I often have the confidence that what I remember in the past is pretty much dead on. But, more and more, I realize things get muddled in my mind and I attach false or other things to unassociated memories.

My memory has always been bad but, seems like this is happening more and more. An example would be having a conversation about something and making statements I thought were true about something and finding they are not. I would generally check after the fact to find I was wrong. Now, I am unsure of a lot of my base knowledge which is shaky as best.

Anybody else dealing with this? It's like I am sharp in some things and everything else is uncertainty.

I'm 34 and is a huge downer to think my learning my have been affected more than I knew with my memory over the years.

Is it related to inattentive ADHD? I don't know my memory is very intact unless it's one of my divided attention moments.

I am hyperactive. if that counts


here's something I found


Short-Term Memory And ADHD - Like Behavior

Some children who are thought to have ADHD (http://www.drgreene.com/21_1021.html) don't have significant attention problems at all - short-term memory deficits can produce the ADHD-like behavior. Some children with ADHD also have separate short-term memory problems in addition to their ADHD (http://www.drgreene.com/54_32.html), making school (http://www.drgreene.com/54_8.html) that much more difficult. The journal Developmental Neuropsychology has urged that all children thought to have ADHD also be tested for learning problems, and that all children with learning problems be tested for attention deficits. The two conditions can appear very similar, but are treated differently. When one diagnosis is made, the other is often missed.

Thanks mspen. When I was tested my psychologist told me that I tested in the 28th percentile for memory. He stated that this was indicitive of people with ADD/ADHD. I've read in other literature that this is fairly common as well.

I haven't read what you just posted and find it highly intriguing. Thanks for posting that. I've been wondering about learning disabilities for a little while now and this makes me wonder more. I just don't know what to do with the patchwork of info I have. :-|

My understanding is that with ADHD, working memory and short-term memory tend to be more erratic than in a typical person. Combined with attentional deficits and increased distractability, it follows that we as ADHD'ers have a more difficult time sufficiently rehearsing and drawing meaningful associations to achieve long-term potentiation', also known as long-term memory.

It seems the norm for most people to require review to store and maintain long-term memory, though. Supposedly, spaced repitition (in other words, frequent reviewing of facts and concepts) can help improve the frequency and rate at which memories are recalled.

To my understanding, it is not the retrieval of information from long-term memory that is adversely affected in ADHD, rather it is devoting sufficient attention and time to the information to achieve long-term memory in the first place that is compromised.

Having said that, long-term declarative memory naturally declines with age in everyone. Furthermore, stress can wreak havoc on memory recall in ADHD'ers and typical people, alike.

How would you rate your stress level recently? Maybe devoting more time to hobbies, sleep, and exercise would help with your memory... good luck on figuring things out, though, regardless!

I AM THE SAME WAY! omg thank god i read this post Because i recently quit my job for this exact reason. I was getting into an argument at work over who said what, and swore up and down i didnt tell a manger something, now that i think about it i might have. or i might not i cant flippin remember, than everyone is saying i said something in a conversation which i dont remember saying! so i quit it was too much drama, and what i thought were lies, now im wondering if they were lies. Ive been feeling like crap about it all too. This relates to me so well. If you find out anything let me know.

For me, it feels like it depends on the work load of my head. The more thats going on the less room there is for realtime working/short term memory. Prioritizing of the real world takes place and then things go wrong.

My short term memory isn't the best but I have a pretty good long term memory. I am combined type ADHD.

First post here..just found this site and when I read this thread I just had to jump in. I've been diagniosed pretty much ADHD which comes as no shock to me after all these years. If anything it was a relief to have some sort of confirmation to what I thought I had and wasn't just all things that people are labeled as incorrectly by people that don't understand ADD/ADHD. Anyway, in regards to short term memory this has always been an issue with me..to the point of downright frustration. I can find myself in a conversation, waiting to make a point or add to it when I suddenly forget what my point was and have that moment of embarrasment when you sit there trying to remember what it was. I run in to this as well if I need to make multiply points, say two even..I'll make the first one and go to point number two yet by then I've totally forgotten point number two..*sigh*. How many of you have the issue of not remembering the last thing you said..I run into this paticularly when in a discussion with my wife..she'll say.."But you just said..such-in-such" which most times I'll know I didn't say such-in-such but I also couldn't recall what I did say so my aurgument falls flat pretty quick. In the end it doesn't really help in the self-confidence department. Oddly, like someone else pointed out..I can recall some long term things pretty clearly yet other things I have to_really work at remembering...things that seem so easy to everyone around me. Thanks for letting me vent...I'll hop off the soapbox and let someone else have a turn :soapbox:

Farside

I've had some odd memory problems as long as I can remember. My most frequent was complete blanking out on remembering last names. I could usually recall the first name or initial, but zero recall on last names. And this was for people I had known and worked with daily for years, like my own boss, or my good friend of 8 years!

I have now been on Vyvanse or Adderall XR for 5 weeks. I just realized I haven't once stumbled around trying to remember anyone's last name in the entire 5 weeks. And this was a daily problem.

I always forgot 3 out of 5 appts, and this was with reminders everywhere. I haven't forgotten any in the last month, altho I have been trying very hard to get this one fixed.

Thanks for all the posts.

It makes sense to me that it would be an attention problem more than a memory problem in itself. I certainly have a lot of self-induced and other stress. I don't realize how much many times but, my wife says I grind my teeth in my sleep alot, etc. I know stress can wreck havok in most areas of one's life. Memory is no different.

I hear you on the drama and having to leave it. I've had similar situations before. Nothing major but, it does hurt your confidence.

As for getting in arguments with the significant other...that's the classic example. I laugh now but, it truly sucks in the heat of the argument getting ready to make a point and then nothing. This happens in ordinary conversations alot as well. It's truly frustrating to the point where I want to pound my head in anger.

I wish I knew what it was like to be normal. Or is there even normalcy in the human mind?

D

Do you have any health conditions or take any medications, Mcinny?

Something to think about, as these can sometimes cause memory problems, or cause them to worsen (you mention an INCREASE in memory problems just lately).

General comment to all:

I have read that people with illnesses diabetes and cancer survivors ('chemo-brain') or using certain medications can get memory and attention problems starting or worsening, for example.

There has been a recent surge in cases of people using Sleep Aids like AMBIEN who are having memory issues.

Oh, something else.

[While we cannot know your situation (and it is not our job, as we are not your healthcare providors and don't give clinical advice based on internet self-reports), this Filling in the Gaps with 'false information' [which otherwise makes contextual sense] is sometimes called 'confabulation'.

There's a Word of the Day!

NB I don't want to sound like some sort of authority on it, but I have HAD to read a lot about this CONFABULATION stuff b/c my Mom (65) does this. :(
It LOOKS like "lying" but w/o the intent to deceive. (No "secondary gain" is sought.) AND, the person often doesn't know they are doing it, unless they are "called on it" by others.

Confabulation can usually be detected as the person can't elaborate moreso on the event/info 'claimed', when questioned more in depth on the details for the information or reported event.

It is can be an issue with encoding or retrieval. (I forget which.) I think it has to do with what is called "episodic" memory.

Hope that at least helps give a name for what MIGHT be happening.

re: stress

Stress can wreak havoc on memory (ST and WM and LT)!!!

It has to do with cortisol's effects on the brain.

I have problems with short term memory, I fail to remember to remember things like where in that three block parking lot I left my car.:eek: I can remember what is said in a thread last year better than I can remember what I did with my cell phone ten minutes ago.

I have an excellent long term memory - I remember things "NTers" do not and I am surprisingly accurate although I can have problems verbalizing my memories some times which is more than likely connected to my dyslexia -

I am ADD WITH hyperactivity -

My brain's like yours, MEADD.

Once it gets in there, I"m like an elephant.

PS I love your cat icon

So you're saying I have early stage dementia?! :-O

I suppose I've just been more 'acutely' aware of my memory problems lately than an increase in them. I am not on any medication right now. I do have some health issues which may be contributing to the fund. Stress is certainly an ongoing problem. And the list goes on. But, meds aren't a factor at the moment.

D

So you're saying I have early stage dementia?

No not at all.. .maybe you have more to remember.


I do have some health issues which may be contributing to the fund. Stress is certainly an ongoing problem

stress can cause memory problems and for me I notice it can also cause like a liner confusion - what I mean by linear confusion is that memories from different time are more likely to get mixed up.can get mixed up-

Example I have a match game on my computer and I play it every now and then - I do better with my first game then any of the other games - the more times I play the worse I get because I remember where the cards are too well - in other wards on game four I may have problems remembering if the I saw a match the the present card in the far left corner during this game or if the memory is a left over from one of the previous games - I hope that makes sense

Sorry, couldn't resist the dementia. ;-)

Yes, it makes sense to me. That's very close to me as well.

Sorry, couldn't resist the dementia. ;-)



Okay you got me on that one:D



Yes, it makes sense to me. That's very close to me as well

Then maybe it isn't a memory problem ADDers are known for their crappy sense of time and our memory should some how be any different :confused: .

I see it is like a time concept problem - ya know like the time doesn't really mean that much in a liner fashion - but I still have the memories just not too sure where they fit as far as time goes - see that is me I remember stuff really well just not exactly how long ago it was - I some times wondered if that was part of why I have such a good recall of long term memory because my brain doesn't realize time has passed so the memories don't fade -

Maybe it is because I do not crowd my brain with stuff like what I went to the grocery store for or where I put my cell phone ten minutes ago. When any one complains I tell them my brain forgets these things because it wants to conserve RAM
{some people get it others do not-oh well }

.

I have a very poor short term and long term memory. This was actually the basis for my diagnosis. I am young (25) and I was geting scared because if my memory is like this now...I won't know who I am way before I hit the alzheimers age!

I first discovered that I had some memory problems going on my freshman year in college. I was in a screenwriting class and we were each asked to get up and summarize a movie from beginning to end so we could see how the plot was laid out. I was SHOCKED that everyone seemed to have such an easy time with this because I couldn't remember the plot arc of one movie, not one. I could remember essentially what the movie was about, but I couldn't summarize it for you.

I still have this problem today, (obviously) with movies and books. I won't remember character names, certain scenes, etc. As you can imagine, I am just terrible at Trivial Pursuit!

I can watch the movie Memento over and over again because since it is not in linear order I won't remember what happens at all. So the end is always a surprise for me!

Also have a hard time remembering names and faces. I won't even remember the name of some pretty good accquaintances at times...either that or I'll wonder if I really do remember heir name or not so I make a fool of myself trying not to say their name just in case...it's tough.

Wow, am I relieved to read these responses! I'm in my 40's and my memory has gotten so bad over the past few years, it's embarrassing! I'm sure that some of mine is hormonal fog and a lot of it is ADHD. I have very limited, sporadic memories of my school years, especially grade school. My husband can remember everything as far back as toddlerhood..... not me! I don't dare go to the video store and rent a movie anymore because I famous for renting one that we have already seen and literally having no memory of it. Drives me crazy! Makes you feel like a total DITZ! Meds have definitely helped in the immediate here and now, but so much is foggy of the past. My mother's side of the family has a strong history of alzheimers, now she's succombing to it and she's in her mid 70's, her mother started showing signs of dementia in her late 60's. There have been times before I was diagnosed last spring that I truly thought I was going to be the youngest alzheimer's victim in North America! I feel a lot better now that I'm on medication, it really does help. The big issue now is that time is going by to fast, I seem to lose track of it, is there a pill that will slow that down?????

I'm so far behind I'm in first place, if you know what I mean!

Mommicked,

I also have no memory of having seen certain movies! I will wonder, "Was I drunk when I saw that or something, because I don't remember!"

I will need to see a movie or read a book several times before I get a good grasp on it.

I also can't put a book down and pick it up several days later because I will have forgotten a lot of what happens. I have to read a little every day to keep my memory up to speed with it.

this i go thru always

heheh Nice one Mead. I would use that one myself but, it would get old fast(considering I forget alot) :-)

I also have no memory of having seen certain movies! I will wonder, "Was I drunk when I saw that or something, because I don't remember!"

I will need to see a movie or read a book several times before I get a good grasp on it.

I also can't put a book down and pick it up several days later because I will have forgotten a lot of what happens. I have to read a little every day to keep my memory up to speed with it.I'm amazed when others remember movies years later. I rarely can remember what they were about. If I see them a 2nd time, I usually remember then.

I also need to see movies, read books, several times before I figure out what's going on. I've learned to just enjoy most movies for the scenery. Between looking around at the walls, ceiling, other people, counting lights, and playing solitaire on my cell during the boring parts, I don't do well keeping up with the plot.

I didn't realize how bad I was until I took DS (who's not ADD) to a complex movie ("world in the future after nuclear war/corrupt government/bad guys take over" theme), which totally went over my head. Afterwards, I asked why the one guy did something, and DS looked at me like I was a dope (apparently that was a key part of the plot). He patiently explained it, which led to another question, and finally he asked "mom, did you pay attention to any part of the movie?"

Sigh, I really HAD paid attention much more than usual, and still didn't understand anything. DS knew all the character's names (I never even pick them up during a movie, let alone after), got the entire plot, explained the early scenes that were later resolved...that's when I knew I was different.

I've quit books - altho I'm addicted to reading newspapers, magazines, the internet. I fired myself from the library b/c I racked up way too many late fees and huge bills for lost books. Even the few books on ADD I've bought, I have lost them (honest, not making it up).

I'm not much into TV, but will watch with DH. He gets so irritated when I ask questions, that I don't bother. When I watch a show I tape, I have to rewind and replay a dozen times, which shows me how often this happens.

*************************************************

My short term memory is zilch, and I have trouble retrieving certain things from long term memory - last names, tasks at work that I do every single month, how to operate my camera/cell phone/computer/dvd/etc, reversing the words green and orange 90% of the time, cat's name...

I actually have an extremely detailed memory of past events, conversations, early childhood, places I've been. For that, my memory is vivid.

Ah, so you DO have other problems (not mentioned) that you know may affect your memory, but that you didn't tell us about.

Guess it's hard to speculate on a mystery with only half the clues. ;)

I AM THE SAME WAY! omg thank god i read this post Because i recently quit my job for this exact reason. I was getting into an argument at work over who said what, and swore up and down i didnt tell a manger something, now that i think about it i might have. or i might not i cant flippin remember, than everyone is saying i said something in a conversation which i dont remember saying! so i quit it was too much drama, and what i thought were lies, now im wondering if they were lies. Ive been feeling like crap about it all too. This relates to me so well. If you find out anything let me know.
This has happened to me a lot when I first started my job, I had this issue with my boss. I couldn't remember doing certain tasks or calling someone back.. I always got really down on myself too.. this was before I was diagnosed for ADHD. Such a drag!

i just joined this forum, but the thing that has really driven me to seek some kind of help is the fact that i can remeber practically nothing about my childhood or adolescence. Worse, friends talk about things we have done together ten years ago and I have no recollection of them at all. I read all of the characteristics of ADD people and thought I fitted every single one - but the inability to remeber the past wasnt listed, but for me it's the worst aspect of whatever I've got.

I can watch the movie Memento over and over again because since it is not in linear order I won't remember what happens at all.
Can't believe you said that, it's the first thing I thought when I saw this thread.. Memento was the most useless movie I've ever watched, in terms of plot absorption, and that's saying a LOT.

The face recognition thing is just exasperating. At least once a week I say hi to some stranger thinking he's in my class or something. And heaven knows how many people I've ignored over the years because I don't recognize who the hell they are - I only figure it out later when they get all huffy that I ignored them last week. I hate making eye contact with someone on the train because whether I think I know them or I don't, I'm 50% likely to get it wrong and awkwardness will predictably ensue..

Actually, I'm pretty proud of myself for getting by as much as I do! Often people don't even realize I don't have a clue who they are when they're talking to me. I just sound nuts when I piece it together later and tell my friends. Hmm, maybe this will be a good segue into telling them about my ADD - I know they've noticed over the years that I do this sort of thing with alarming regularity.

It's incredible that some people live their entire lives having NO idea what it's like to have a swiss-cheese memory. Or having to call their mom to ask whether they went to summer camp or ever had an accout with Citibank. My mom, btw, definitely NOT ADD.

Is this sufficiently off-topic? Sorry OP.

I have all the classic characteristics of an ADDer in terms of short term memory - cant remember what point I wanted to make in an argument, cant remember names, cant remember if Ive done something or not, but in addition, I have a phenomenally bad long term memory. My classic story around this is when I read To the Lighthouse by Virginia Wolf a few years ago. I went round telling everyone what a brilliant book it was, and how I couldnt believe I hadnt read it before. Shortly afterwards, I came across a 3,000 word essay id done at uni 15 years previously on the book. Even when i found this out, I still couldnt remember reading it before. Whenever i tell that story in a conversation about bad memories, people just go quiet - no one has ever come back with 'well if you think your memory's bad, wait till you hear this ...' because they cant!!!
Still, I am not sure if this is related to ADD because I must have managed to focus on reading the book enough to be able to write about it!

Most of my past life is completely blank - I rely on friends for memories of things we did together.

I first discovered that I had some memory problems going on my freshman year in college. I was in a screenwriting class and we were each asked to get up and summarize a movie from beginning to end so we could see how the plot was laid out. I was SHOCKED that everyone seemed to have such an easy time with this because I couldn't remember the plot arc of one movie, not one. I could remember essentially what the movie was about, but I couldn't summarize it for you.I'm like this for everything. My dad is an overweight alcohol-drinking chain-smoking couch potatoe but he's very good (or maybe just normal?!) at being able to recall plots of movies and the sequence of events of real life events without hesitating or stopping to think. Most people I know are just like this. They can tell you, beginning to end, what happens in a book, movie, or a real life event. Me, I can't do that. Generally I can tell you what happened in the end because that's the last thing I remember seeing. However, what I am VERY good at is that even if I can't tell you what happens in a movie and even if it's been YEARS since I seen a movie, I can look at one still-motion frame in a movie that I have seen even once and be able to tell you, almost instantly, the title of the movie. But, I can't tell you what happened in the movie even if I know what movie it is :(

I think I can do this because my visual memory is very good. If I am paying any attention to something that I find somewhat relevant (e.i., not boring) then I can tell you how an entire situation "went down," where everyone and everything was located at the time, etc. This trait of mine is very handy when it comes to "reminding" someone of what happened in the past that is relevent today (like someone promising to do something then they conviently forgot). I can bring up things I knew about the situation like "your coffee mug was there, you were wearing that black colared shirt with blue jeans, and it was 11:14 am, you were standing there holding your cellphone in your left hand, I was standing right there, etc ect etc."

Edit: oh yea.. I am horrible with remembering how long ago something happened. I can swear up and down something happened only 2 months ago and everyone keeps telling me it happened a year or 2 years ago. I constantly get baffled when I watch the news and they bring up a story that they say first broke out (became a big story) maybe 3 years go. I can swear up and down it happend only a year ago.

I wish I had a visual memory like you, absane. I think my memory is just bad all around.

Yeah, I run into people all the time that quote movies and I have seen that particualr movie almost a hundred times but, I can't remember the quotes much. Funny.

On rethinking this all, I think my memory is probably retaining information well, its just my Recall that's fautly. I have a HUGE problem recalling things in detail. For instance, I work as an Archaeology tech and have for the past 5 to 6 years. But, if someone comes up and asks me what I'm doing, I KNOW what I am doing but, I can't convey it in words for the life of me. It comes out confused and strange.

D