Can you remember blowing out candles on your first birthday cake? Yes ok I know that’s an absurd question so My Bad!! But you know what; there are a few people in the world like Rebecca Sharrock who ACTUALLY CAN!! Rebecca 27 living in Brisbane has one of the most superior memories called an HSAM or (highly superior autobiographical memory). It prevents people from forgetting anything so Rebecca is the woman who can’t forget.
Call it a gift or a curse, disease or a highly evolved brain but just 60-8- people in the world have this condition. Rebecca can recollect memories in vivid detail. She can even remember dreams she had at 18 months including memories of how her family took photographs of her in a car when she was just 12 days old.
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As a Harry Potter fan, she can recite every Harry Potter book in the collection. Sharrock is so overwhelmed by her abilities and memories that she has now decided to write a book on her experiences titled “My Life is a Puzzle” and it’s bound to be a best seller.
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Rebecca remembers the day of her first birthday although at the time she says she had no idea what the fuss was about. This means she also recollects the kind of feelings and emotions she went through at the time. Her mom dressed in a satin dress which itched her a lot and she was crying because of it yet it was doubtful if anyone understood the reason.
She recalls the Minnie Mouse toy whose face frightened the hell out of her but unfortunately, she couldn’t tell anyone. She could just cry and push it away. Aren’t you wondering right now how we as parents maybe doing the wrong things thinking them good instead.
She recalls her dreams when she was 18 months and how she thought she was actually leaving her crib and wanted mum to go with her. In Rebecca’s own words. As the woman who can’t forget, Rebecca says she isn’t alone as there are some people who may not have HSAM but can recollect incidents such as birthday and Christmas parties.
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“It is true that I’m one of about 60 people in the world identified as having a very unusual memory which is called HSAM (or Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory). This makes me unable to forget any day of my life, and I’m also constantly reliving my past (emotionally) in clear-cut detail”.
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Rebecca wasn’t aware of her condition of HSAM until 2011. According to her mother Jennifer Barnes 51, Rebecca was actually diagnosed with autism and OCD as a teenager and that may have been the reason for her vivid memory, she is just like the female Rain Man.
People with HSAM or autobiographical memories can recall every minute detail of the memories and experiences during a lifetime. Becky Sharrock the woman who can’t forget thought she had a disease, but ever since she found out about her condition, she is a more positive person accepting it as an exceptional ability instead. There is also a medical name for it. Hyperthymesia.
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