Why Can’t I Remember My Accident?

bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3cswvxt

BBC world service programme about why memories are lost in an accident. Emotions have a strong element in when memories are saved they say.

[Hidden]

I wish my memories were lost in my accident, I remember every second of mine and them memories tend to come back when I'm in a car, reading the news, hearing lorries pull up anything to do with lorries, bring me back to the state of fear I had in my accident. The strange thing is I didn't get any physical injuries, just soft tissue damage with pain down my left side, but the memory is the worst. It seemed like it was never going to end, now I'm starting to think, it never did end.

[keeley24 in reply to Hidden]

You are the only person I’ve heard about who remembers the accident they had. I have tried to remember mine but can’t. Actually think it’s a good thing as I was in car accident had to be cut free from the car and worst of all my dog was thrown out of the car and hit by another car and killed. Took me ages to come to terms with losing him then I found out what happened to him upset me again tho I don’t know or blame the person who ran him over as it was at night on motorway so there is no way anyone could have been expected to stop in time. So cos I don’t remember it didn’t put me off driving and I got another dog who’s helped me move on.

[RogerCMerriman]

For myself 6mins 30s in to my commute is the last memory i have I opened the park gates, and noted that the bike light battery was starting to go. The GPS shows I stopped for what ever reason at 7mins 43s.

I have a number of disjointed islands of memory, some in the ambulance some probably in the A&E others in the ward. most have no time associated with it, some with vision some not, and some with speech some not. all confused, over a week or so.

my assumption and others in the local headway group seem to have similar lack of memory is that the memory wasn't formed and you'll not get it back.

[cat3]

I suppose it makes sense that a brain struggling to survive isn't capable of forming memories, so that period is lost forever. I remember passing out, then nothing 'til 3 weeks later, and even then it was patchy and surreal for a while.

It used to be an abiding frustration, but 7 years on I've finally managed to let it go ! I'll take a look at the link ; thanks James. x

[Hidden]

That's brilliant. Thank you.

[sue-66]

I found this really interesting and informative with regards to my partner, he had a tbi in April 2017 and can't retain new memory, but I have noticed certain new ones, like our new grandson, he will even remember his name, when we talk about him. Hearing about procedural memory, as a way of new learning, was also interesting.

[WinB in reply to sue-66]

Sue 66 I cannot retain what hubs said to me either I know all is well as he tuts whereas before he was kinder. It gets a little better but not much. Slow but surely it does. I know when he hasn't made me a coffee important things like this lol xxx

[WinB]

I cannot remember Jim, and so glad I cannot poor family went through it all and were great this was in 2009. Had a shunt put in approx. 2010 and woke up. Perhaps it is our brains way of healing as it has been through a lot. Mine was due to hydrocephalus.

Good luck