav etc if he's done the journey once before. I can remember lots about key events in my life but have no sense of direction at all.

I’m like this too. My sister can remember lots of stuff from our childhood but I can only remember a few patchy things and they are mainly things I have seen photos of recently. I also can’t remember a lot of things from my kids when they were little. I can easily remember where I have parked my car though and my sense of direction is good. Even in strange towns I can find my way back to my car. I mostly don’t forget appointments or what I’m doing this coming week.

I’m like this. I was working and long term memory issues. It’s bloody horrible. We went on holiday to Devon 10 years ago and I can’t remember going. It really upsets me as it has wreaked my confidence and made me really anxious.

I'm relating to so many of these. My childhood, my dcs babyhood, many entire years, last weekend etc are all a blank. Does anyone find it hard at work? I'm fine if I'm REALLY interested but most of it seems so irrelevant I can't retain anything. I look around at meetings and people seem engaged and to remember all the business jargon etc. And I've been there years so my lack of knowledge is embarrassing.

I'm so glad other people are like this!

I can't remember much about the past. I can hardly remember anything of my children being small.

Facebook memories has been the best invention for this.

I try not to let it bother me. I live in the moment and worry pathologically about the future and I'm happy! And now I take lots of photos

I've always had a very bad memory. I remember stuff sort of randomly but really struggle to recall stuff when asked, particularly from long ago. One of the reasons I absolutely hated ds ASD assessment process at age 10, and dreading potentially having another one coming up. You have my sympathy op.

I am neurodivergent, autistic and adhd/add and my memory is awful. I also don't see in pictures and can't visualise in my head at all which I think contributes to my memory issues.

Thai thread is really interesting.
Ohyesiam I’m similar when it comes to mortgages, finances etc. I really struggle to understand.
Embarrassingly I also struggle with complicated film plots and books!
I wonder if there a label for this condition?

I have an incredibly detailed memory of my life before the age of 18. I remember all the details of my nursery school, the birthdays of people in my primary school class, what I had for lunch on a certain day etc.

Then weirdly nothing. Well, not nothing. But it all feels very fuzzy. I have my diaries I kept in my twenties and when I read them back I have no memory of the things I wrote about. It's like my brain got filled up.

Gosh. I’ve the opposite problem - I can’t forget things! And if I do it terrifies me.
Is it possible you’ve had an early trauma as I believe that can affect memory (mind you, I’ve had trauma from day one but I remember turning 4 and before that so idk)