How to Remember What to Remember

“Now, where did I put my keys…?”

“That was today?! I totally forgot!”

“I can’t remember why I walked into this room…”

Any of this sound familiar?

If you have ADHD, you’ve probably said some, if not all, of those phrases.

Why?

Some aspects of your memory utilize executive function skills, which we know are slowed or impaired for people with ADHD. The part that tends to give grief to the ADHD brain is working memory.

What is working memory?

Working memory is a core executive function. It holds on to pertinent information to be used in the short-term to perform tasks.

An easy way to think about working memory is to think about the copy/paste feature on any electronic device. You can easily hold on to a specific item (copy) and carry it on a virtual clipboard to be placed in another location (paste).

In an ADHD brain, it’s a toss-up on whether or not the information on the clipboard will stay there. More often than not, when it’s time to paste, the data has been lost and there’s nothing there anymore.

This isn’t “bad”

Often, the act of forgetting something can make someone feel like they’ve failed. It can bring about feelings of judgment and shame—because they can’t readily recall the information they need when they need it, it makes them less of a person.

This couldn’t be further from the truth!

On a recent episode of Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast, we explored the effects ADHD has on memory. Long-time friend of the show, Dr. Ari Tuckman, joined us to share his insights on memory in the ADHD brain.

Dr. Tuckman talked about the fact that a faulty memory does not inherently make you a bad person!

The important thing is to recognize the parts of your ADHD brain that need a little extra help.

Help your brain

Below I shared a few suggestions you may want to try to help your brain in the memory department:

• Record important meetings (with permission)

  A handheld recording device, or even a free recording app on your phone can be used to record meetings where a lot of information is being shared. This will give you the freedom to re-listen at your own pace to help retain what was said.
  *Note: It is required to request permission to record anything, so be sure to ask first!

• Ask for a follow-up

  If you’re having a conversation with someone sharing important information or requesting to meet with you at a later date, ask them to send you the information you need or a request to meet in the form of an email or text message.

• Make it fun!

  Increase the flow of dopamine to fuel your working memory by adding some flair to what you have to remember.

  • Have to go into another room to retrieve something? Sing about what you’re doing while you’re doing it. Heck, you can even throw in a few dance moves if you’re feeling adventurous!

  • I bet most of you couldn’t immediately recall the 6th planet from the sun with the help of a very popular mnemonic device: My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas can make it easier to remember that the 6th planet from the sun is clearly Saturn. Create your own quick mnemonic devices when you need to remember a short list of items.

Whether you like it or not, memory is important. But, just because your memory may work a little differently than mine does not mean one is better or worse than the other. It just is.

So shed the shame, junk the judgment, and start finding new ways to improve your working memory.

Thank you for your time and attention,

-Nikki

Want to hear the whole memory conversation with Dr. Ari Tuckman? Check out the link here or wherever you get your podcasts.