What is this problem called?

Post Reply New Topic

I made a topic about multitasking but apparently my problem isn't with multitasking I assume. I get told to lets say take out the trash,make up the bed and do laundry and for me I remember the trash part but not the other steps then mom would get mad at me. I also everyday plan my day in my mind. 1st do this then 2nd that etc. you get the idea. (I tend to get distracted by tv/internet though LOL!) It sucks to have memory issues at 23! (I also tend to go into a room and forgot what I went in there for (I remember another topic similar and many WP people do it) I was curious if these issues had an actual term besides sh***y memory at age 23!! ! LOL!

It does sound like it's just short-term memory loss, tbh. A lot of aspies seem to suffer from that ,myself included; I also find it difficult to remember to do things people have asked me to do if they don't co-incide with what I was planning to do that day...I suppose that's to do with my inflexibility of thought as well

I have crappy stm myself, I won't even go into details I don't think you have anything to worry about anyway, it's nothing major

May be an attention thing, not memory.
Particularly if you are fine as long as it is something of interest to you.

http://www.mental-health-matters.com/in ... mitstart=1



Adult ADD Symptom Test:
If you experience more than 10 points on this adult ADD self symptom test, Attention Deficit Disorder is likely present.

An internal sense of anxiety
Impulsive spending habits
Frequent distractions during sex
Frequently misplace the car keys, your purse or wallet or other day-to-day items
Lack of attention to detail
Family history of ADD, learning problems, mood disorders or substance abuse problems
Trouble following the proper channels or chain of commands
An attitude of "read the directions when all else fails"
Frequent traffic violations
Impulsive job changes
Trouble maintaining an organized work and/or home environment
Chronically late or always in a hurry
Frequently overwhelmed by tasks of daily living
Poor financial management and frequent late bills
Procrastination
Spending excessive time at work due to inefficiencies
Inconsistent work performance
Sense of underachievement
Frequent mood swings
Trouble sustaining friendships or intimate relationships
A need to seek high stimulation activities
Tendency toward exaggerated outbursts
Transposing numbers, letters, words
Tendency toward being argumentative
Addictive personality toward food, alcohol, drugs, work and/or gambling
Tendency to worry needlessly and endlessly
"Thin-skinned" - having quick or exaggerated responses to real or imagined slights

Multitasking is doing several things at once. Like getting a key in your pocket while walking to the door, and unlocking the door even while you are walking and thinking about what you should do. There IS "executive function" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_functions that is SUPPOSEDLY along the lines of what you speak of, but I think EVERYONE has those problems. AND, there is a LIMIT! Let's say you did the trash, but planned OTHER things as well and spoke with someone else about plans, or at length.

And these things can happen with a 2 year old!

I'd say it has to do with focus/attention. I often find it hard to focus and I hear many others saying similar things on this forum so I think it is rather common for aspies to be easily destracted.

Unless, of course, we're hyper-focused on a special interest

Shessh.....distractions during sex? That would suck.

I get that all the time, I think it's shutdown related.

It could also be (for me)...

Not going to bed on time and not resting one hour before bed (not even to listen to music, read a book, watch TV/computer, etc).

Not having cornflakes and an apple in the morning (seriously). I don't know what it is with apples but they seem to give me a lot more energy than any other fruit. I especially like to have an apple half way through the day as it gives me an energy boost.

Did i mention apples?

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

I bolded what apply to me. Maybe I have ADD? I don't have $2k for a dx though.

Back to OP: I'm like that too. I can remember one thing to do but if there are a few other things to do I'll forget. Get your mother to write down what you need to do, or write your own list. A to-do list usually helps me organise myself better.
Sounds like you are getting distracted by a special interest. What I do is do my chores first then I would reward myself by spending some time on the internet or watching TV.
If I can do the dishes first then I get to go on the internet. It's like someone made that rule for me but I made it up for myself.
I have a very bad short term memory and problems with being organised, so I really work hard to make it easier for me to get things done.

Remembering the item/task that was first in a list of items/tasks is termed the primacy effect. See this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primacy_effect (I know it's a wiki entry, but I only have time for a short-lived procrastination from my assignment-writing )



Planning is a strategy; a useful one too fs you can stick to the plan LOL! Distraction from the plan is an issue with attention. In your case, the distractions are external (e.g., TV, internet) rather than internal (e.g., thoughts, anxieties, daydreams).




Going into a room and forgetting for what you went in there is an issue with short-term memory (STM) and something I frequently do Here's a link if you want to read about it at length http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_term_memory#Relationship_to_working_memory. Basically, evidence suggests we can hold apporximately 4 'chunks' of info in our STMs and then we start to lose info. So, imagine you're in the bathroom and you remember that you left the new tube of toothpaste on the kitchen counter when you were unpacking the groceries. 1st chunk = get toothpaste from kitchen bench. You walk past the telephone on the way to the kitchen and remember that you have to call your friend about an outing you have planned. 2nd chunk = call X. This reminds you that you have not yet figured out what to wear for said outing. Chunk 3 = quick mental examination of your wardrobe. You stumble over your cat in the hallway, which reminds you that you have a vet visit booked on Friday and you should make a note so you don't forget. Chunk 4 = write vet visit on whiteboard. You arrive in the kitchen and go to the whiteboard and write down the vet visit. Written on the whiteboard is a message from your housemate that the electricity bill is overdue and could you please leave your share on the halllway table. Chunk 5 = get money for utility bill. Oops chunk1 just got booted from your STM because it ran out of room. You stare around blankly wondering what you are doing in the kitchen!

Well said Prim 8, well said.
I doubt I could remember all that.

Sounds like the story of my life..... I can't be given verbal instructions either....I may understand the first instruction, but miss the rest. I'm pretty sure my boss thinks I'm ret*d sometimes...I have to write down everyting she says.

I can be so distracted that it takes me an hour to make a photocopy at work or three hours to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I've had several shrinks tell me that I have ADHD.....not sure I buy it though......

It sounds like more of an attention issue than a memory one. I don't think if I wasn't so distracted externally and internally I wouldn't have such a sh***y short term memory....

I think the real problem lies with classifying things.

The bottom line is that some people are unable to do things because of their brains, others are unable (unwilling) due to their short-sighted thinking or misunderstandings (or lack of information).

I have a friend with dyslexia, and many of the same things would match on that list. yet it is pretty easy to demonstrate to outsiders that you have dyslexia.

It is a computer hardware vs. computer software apology.

I often forget things because I'm absent minded. My ability to memorize is a gift.

I simply cannot remember those things, never have, I'm too focussed on what I'm doing, and I know it is this way, I have tested it, so I use a kitchen alarm
Or when I need to take something in another place I keep on saying it aloud, because I'll always see something else that will distract me
("take a dish, take a dish, take a dish" until I have the dish in my hand, also if someone starts talking to me, they know what I was doing and will tell me)
For longer periods, I write it on the side of my finger, or put a message in my phone alarm.

I have this problem. You'll just have to explain to your mom. Maybe she can write them down for you? That is one way to not forget