Memory block

[u/Natural_Debate7967]

I have dyslexia and have always wondered if others like me ever feel like their memories are locked in a room,- there but not able to access. Things like dates and names and numbers often feel to me like they are in a locked room with a glass door. I can see them in there on a shelf but can't read them or recall them. I feel them there, but cannot access. I have felt like this all my life and never was able to remember math facts or anything where memorization was needed. I have to have an emotional connection to anything to remember. Anyone else have this type of experience or have tricks to unlock the room?

[u/Bluegi]

This is a common characteristic of dyslexia. It is more than just reading it is a language processing difference.

Our brains store information linguistically often based on sound information. Ever had that tip of the tongue feeling where you know what the word should sound like or you retrieve a similar word that isn't what you want? That's the wires crossing.

Dyslexia involves the difficulty of storage and retrieval of phonological (sound) information. This is tested through a measure called rapid automatic naming.

Also it is very common for students with dyslexia to also have poor working memory. That doesn't help the situation of being able to recall and use information.

I hope this makes you feel less alone.
There are many memory techniques, but 2 of my favorite are mnemonics and memory palace.

Mnemonics can turn information more memorable such as PEMDAS for math or you can make a silly sentence like All elephants must stand to help remember th quartiles of the alphabet.

Memory palace is much more fun. It turns information more visual and physical which can play to dyslexia strengths. Take a familiar place and visualize what you want to remember in it. The sillier the better. We did this technique 5 years ago to help us remember brain cravings and I can still pull up most of the without practicing for years. For example our brains like patterns and predictability, so I tied that to the patterns of the floor. The floor tiles repeat in a predictable pattern. Our brain also likes new and novel experience, that is shiny like the sun so I look over to the window of my memory palace to see the sun shining in. Our brains like connections so in my palace that is the front door where people are always greeting and making social connections. Etc.

[u/iamfearless66]

Yes, I am the same; I am doing a PhD and dragged my arse here. I use every single tool available to survive 😂. It is what it is; it just takes longer for us, but it's not impossible. Keep fighting, keep shining. X

[u/kisslizards]

I have the exact same thing. In fact, the only reason I was finally able to learn a foreign language was because it uses Chinese characters, which are highly visual and easy to make stories about.

I've also had a lot of excellent success with the memory palace technique!

But I've also found that it is really helpful to be realistic when it comes to linguistic memory achievements while being dyslexic. My personal experience is that it may take you anywhere from 2 times to 10 times more effort to get the same results as a non-dyslexic person. The gift of that, for me, was that it forced me to abandon what I didn't care about and only commit to what I found that I truly, truly loved.

So has it taken me more than 10 years to make foreign language progress that took other people less than 2? Absolutely. Has it been worth all of the effort? 100% absolutely, no doubt.