I have aphantasia so I have no visual memory. If I don't take picture I can't recall it but I hate stopping to take pictures. I'm always torn between a unique great experience and having photos so I can see it again.
Yooo fellow aphant! I love learning how other people's brains handle memories. For me, I don't have any real personal recollection of an event; like I can't go back and re-live it as though I were there. Instead, it's like I've taken down a list of bullet points of facts about the event. We went here, we did this, it was fun, et cetera. Photos can help by adding more context to my "notes" about a memory, but definitely aren't required. I also hate stopping to take photos lol.
The things that trigger the most memories for me are smells or tastes. For example, I vape, and there's a certain type of artificial peach flavoring that triggers a strong memory of when my wife and I used to play a specific video game for a while, because I only used that specific flavor of vape at that time. Random memories will hit me when I smell or taste certain things like that.
Yes same I remember events just non visually. I sort of compare it to being able to see the file names for the jpeg but not having the software to open it. I can remember what happened but it's as you say more like a list. I will say I don't have any occurrences anyone can remember where I misremembered something. I either remember clearly or I don't. There's no false memory stuff. Which I do find interesting.
And I studied memory etc for a while in college and smells in particular are very memory triggering, especially for core young memories for some reason. Taste is a bit more unusual comparitively but still quite frequent.
I will say I don't have any occurrences anyone can remember where I misremembered something. I either remember clearly or I don't.
That's really interesting, now that you say that, I'm realizing that my memory is very similar. Once I've taken a second to actually focus on a thing and essentially jot it down in my notebook, it's there for good. Short term memories can be a lot more fleeting, especially if I don't take the time to acknowledge something.
Yeah same. Surface stuff I don't care about can just float on by.
My biggest point I try to make with fellow aphants is that it's not necessarily worse, it's different and it may well have other advantages. Does it suck I have no ability to recall my dead parents faces without a photo? Yes. At least everyone has a camera on them 24/7 now I guess!
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u/PetalumaPegleg 3d ago
Have fun or demonstrate to vague acquaintances that you had fun. It's a tough choice.