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OCD and Memory


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Hi all

How are we all this morning? I'm chilling in bed 'cause I got the day off! :tongue: 

There's something I've been curious to ask you guys for a while; namely, is having OCD connected with having a good memory, despite the pitfalls of false memories and somesuch? I ask as my parents often commended me for my memory and I find I'm able to connect events together easily; we were there, so it would have been then and all that sort of thing. And we always remember the thoughts and where we were when we had them.

Just wondered...

C x

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Hi Cub,

Memory in people with OCD is no better and no worse than in people without OCD. 

If you're good at remembering non-OCD details by making connections then you're a good problem solver! Doesn't necessarily mean a good memory (though maybe you have that too.)

If you're able to remember multiple details of unwanted thoughts you had, where and when etc, that's not a sign of a better-than-average memory, but a sign that your fear centre kicked in and made sure you paid attention to 'the danger'. 

Conversely, 'false memory' and doubt isn't a sign of a poor memory. It's caused by questioning your memory. Simply asking someone 'are you sure?' creates doubt even in the most convinced mind. (Think of Chris Tarrant's job of trying to derail big winners in the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire quiz show.)

And as those of us who attended the webinar last week learned :)  repeated checking makes us question our memory and doubt ourselves, and that includes the checking done in rumination when you go over thoughts again and again. Ruminating creates doubt and makes memory fuzzy. 

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Hello

I think OCD might have had one positive aspect in my case.  I'm not sure I can say it gives me an amazing memory......sometimes I cannot even remember what I was up to a few days ago, but generally in terms of remembering information I'd say I was above average.  I struggle more on linking timeline events in my own life... when I did certain things, what event came before what etc... I think that is partly related to days seeming to merge as day to day nothing remarkable happens which makes distinguishing timelines difficult.... but also having  crowded thoughts means I just don't think or remember things that aren't crucial.

However, what I noticed this past year is that it might have helped me academically.  I didn't do so well when I was at school, I think I was always lost ion my thoughts and when I think back to then I believe I didn't focus much as my thoughts were OCD related.  But I have recently completed a degree part time over 6 years and got a first, and in 2015 I left work to do a full time Master's degree and got a distinction.

They were in politics/social science/International relations largely essay based on the Master's degree and I noticed that even when I was extremely rushed for time (studying around full time) and when I was sick to death of sitting in front of a PC and thought I was going to mess up by procrastinating too much I did well.

I noticed that even when I was doing other things, procrastinating, walking to the shops... anything.... the thoughts of the essay were similar to how I feel I have OCD thoughts, and because I was good at recalling information I was constantly working and reorganising my work etc.

While I do not want OCD, as long as I could not let OCD interfere in not finishing the course and staying on track I think it helped me be more analytical and critical by re running information and data in my mind to be creative and come at things from different angles which resulted in good results (as that's what they are looking for).

I think what I'm saying is even when I was skiving and watching football, I was still working on it.  I think it might be connected to what Snowbear calls questioning memories and constantly asking 'are you sure?'  In most instances it can be very negative, but in this very specific context I think it made me more critical in my work.

 

Sorry for blathering on :) 

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest OCDhavenobrain

I dont have good memory, atleast not when it comes to all those memorygames and i usually can get upset at myself when i read and it doesnt get stuck in my head the first time.

 

But sure you could say ocd sufferer seems to remember some events better than other people but that is obviously just because we have so many feelings attached to that specific event.

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