Do you see your memories in the third person?

[mimblewimble]

It's just dawned on me that when I remember things from the past I visualise them from a third person perspective. Both recent memories and childhood memories. It's like I'm slightly zoomed out and watching from just above/behind myself. I can't see myself clearly, just know I'm there.

I dream in the first person, but when I try to recall my dreams I see them in the third person.

Just asked DH, he remembers in first person and DS can't visualise memories at all.

This is totally fascinating to me and now I want to know how other people see their memories!

I’m third person too. I didn’t know others didn’t see memories this way!

My dd and I had this exact conversation yesterday! We are both in the third person camp.

I can't see myself at all in my memories. I can just feel the emotions I felt. But
I do my best not to remember and try to live as though I have no past

I see memories in the first person, but I have a vivid recollection of some childhood trauma that I experienced at the time in third person. I suppose it was to disassociate myself from the frightening experience. Do you have any idea, OP why you might remember in the third person?

This sounds difficult, I am sorry you need to do this. Does it work? Are you able to block quite a lot out?

No, I don't have any trauma. Sorry if I've brought up a tricky subject for those that do.

This feels much more straightforward for me, it's not connected to any emotion. I've just dropped DS at school and if I try to picture that in my head I see it in the third person.

I have awful face recognition and detail recall, but good memory for spacial stuff. I feel like this could be connected to the 3rd person visualising, but not sure which would be the cause and which would be the effect!

I'm not formally diagnosed but my kids are autistic/ADHD and it wouldn't be a surprise if I was too. However, it doesn't seem to be an ND Thing as they both see things differently to me - DD has synaesthesia and sees colours for words, DS can't visualise memories...

It's fascinating that the world is such a different place for each of us, thank you for this thread, OP.

Thank you for your sympathy.
Tbh trying to block my memories has been a constant battle over the years But
I have had more success in the past year or so since I cut myself off from my family.

I’m the same as you.

I think I remember in the first person, much as I experienced it.

First person. I remember specific things I saw or heard from my own point of view.

First person for me.

First person.

First person for me. I have a very good memory but can't recognise faces easily at all. I've got synaesthesia too.

First person for me too.

In case it's related at all, I think in words / have an inner monologue. When I read a book I visualise what I'm reading in my head in pictures like I'm there.

It was only recently that I realised not everyone thought in words and could picture what they read, so this thread is fascinating to me too!

I can't figure out whether I think in words - if I do it's very disjointed. Sometimes I think words or phrases, but mainly I think I think in... feelings and ideas? Which kind of form into words as I speak or write... 😆

When I'm reading I can't picture people but I get a sense of atmosphere and sometimes a room or general scene. If I see a film of a book I've read I know whether it feels 'right'.

I’m exactly like you. I see a movie in my head. And my brain says things like “ I feel like pointing out her make-up looks ridiculous” with every word in place.

Yep memories are third person
Like watching a film clip
Dreaming is first. For me.

Those who see memories in third person, what is it like if you try to focus on seeing something in the first person?

For me it feels like my brain is going "whoa that's too close up", and the details go blurry and it wants to zoom out again. Like trying to zoom in on a phone camera.

I'm third person too. And sometimes IRL I feel as if I'm looking at myself from outside; as if I'm acting at being myself.

Oh, interesting! I think I am a first person in memories.
I will have to check closely next time I recall something, because it never had crossed my mind.

This recently came up on a uni module I'm studying! The reason behind it wasn't fully explained but it's generally something that happens over time - recent memories you can replay in first person, more distant memories shift to third person. Possibly due to the different areas of the brain involved in recalling stored memories, frontal cortex and temporal lobe. If you 'revisit' a memory enough it can remain in first-person. And approx 4% of people can't recall visual information at all!

@BearSoFair that sounds like an interesting course, what are you studying?

I can't even visualise things from 5 mins ago in first person...

This is really interesting, I've always assumed memories were experienced in the same way and never questioned it before.

When people say first person, do you mean as though you were still there?

If I remember something, I just go back in my head and relive it again, if that makes sense. As an example, first day at school all those years ago? I just go back. I'm inside it.... I can see it all around me, hear what was said, I can look up and see what the classroom looked like and what was on the wall, feel the feelings I felt then.....
Right through my life, all 60-odd years of it.

If someone asks me (eg.) "Do you remember that Christmas dinner when XYZ happened?" in order to remember it, I just go back in my head. Live it again. It's a helpful trait to have if someone says (eg.) "Did we use the red tablecloth or the white one?" I just go back, take a look, and then I can answer.

That's how all my memories are. Is that what others mean?

But there are so problems with this. I mean what are you wearing in your memory? You can’t really be remembering as you never saw exactly how you were standing, what your expression looked like, how the light fell on your clothes etc. The bit where you see yourself must be concocted. A real memory is actually just that: a remembered picture, not one worked up from imagination.