Imagine not being able to forget even the smallest memory you had years ago: people with hyperthymesia are in exactly this situation!
March 11, 2024
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hyperthymesia, it’s like having a time machine. Going back to the past and breathing new life into every memory and every detail, “HWhat is hyperthymesia? It is perhaps
hyperthymesia, it’s like having a time machine. Going back to the past and breathing new life into every memory and every detail, “HWhat is hyperthymesia? It is perhaps the shortest answer to the question.
What we say may seem like a dream to some of us, but… people with hyperthymesia This situation is a daily reality for us. We think you are aware of how special it is, in fact, it is so special that you will realize that it will be even more interesting when you hear how many people in the world have it. Then let’s move on to the details of hyperthymesia without making you even more curious.
What is hyperthymesia?
Hyperthymestic syndrome or very superior autobiographical memory (HSAM)Definitions of hyperthymesia in medical language. Hyperthymesia prevents people from remembering abnormally detailed memories.
Those who remember almost every day in perfect diary-like detail remember not only personal but also public events. These people, every day such as a detailed report They register it in their brains and remember many things, including what they had for breakfast.
Moreover, all this information comes suddenly as soon as it is requested, as if they suddenly took out the folder related to the question from their archives and never again They answer without hesitation.
How many people have hyperthymesia?
This situation is not rare, but extremely rare. As of 2021, only 62 people diagnosis of hyperthymesia placed.
What causes hyperthymesia? The brain full of unknowns also appears here.
Of course the brain, who else would it be? Although the mystery of hyperthymesia has not yet been fully revealed, brain structure and activity level, It may differ in people with hyperthymesia.
The part of the brain responsible for memory processing and concerned with emotions, such as creating memories associated with positive and negative emotional experiences amygdala hyperthymesia It’s different for people who have it. Research shows that the right amygdala of people with hyperthymesia appears larger.
Responsible for learning and memory formation regarding daily events such as date and place sea Horse It also ensures an improved connection with the amygdala in the brains of these people. Furthermore, compared to people without hyperthymesia, there is more brain activity in people with hyperthymesia. This means the brain can send and receive more signals.
How to understand hyperthymesia?
As you can guess, the symptoms of hyperthymesia include remembering things that not everyone can remember. Agree How do you know if you have hyperthymesia? Sure, you may remember a lot of things, but some scans are done to diagnose hyperthymesia.
It is not possible to say only one thing about the hyperthymesia test. To determine if there is hyperthymesia or not, folks memory test, cognitive test, It goes through phases such as interviews and magnetic resonance imaging.
After a series of interviews with experts in this field, such as neurologists and psychologists, diagnosis of hyperthymesia can be placed.
The first person diagnosed with hyperthymesia was Jill Price.
Jill Price, who owned HSAM, was exposed in the early 2000s. Price emailed neuroscientist and memory researcher Jim McGaugh and since 12 years He said he remembers every day of his life.
The doctor was intrigued by this email and invited her to his laboratory to test it. A date was mentioned in the test and what was happening in the world that day He was asked for an explanation. Price’s answers were correct.
Price actually corroborated his memories with the diary he kept. Over the course of several years, Price was subjected to certain tests. Then they decided to give him a random test and… Dates of the days he visited the laboratory was asked. Price mentioned all the visit dates and guess what the result was? Of course it was true. Price had all dates listed correctly.
price first person with hyperthymesia It also attracted a lot of media attention. Subsequently, several dozen more people underwent tests that showed they had hyperthymesia.
What are the disadvantages of hyperthymesia?
When you think about it, hyperthymesia may seem like a wonderful thing. Finally, forget about remembering someone’s birthday. all the wonderful memories you had You remember it like it was yesterday, with all the details.
According to the research disadvantages of hyperthymesia This is also a situation. As we said above, while remembering the good things makes you happy, imagine remembering the bad memories too!
In this case, those who actually have hyperthymesia are of negative events can be strongly influenced.
Is there a treatment for hyperthymesia?
There is no specific treatment for hyperthymesia because the condition is generally not considered a disease. However, if we talk about the harm of hyperthymesia, we try to cope with the difficulties. psychological support It may be helpful to take it.
Mind-soothing techniques such as mindfulness and therapy can help reduce the stress caused by intense memories of the past. deal with stress It can also be effective in getting out. In addition, memory management techniques and methods of organizing details can be added to other methods that can help people with hyperthymesia.
If you don’t have hyperthymesia but want to strengthen your memory, there are some things you can do.
“How to improve hyperthymesia?” Since there is no answer to the question, we think that we may not be a hyperthymesic person now, but we can make our memory stronger. To prevent memory loss and strengthen memory There are some things you can do for:
Solving puzzles and playing games to strengthen the brain
Connect with friends
learn new things
Stay away from smoking and alcohol
Consuming foods with high nutritional value
Stay away from processed foods and sugar
Get enough quality sleep
Limiting distractions
Improve focusing techniques
participate in physical activities
Provide stress management
Every individual is unique, and hyperthymesia is one of those unique experiences.
We are sure that it will be an interesting content for those who hear for the first time about hyperthymesia, one of the examples of the complexity of the human mind. When I think about those people, maybe their lives are not so easy, because they know that no matter what, they will remember this day make it more meaningful They think more about what to do for themselves than we do.
Sources: Very Well Health, BBC, ThoughtCo, National Library of Medicine, Frontiers
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Ashley Johnson is a science writer for “Div Bracket”. With a background in the natural sciences and a passion for exploring the mysteries of the universe, she provides in-depth coverage of the latest scientific developments.