Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory: The Myths, Facts and More of Remembering My Life
I ran into a friendly acquaintance recently and while we were conversing about everything ranging from the mundane to the most topical issues (we both had long discovered we have a shared love specifically for the intriguing permutations in international politics, behaviourial psychology and tech trends), someone walked in, looked at us blankly and sat adjacent us fiddling with his phone. For some reason which would have been unexplainable by most people about two decades ago, I instantly recognized him. Subconsciously I did a mental search for his name but there was no search result. That would have been very normal for most people but for me, I found it puzzling that his name didn’t pop up in my head because I did recognize him. Other bits of information started streaming in about him into my consciousness: I met him in a public place in August, 2017 (a little over three years ago) and I do know that because we chatted briefly, with the conversation centered on the roles of today’s youths in the scheme of things. I recollect he was a sport blogger and, unlike now, he had no beard. And I wasn’t sporting a full-grown beard style then too. He was on shorts and had a satchel laptop bag strapped across his torso. I realized immediately why I didn’t recall his name: We just conversed as two strangers with mutual respect for each other and it didn’t dawn on us then to ask after the other’s name. We were both in transit. But I remember all of those details because they are my personal experiences and it’s most unlikely for me to be wrong about such things.
Hi. My name’s Kingsley Mark Akpan and I have HSAM — Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. It’s otherwise (previously) referred to as “Hyperthymesia” and us as “HSAMers”. But I’d go with the HSAM nomenclature for several reasons which we’d delve into subsequently, which includes it being the more accurate term, and because I like HSAM better; it has a nice ring to it — funkier and trendier, which makes it fitting in this age where pop culture rules everything, don’t you think? Hold that thought.
For anybody writing for the internet, one has to take into cognizance search trends and keywords which in turn influence the title and the density of certain words in any given written piece or article. Oddly, or seemingly so, I vividly recollect when I learnt this, where and whom I learnt it from, what I was wearing that day, and the events leading up to that moment and after then. Still, from my research, I did realize the rest of world can’t tell which word is ascribed to which phenomenon or the misconceptions are widely considered as true. Even more intriguing is, for a topic which generates much interest within the academic community and from the general public, HSAMers rarely ever tell their stories so the internet and the world at large most often than not charge into the sunset on chariots of half-truths tethered by myths and assumptions. The dust and what’s left in the wake of all of that is bewildering from the viewpoint of an HSAMer. And that’s me describing it euphemistically.
These reasons and more have compelled me to write this. Summarize as I will, it’s stretching the limit to fit all of the experiences of thephenomenon which is the Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory into any single article. But it’s the beginning, at least.
What is Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory?
Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory is essentially the ability to recall with a high degree of accuracy one’s personal experiences and life, even from many years ago or from the toddler years. Even more striking are details of what is recollected; details which wouldn’t otherwise register in most minds or would fade in hours or days after registering but which stay stuck and are an essential part of recollected memories of HSAMers. Details like:
1. The weather;
2. What time of the day;
3. What the dramatis personae, as it were, were putting on;
4. The events leading up to that moment and after it;
5. And even shockingly, the day (and time too) to an exactness which is mind-boggling.
Reportedly, less than 100 people in the world have been tested to have the Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory ability. A bulk of these HSAMers are in the United States and this is so because the researchers are mostly located there. Without factoring out the obvious possibility that HSAMers are less likely to talk about it (like me all my life until now) and, of course, the limited knowledge about the ability by those who have been relatively vocal about it.
What makes HSAM or Hyperthymesia even really intriguing is, the human mind is built to forget most of what the sensory organs perceive over time and what the brain registers. The brain filters out information in real-time and mostly files what the conscious mind wants it to file, and with each memory added, the previous gets pushed back even further. I mean, imagine being able to register everything around you and recollecting all of the memories continuously… That would be a mental hell, wouldn’t it? Or maybe not. For people with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, nostalgia isn’t to be romanticized — they live it. I suppose it’s akin to residents of Hawaii or Norway’s steeply undulating landmass being too accustomed to the beauty of the land. It’s not like they don’t appreciate the beauty of what they have like outsiders do, but it’s not exotic to them — it’s their life, their everyday life.
When I was about 4 years old and in Nursery 2 (The U.S equivalent of this schooling system would be the last year of preschool), I was bitten by my classmate and ‘sit-mate’ (Stanley his name was) during lunch. Apparently he wanted a part of my lunch. I screamed and another classmate of mine (Olaide was her name) ran to call our class teacher’s attention to what had happened. I remember crying at the top of my voice as first aid was being administered. Well, first aid was basically iodide (I remember what it looked like so I grew up to recognize what it was from its look later on in life) administered on the bite marks with cotton wool. I remember Stanley was reprimanded and made to say sorry to me by the school nanny (whose name I’d deliberately omit but she was till I left the school for secondary school).
Years after, when I was 9 years old and in Primary 5, I remember remembering that biting incident (I know, it’s beginning to seem like a memory loop now — remembering myself remember a memory but this is the life, this is my reality) and I did question the accuracy of what I was recollecting but I knew with certainty that my recollection was accurate. My recollection of personal experiences, that is, this time. Even at that point I was already recollecting most of my life from being a toddler.
I used to be scared of my memory. I was scared of my ability to remember the minute details of personal experiences from years ago vividly. I mean, imagine hanging out with friends and during the several chitchats trying to remind them of a certain beautiful girl from a get-together three years ago. “What girl?”, they ask. Then you go on about the very beautiful girl who had on a flower-patterned skirt and who sat at the same table with all of you. “We all got along well and she even told us her name — Victoria, don’t you guys remember?” They try to think for a few seconds, then shake their heads and stare at you blankly — they don’t remember. But you do, but I do. It was a personal experience for us so how could they all forget while I remembered? That ability scared me and I had no reference point or had ever met anyone with that same ability all my life. Now that makes it even scarier: Do I have a freak memory? Why can I remember personal experiences (including memories from childhood and even shared experiences with other people while they couldn’t) accurately?
A certain incident did occur when I was barely 2 years old. A decade and half later during some random conversation with a grand relative (whom I hadn’t seen or talked to in that period), she did make allusion to the incident. I completed the tale. “You were a baby! How do you remember that?” My reply? ‘I don’t know.’ And that’s the truth. I really didn’t understand what to ascribe my ability to. There was no reference to it in the media or literature I had read to that point. I just knew I could recollect memories from even when I was a toddler with pinpoint accuracy.
One of the telltale signs of a person with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory or HSAMer is their love for calendars, dates and time. Subconsciously, we file away memories chronologically. People who have interacted with me in person would realize it now that I’ve mentioned it. It wasn’t unusual for me to point out or note in one-on-one conversations or in group conversations things like, ‘…I’ve been here for an hour and forty-three minutes, and nothing has been done about it’. Even during random chats with friendly acquaintances: ‘Oh! Well, we got to see on the 17th of March last year and we did talk over the phone for 9 minutes to go over it again before the day so what are you on about?’
I’m recollecting all of those information in real-time and shockingly so the revelations are that sometimes I go verify what I am saying. How am I remembering the exact length of time we spoke on the phone for?! How is my mind saving all these information which would have been vestigial if memories were living, thriving organisms?! But that’s the way HSAM works.
Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory: Myths and Facts
Only as recently as 2006 was HSAM identified. Then it was identified as Hyperthymesia which literally means “over remembering”. But this is one of the myths about Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. Before then it was confused with a number of other types of memories. Even experts have admitted there’s still a lot to be learnt about HSAM and there’s no pattern to definitely identify the ability. There are no specific tools for really testing and the results are only comparative. The experts can’t even fully ascertain memory abilities of people with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory.
In essence, psychologists and memory experts are building the bridge as they cross the river. Another reason for those who have the HSAM ability to make public their experiences, regardless of the counter-statements. I know I’d like to read from and interact with others with the ability.
Myth: Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory means remembering everything.
Novelists and Hollywood have been the main perpetrators of this. This is as far from it as can be. But, hey, that’s why their genre is fiction, right? Talk about living right up to a name.
HSAMers actually remember their own personal experiences over the years, and vividly so regardless of what period of time the memories were formed, but not everything. I, for example, can’t remember how many torn pieces of paper were on the desk as I passed it to go get lunch — it’s not a personal experience since I didn’t interact with it in any memorable way or consciously even. However, I would remember if someone I was with had counted it while we were conversing even 7 months or years later.
Having HSAM doesn’t mean you’d recollect everything about a course in school or all the HTML codes and CSS scripts because you’ve studied them. But if you had an argument about a topic in the course outline where the teacher had to explain the concept to proof what you know about the topic is false, you’d recollect the memory of that argument or debate and, by extension, how and what the teacher explained. You know what that means, right? You’d most likely ace the course. Same with the HTML codes. If an incident occurred with the codes being the topic, you’d recollect that incident, and by inclusion, the codes being the topic and the content. The reason: These were personal experiences for you and your mind saves such vividly. Beginning to figure out how HSAM works now? Good. Very good. There’s more. Do read on.
Myth: Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory has detrimental effects and HSAMers are depressed
This isn’t true. I don’t feel this way. In fact, I feel a person is LESS likely to be depressed because of HSAM. I am never lonely and this seems absurd to most people. I mean, by default, I am ambiverted. Not introverted or extroverted but ambiverted. Here’s why: My mind’s occupied by my thoughts and memories, and who said all memories are dark and eerie? Who said we all have shared experiences? Most times, I could be at work for hours alone without communicating with or talking to anyone in person or virtually while working on my PC or figuring out new ideas, and even find it intrusive sometimes when that bubble is busted with someone coming to interact with me.
Marilu Henner, who is famous for her HSAM and described as a memory expert, succinctly states the beauty of HSAM here and how I feel about having that ability:
During the lockdown, there were periods when I’d stay home with the necessary survival items stocked in my apartment for 3 or 4 days at a stretch without seeing any human (I’d admit I did have to respond to calls — some lengthy) and I was completely fine with it, even enjoyed the solace — me and my thoughts. I’d recollect a memory from when I was 6 years old, for example, and just google a related piece of information which would lead to me searching out a piece of information I find and the vortex goes on. Pick an old novel I’ve been eager to read for months but just couldn’t find the time to while munching on a snack with a glass of water beside me sheltered behind dimmed lights and behind drawn curtains. Oddly, and contrarily too, everytime I logged on social media, there were a gazillion posts by its users complaining of being bored and unhappy, and depressed. What boredom? What depression? I can’t relate.
Like anybody in the world, an HSAMer can be depressed too. Like anyone in the world, they can have post-traumatic stress disorder as the aftermath of a terrifying experience. And having HSAM doesn’t overly worsen the onset. Not on its own. The reason is below.
Fact: HSAMers can supress memories
HSAMers can suppress certain memories. I’m surprised researchers haven’t caught up on this yet even with the interactions they’ve had with those identified to have HSAM. For example, my mind somehow suppresses the frequency of the recollecting of the worst of my personal experiences, including those which occurred recently. It’s almost like there’s a survival trigger of some sort which numbs the relived experience so I can go on with life. To recollect it, I have to deliberately trigger the memory. After that period, it just goes away and when I do recollect it at later dates, it just hovers somewhat and feels surreal like seeing a movie, as against other memories which are actually recollected vividly that they seem relived and happening in real time.
Myth: HSAMers are haunted by past memories and can’t live in the present
Knowing that Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory is a spectrum and there are only few people who have been identified with this, I find it odd and a sweeping generalization to posit that HSAMers are haunted and always have PTSD. That’s only as true as all planets in the Milky Way Galaxy having as many moons as Jupiter. Well, after all, they are planets, right?
Fact: Fantasy and wide imaginations are characteristics of HSAM
There’s no need debating this one. I’ve been known for years to have a wide and even wild imagination. I can think of the most abstract and even outrageous of things in seconds. Outrageous. It reflects even during conversations, especially as metaphors. This guy has lived out alternate realities in his mind to try to visualize and experience what it’d be like to be something.
I’ve always talked about (and even fantasized about) ‘getting lost in my head’ as being therapeutic. Some call it introspection but I’d rather term it as ‘letting my thoughts drift on the sea of time’. I’d even liken it to my mind being a smartphone and the thoughts like apps running in the background. My conscious mind isn’t obvious of them but it has enough RAM space to function well enough and carry out required activities without the load of the several thoughts app coming in the way of the overall speed and functional of the smartphone — my mind.
Here’s the thing: I’ve had moments of déjà vu. Moments when I go, ”I’ve seen or experienced this before but in my mind.” It reflects in my writing too. So, without a doubt, I can state that HSAMers are likely to come up with the most unexpected of twists in any storyline. Also, the most descriptive. I’ve had experience narrating and reporting, and the recounts or reports are events brought to life lexically.
Fact: HSAMers never forget a face
In all of the publications I have read about Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, for some reason, the ability of HSAMers to forget a face or picture they’ve seen is never highlighted. All I need is see a face once, even if it’s for a little as 5 seconds for it to register. Show me that face again, 5 years later, I’d recognize it and with a little longer for a thorough mental search, I’d tell you where and when I saw the face. From what I have read and the research I have done on the mental abilities of HSAMers, I bet they have that quickfacial recognition ability, even with pinpoint accuracy. Some might even recognize where they where and when they saw the face instantly with that ability explained in the next point.
Fact: Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory ability is a spectrum, not a mark
This has never been highlighted in any publication before but here it is: Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory is a spectrum. I’ve read a number of reports regarding people who are known for it. There’s really little extensive, unfiltered information from these people to state definitively what the HSAM range but we would have to agree on a scale of 1–10. I can tell where I am on the scale based on certain parameters, some already stated.
Subconsciously, our minds save even the most of minute details of personal experiences. I’ve said jokingly to a number of very close persons over time that I can still taste a certain meal I had with them even days or even weeks after. It always elucidates laughter from everyone but they don’t realize one thing: it’s no joke — I’m very serious and can still mentally taste food long after having it.
While Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory has been misconstrued by a lot of people, it doesn’t take away the tremendous work which has been done and efforts put into studying it.
I’d throw in one more fact: Having HSAM means I’m more likely to be humane or civil because I’d have to deal with the chain reactions of my actions and I’ve be able to lie to myself that it isn’t my fault when it is. To spare myself the ordeal, I’m always thinking of what my actions or inactions could lead to so I try to act right as a human being with his humanity fully intact and as a citizen. People talk about one’s conscience pricking one — my conscience would court-marshal me with the evidence streaming right on the wall of my holding cell. To prevent that? I just try to do the best I can and I convince myself I did what I could. That way when the memories playback, I’d be the spectator in my mental theatre, instead of an accused standing in a dock.
There’s more to be known about Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory and most often than not, I’m thankful for this gift.
I’d like to read from other HSAMers and, of course, persons who are curious about Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, experts or otherwise. I’d also answer any question you might about the HSAM ability and more. Yes, I know, there are so unanswered questions from this. Looking forward to reading your comments.
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Kingsley is a Creative Content Developer who septuples as a web, graphics and UI/UX designer, creative writer, digital marketer, and brand designer/developer/manager.
He’s the Founder of Everyview Creatives, a creative content development firm which helps brands and business scale/grow the digital tech way for profitability, visibility, and sustainability; and an idea conception and development hub.
He’s especially passionate about continuous professional development (and certification) as a means of developing human capital, and continuously updates and learns new skills himself which reflect in his professional life too.
When he’s not doing all of these, you’d find him bird-watching or taking nature walks, or listening to slow songs. In his alternate world, he likes to sing yet the biggest music fest he’s headlined is within the four walls of the bathroom. He’s got creative content development to focus on so that’s fine. 😊
Hey, let’s get talking, shall we? Web, graphics, brand development, digital marketing, creative writing, and about life.👌
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