Does a really bad memory have anything to do with aspergers?

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I have a memory bad enough that I almost consider it a disability on its own. I keep notes to myself all over my room, in my pocket, in my car, and in my computer. I work at Dairy Queen and I keep having to look back at the order again to remind myself of the next blizzard or other ice cream treat I have to make next, even though I took the order and I've read the ticket at least twice already. I lock my keys in my car so often (half the time with the engine still on) that I keep a spare car key in my wallet. I still forget things that should be routine for me by now (like brushing my teeth or taking my pills*).
One of the scariest things for me is that quite often, I go to another room, and have to pause and try to remember what I'm doing, and I don't always remember what it was.

Also, whenever someone asks me about examples of such and such situation in my past, my mind goes blank and can't think of anything. This isn't good for job interviews.

Are these things related to asperger's or is this a separate problem? I've never seen a bad memory listed as a symtom of asperger's, so I usually assume it's separate but I still wonder about it.

(*I don't and wouldn't take meds for AS. They're for other things.)

EDIT: oops, I meant to post this in the "General Autism Discussion" forum. mods, feel free to move it.

I have the largest long term memory and attention to detail in my memories than anyone I know. But maybe that's just me?

Hey,
A tip for forgetting what you are supposed to be doing when you come into a room - go back the way you came into the previous room and youll remember.

BTW lots of people forget what they are doing whilst going to do it.

However memory difficulties are not usually considered part of the diagnostic criteria for AS. It may come under some sort of executive planning difficulty you are having which is a common problem.

OP, it may very well be a combination of the two that has led to your condition.

You have the Aspergic mind AND you suffered something traumatic and scarring.

You would have been different from others even if the damaging memory hadn't occurred. But the event amplified an existing condition. Nature and Nurture.

Anxiety can cause memory problems, cause your so busy worrying about things that you can't effectively encode important things into your memory. Basically there is too much already going on in your head and there is only so much you can focus on.

I am an aspie along with dyslexia and face blindness - lack of memory is a major part of my life and bad as not being able to socialize - in dyslecia there are at least the theorys of how or where it comes from that I have read but one is that in the end is one would recall things backwards and this one fits me - sometimes I wright my name out of order and in numbers I may put down the last of sat a phone number first recalling the number from the end to the start - it appears as though most aspies have great memory but not me so I blain it on dyslexia and I thing face blindness may play a part

Yep, same here

Yeah, I'm known for having a better memory than everyone I know.

I guess this is probably it. I don't think of myself as an anxious person, but there tends to be a lot going on in my head, and a lot of it a worry/fear related.
Is there any way to improve a bad memory? I don't really know how to fight this except write a lot of notes to myself.

I believe that would fall under the executive dysfunction umbrella. I have a lot of the same issues, as does my AS son.

What you are discribing is ADD Attention Deficet Disorder. I also have the problems you have described but at a lesser degree. Like you, I have had to come up with ways to remind me not to forget. If someone tells me more then 2 or 3 things to do I have to say "hold on, I need to write that down". With the car thing- I now put my car keys on a karabeener (sorry about the spelling) As soon as I turn the engine off my car keys get hooked to my belt loop so they don't get left in the car or anywhere else. I hve also learned never to set anything down like my cellphone or wallet. It is either in my hand or in my pocket because if I set it down and get distracted I will forget about it and walk off.

The flip side is that I am good at remembering miscellanous facts about all sorts of topics.

I don't know. For me, if I don't care about something (algebra, some family friend that I've met once) I 'delete' anything about the subject. Not on purpose, but I can't help it. It's like I have a little garbage truck that clears out my head now and then.
On the other hand, I can remember a lot of strange facts that would win me "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" but not pass any of my classes.

I think its more to do with anxiety really. I have severe anxiety and I forget alot of things, even things I've just hear'd seconds before.

Welkome to WP

Mick

I don't have anxiety or ADD. But I have a really bad memory.

[Moved from Getting to know each other to GAD]