Writer: Lakshanya Solipuram
As defined by Merriam Webster, hyperthymesia is “the uncommon ability that allows a person to spontaneously recall with great accuracy and detail a vast number of personal events or experiences and their associated dates”. Initially, many perceive this condition to be beneficial, as the people affected by it are able to recall significant amounts of information, enabling them to perform well in memory-based tests. However, looking at this condition with a closed mindset, people tend to forget the downsides that become apparent, as victims of hyperthymesia tend to dwell excessively on the past. Hyperthymesia, a rare medical condition, is a critical example of how we, as a society, tend to base our opinions on one perspective.
Hyperthymesia is caused by an unknown source, although some telltale signs of this
condition include the ability to recall the events that occurred when given a specific date and to recognize and acknowledge minute details. Although hyperthymesia may seem like a blessing to many at first, this condition has numerous drawbacks associated with it. With the ability to remember everything, people suffering from this condition are able to efficiently avoid repeating past mistakes and are able to perform outstandingly on exams that may be based on memorizing information and facts. The idea of hyperthymesia may sound especially appealing to high school students, who think of it as a cheat code to tests and quizzes.
Although this may be true, many overlook the other side that people with this condition face. Remembering the past means remembering the good and the bad. Every now and then, dreadful memories begin to resurface, and the ghosts of the past resettle in the future. Negative correlations with specific items that you may see in your daily lives become relevant, leading to apprehension and additional stress. For example, riding a bike is a process of trial and error. It takes a while for children to be able to get the hang of the practice, yet eventually, after many cuts, bruises, and Band-Aids, it becomes an automatic process. However, for a child with hyperthymesia, the bike can be associated with negative memories, such as a particularly painful fall, leading to the creation of an irrational fear that persists into adulthood.
To provide a specific example, I have seen firsthand the effects that hyperthymesia may have on the people suffering from this condition. My younger cousin, a 10-year-old, is affected by this condition. His normally bubbly and outgoing personality is hindered by this, as he becomes consumed with thoughts of the past. Most days, he wakes up in a sort of depression-like state, as he cannot seem to forget the negative memories of some day in his past life, and this memory haunts him throughout the day, impacting him in terms of his routine and his daily schedule. This experience has taught me that everything has its downsides, even if you think there are none.
In the case of hyperthymesia, people are hyper-fixated on the potential benefits, failing to understand the numerous consequences that it entails. The condition itself has a duality, with two different perspectives encompassing it. All in all, hyperthymesia has harms that outweigh any prospective advantages.
Sources:
Definition of HYPERTHYMESIA. https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/hyperthymesia. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.
‘Hyperthymesia: Memory Accuracy, Effects, Testing’. Verywell Health,
https://www.verywellhealth.com/hyperthymesia-8419566. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.
‘The Benefits and Drawbacks of Hyperthymesia’. Prezi.Com,
https://prezi.com/86f33yiavkpb/the-benefits-and-drawbacks-of-hyperthymesia/.
Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.
This article has been written by an individual not in the Medical Blogs team as an "Open Submission Article".
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