massive gaps in memory

[NobbyNobbs]

following a conversation with a friend i've realised i dont remember anything at all between the ages of 12 and 16. its not a bit sketchy, i literally dont remember anything. i can't remember anything i studied at school during that time although i suspect the knowledge is in there. i dont remember any events except 9/11 which is about where my memory clears and i can remember things again.

 

anyone else heard of/experienced this? is it linked to ASD? i know that i had what was probably a nervous breakdown when i was 13 and wonder if that is what has caused the memory loss, although i 'recovered' after about 5 months (according to my parents)

[pearl]

I know someone who had a breakdown when he was a teenager, & he too lost lots of memory.

[ScienceGeek]

I have gaps in my memory from the same time, and also had a breakdown around the same time as you. I don't remember much of secondary school at all, I can remember things from under 11 and 17+ but anything between those are a complete and utter blank.

[Cat]

I have gaps in my memory from the same time, and also had a breakdown around the same time as you. I don't remember much of secondary school at all, I can remember things from under 11 and 17+ but anything between those are a complete and utter blank.

 

My son had two break down one when he was 11 and one when he was 13 he says he remembers very little about what happened during that time. He does however have flash backs and he hates them. I often wonder if his mind is blocking out probably one of the worst periods in his life.

 

Cat

[NickyB]

following a conversation with a friend i've realised i dont remember anything at all between the ages of 12 and 16. its not a bit sketchy, i literally dont remember anything. i can't remember anything i studied at school during that time although i suspect the knowledge is in there. i dont remember any events except 9/11 which is about where my memory clears and i can remember things again.

 

anyone else heard of/experienced this? is it linked to ASD? i know that i had what was probably a nervous breakdown when i was 13 and wonder if that is what has caused the memory loss, although i 'recovered' after about 5 months (according to my parents)

 

Hi

 

I have massive gaps in my memory from most of my childhood. I don't remeber anything from primary school, and my time at secondary school is very sketchy. I have snippets of memory, usually from happy events. I don't have ASD but I did have a fairly traumatic childhood, so I feel it's my mind 'blocking it out' IYSWIM.

 

Nicky <'>

[chris54]

I have to be careful when it come to memory, I have very little true memory of any period of my life, I just don't seem to remember things like others do. What I have found is that I have some acquired memories that I know cant be right but their there all the same.

[NobbyNobbs]

i have an excellent memory in general apart from that period. i remember my childhood well, and what books i read even better but that bit is gone. will have to ask someone about it

[Sooze2]

My husband remembers nothing from his childhood apart from a few basic details. Its wierd because when I talk about things or when freinds get together and remeniss he remembers nothing at all apart from the odd telling off from teachers and getting the cane etc. I aften wonder why it is and we wonder if he has blocked it out for some reason.

[chris54]

My husband remembers nothing from his childhood apart from a few basic details.

That me only its not just my childhood, I can remember last week just about and some of last month but the further back I go the less there is, like the holiday we had in the summer, well I know we had one but without prompts I cant really remember much about it.

I don't know how much other people remember so assume others are the same as me and am always amassed when people can recall so much.

 

[pookie170]

My son's your antithesis, Chris!!

Ask him what happened yesterday, his face wrinkles in concentration and he comes up with 'Ehhhhhh....uhhhhmmmmnn.......I dunno. What did I do yesterday??'

And yet, he has awesome long term memory, he can remember things like the name of the lady we rented a holiday cottage from when he was 3....(3!! )

 

I should think the breakdown factors hugely in this gap, Nobby. Maybe you were expending so much energy just trying to cope that your brain simply couldn't manage to file things away properly at the same time?