I learned on a CHADD chat that people with ADHD have problems using past experiences in making decisions. They have trouble using mental imagery of the past.
I have trouble remembering both visual and auditory information. I have poor imagery. For example, I have difficulty picturing people, although I can recognize people who I know with no difficulty. If I see a movie with characters who are similar in appearance, I may confuse the characters and, as a result, have difficulty following the movie. I may also not recognize a person who I’ve only met once or twice, even if I’ve spent an hour or more with the person. Can any of you relate to this?
When I read descriptions in books, I usually skip over them.
I have some imagery, but many pictures are very unclear or are fragmented. (e.g., I’ll see part of a person’s face) I’ve often been unable to remember whether or not people I see regularly wear glasses or have beards. Over the years, I’ve worked to improve imagery, so it has gotten better, but it’s still very poor. One time, a number of years ago, I went rug shopping with a friend. I thought about my studio apartment, but wasn’t sure what color my rug was. I finally decided that it was one color, but when I got home found out that that was the color of a rug that I had had several years earlier.
I was thinking today that when I was a child, adolescent, and young adult, I never imagined myself married or in a relationship. I never imagined having children. I didn’t know how to imagine situations that hadn’t happened.
I was a psychotherapist, but realized, the first time that I worked with a patient, that I had never imagined what it would be like to be with a patient. I think most people try on roles in their imaginations first.
As a child, I played teacher. I could play out being a teacher and could imagine, without really having imagery, that children were with me. I could act this out, but I didn’t do it as a story in my head. I didn’t know how to. Yet I can dream with pictures and with movement.
Now my imagery is all like snapshots. There’s never any movement. Sometimes when I’m thinking about something or am listening to something, I’ll have imagery (visual) from my past. I have no auditory imagery, but if I work at it, I can have very simple auditory imagery (e.g., the sound of a drum).
I can remember a little about what things taste like when I’m deciding what to eat, but this imagery is also weak. Smells are similar.
Kinesthetic imagery is similar. I have to do something to know what it feels like. I don’t get it in my mind.
If someone suddenly says, “look to the right.” I have to stop to process. I can’t do it automatically. I have to first figure out which side right is. Yet I have no trouble picking up a pencil or fork in my right hand. I don’t have to think about it.
Yesterday I wrote an email on “The Years of Tears” board. I wrote about imagery issues after receiving some emails that reminded me of how good it felt to talk with people with similar difficulties. It wasn’t until I again experienced this, that I wanted more of the same. Do others of you find that you’re similar in this respect?
I think that some of the problems that I have with transitions come from not being able to go into the new situation in my imagination. I thus stay stuck where I am. Can any of you relate to this?
One thing that has helped me a lot is my ability to conceptualize. While I may not have an image, I may have a concept. That concept can be a guide.
I tend to be obsessive and I wonder if this is partially due to not having the flexibility that might come from seeing varied possibilities through the use of imagery of the past and of possibilities. Any ideas on this?
Re: Mental Imagery
http://www.choisser.com/faceblind/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ADHD_Bulletin_Board/
Re: Mental Imagery
Arlene
Wow! This is the first time that I have heard anyone say that they have the same trouble that I do: recognizing characters in a movie. I get so embarrassed about it that I don’t even want to watch a TV show or a movie even with my husband and kids. I have very poor visual memory ( and a number of other deficits) and I suppose that this is the reason. Do any other folks out there have trounle following a movie?
Erin
Re: Mental Imagery
Hi,
Yes and Yes and Yes! For example, my mother worked very hard and long to scrape up enough money and familial support to buy a beach house in the town in which she grew up. At the time I could only (secretly) shake my head and wonder why she was working SO HARD for this particular house. Okay, so the first time I spent time in the house and I could hear the waves gently washing over the sand all night, only THEN did I get it. Then I understood her driving motivation.
Here’s another instance. I love sports. When I sit on my couch at home, or desk at work, I “know” I love sports. But this knowledge feels like same way I “know” the alphabet. I have no working memory of what it feels like to kayak, or ski. It’s not until I’m in the situation, and feeling the feelings, actually experiencing the situation that I UNDERSTAND why I enjoy the sport so much. So, it takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline to get my hiking boots on and get out into the woods, or get my gear to gether and get out into the river…
Oh, and you mentioned food. I hate planning, shopping, and generally dislike the time and energy spent on creating and eating food. No, I have no eating disorders. I just can’t imagine, or visualize, what the meal will be like. I create meals, baked goods, etc from rote. If I didn’t have kids, I’d never really eat anything nice, just grab a bite here or there—whatever’s easiest to prepare.
I suppose these things, while not making it impossible to live, does put a ADHD person into a “disabled” category. :-( Dawn
Re: Mental Imagery
have you had a neurophysce (sp) test? It’s a really cool test and lots of fun. But it will give you the answers needed as to the degree that you are suffering. i am in the low twenty precentile. I forgot who my niece was once. Another was a cop I worked with. What a scary feeling that is. It happend one other time but I can’t remember..that’s par for the couse.
Years ago I realized that I had the tendency to see either one side or the other side of a situation. Once I realized this, I could work on seeing a more complete picture. When I’d see the negative side, I’d consciously recall the positive side. When I saw the positive side, I’d consciously recall the negative side. After doing this for some time, I stopped seeing only one side of a situation at a time. I’d see both sides together.
In my previous post, I spoke at length about my difficulties, but wasn’t that clear as to why I was writing and what responses I wanted.
I believe that it’s possible to remediate some of the defecits. It seems to me that understanding of the defecit is a first step.With this, I’d like help. I’d like help from others who have similar problems. I’m also planning consultation with a neuropsychologist at some time in the near future. I did work with a learning disabilities therapist who feels that what I’m now looking for is beyond his area of expertise.
Years ago I taught children with severe language problems. The program that I worked in was excellent. We tried to understand why the children had trouble understanding language and/or speaking. We then devised remedial materials. Some children needed to start at very simple levels (e.g., learning to differentiate between the sound of a drum and the sound of a bell or being able to point to an object that they had seen a few seconds earlier) When we could understand where our children were stuck, we could begin to help them to learn.
I recently read a fascinating book by a woman , Temple Grandin, who has autism. Her book “Thinking in Pictures” provides insight into her inner world. She has worked very hard to overcome many of the effects of autism. After reading it, I was strongly motivated to work harder on increasing my own understanding of the issues with which I struggle and methods that can be used to remediate some of the problems that I have.
I am not interested, right now, in learning compensation techniques. I am interested in increasing imagery and in increasing the ability to use imagery for problem solving. I am interested in learning, if possible, to work with several screens simultaneously, rather than only being able to deal with one at a time. (see previous post)
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who can identify with these issues.
I am in vision therapy where I do some visual memory tasks. Also, I have found some computer maj jong games very useful, particularly Rivers. I’m also using the game Slider. It’s helpful in being aware of several areas simultaneously which I hope can help me to eventually deal with more than one screen at a time. I’ve started to use sign language computer programs. I’m not trying to do the signs, only to recognize them. I’ve tried some Concentration type games, but they don’t seem right for me at this time. Most are too frustrating.
There’s a children’s program which I may go back to. It’s called Thinkin Things. It’s for children ages 4-8. It’s very good, but it’s frustrating to keep being told by a large cartoon monkey to “try again” when I can’t remember the sequence of sounds.
Any suggestions?