2:32am June 5, 2014

Memory and auties: What’s your memory like?

Mostly because there’s a series of posts (mostly from actually) I’ve been seeing that discuss auties and memory capabilities.

Because, as far as I’ve experienced/have heard memory stuff is a mixed bag with auties.

(I mean, my short term recall (if from written) is decent, but my mid term stuff is terrible and have a very hard time putting stuff from short to long memory if I think that I don’t need the information in the future, and taught/researched skills stick around in my brain forever…

…However, I’m terrible at recalling social encounters/schtick to the point that I will forget interactions (not topics, but the actual interaction) that have occured in the past week or so. (And it’s interesting to note that this is one of my first skills to vanish when I get stressed)

So… memory:

I was given the Weschler Memory Test the last time I got my IQ tested. My scores were in the 60-70 range as I recall. (The score ranges are the same as on an IQ test, but for memory.) That was for short-term memory.

Other than that, my memory is a serious mixed bag:

If something triggers a memory, then my memory is better and more detailed than average. I remember more things, in more detail, with more accuracy, than the average person.

If something doesn’t trigger a memory, then I most of the time flat-out can’t remember it, or can only remember it in the most hazy of hazy fashions.

This goes along with the entire pattern of my movement disorder (autistic catatonia) where triggered movements can be excellent and purely self-initiated movements can suck. It goes not just for physical movement but for sensory stuff, memories, emotions, thoughts, and everything.