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Can you develop a photographic memory?

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Puzzledmaze

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Dec 23, 2015
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So, lets just begin.


First I was intrigued by lucid dreaming, i tried to learn it, I achieved it (sorta) and it was great,
to be able to control your dreams and do absolutely anything.
Then I started reading books about memory (because i already have a good memory and want it to get better)
Then I was prescribed Imovane because off my insomnia.
I'm not able to lucid dream while I'm on imovane, but every time I decide to not use it
These extremely amazing lucid dreams come to me.

And now after some time I've been "training" myself with the imovane and the lucid dreaming part.
Now sometimes when i close my eyes and concentrate i can see images, peoples faces, but only for a second.
And i'm also (sometimes) able to lucid dream while i'm wide awake.

So, this was kind of a small backstory to ask my question and hopefully a neuropsychologist can answer....
So here's my question.. Is it possible to develop a photographic memory with drugs that can create new (or not in use) synaptic connections. like mushrooms and others like it?
 
Very interesting topic, and lucid dreams are fascinating & intriguing to say the least :) it's really impressive when you know that you're asleep and dreaming and in a completely vivid, realistic world where you can interact as if you were there in reality.. but with some nice bonuses like the ability to fly and such.. got them only by coincidence, mostly as after-effects of drugs... when it comes to remembering the dreams, acetylcholine appears to be crucial. Galantamine is being used for lucid dreaming sometimes, but haven't tried it yet.

There's the nootropic Dihexa that could possibly enhance memory very much, but with concerns about developing autism-like things (don't know really about that, just read on longecity where they have long discussions about all the nootropics).
 
Anyone have any input on this, or am I just going berzerk and dont know that the hell i'm talking about,, hmmmm.
 
I have Asperger syndrome so i have a photographic memory. It's not only a visual picture in my mind though. It's just that numbers and names stick in my memory very strongly.




I don't think photograhic memory means that you actually see pictures as if you see it with your eyes.
 
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The term "photographic" memory is a misnomer for what is technically eidetic memory. Photographic memory has no evidence of it's existence. Eidetic memory is more of a geometric visualization capacity allowing greater recall, not necessarily looking at something and perceiving an identical image in your memory. What you have described sounds to me, more like an intrusive memory (not in a negative way, but rather like when you smell something and you can almost picture a moment you associate with it). Based on my readings, eidetic memory can be cultivated, but not replicated. It can also be damaged, I used to have it to a degree (as a youngin') where I could never pay attention in class and ace all my tests, but age and drug use have taken it away to an extent (when I was 5 I had all the states and capitals memorized, most countries and capitals also from reading my atlas a few times, but I cannot do this anymore).

The association with autism spectrum disorders is an interesting one though, but recall of numbers dates and autobiographical information is a different process not necessarily connected. These concepts are hard to prove, in any context though, because the tests to validate them are often flawed, other techniques to memorize or recall images, numbers etc. exist that might be in use if even subconsciously by the test subject, and someones thoughts can't be replicated in an experiment.

I would suspect that if the very existence of photographic/eidetic memory is up for debate, it is likely something you cannot learn or develop (most evidence comes from children, not adults also).
 
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Drugs may help you remember or visualize things, but if you're looking for long term learning solutions, drugs aren't the solution.

But practice can help.
I remember watching a TED talk about visualing things to learn things.
One tip was to make something you want to remember have a sense, like feeling or imagine a scenario with each of your five senses.
Imagine making the words you want to remember, then try remembering them by making each word have a unique kind of texture like, say fluffy, or rough.
I did this for a very simple four worded name I would have forgotten had I not, and I still remember it.
I'll give you a link to the TED Talk video, it's very helpful.
 
Visualization is the worst way to memorize, if you go after the "levels of processing":

visual < phonological (audio + articular process) < semantic

As far as I know visual and textual representation only lasts a short amount of time in the working memory and the transfer to the long term storage is really bad.

It is way better and more suitable to connect your knowledge mentally: For example split it up into the sections, connect it with your semantic memory, create charts, tables and visualize it (don`t try to "copy" visual information one by one)...

Using odor while learning and during sleeping time (SWS) leads to better memorization (10% I believe?). And try to avoid high stimuli bombarding like TV.

Personally I want to "create" my own pictures and charts, which I can flip and look at from all different angles.
 
Nootropics like Aniracetam and psychedelic would probabpy help thought I don't think any long term improvement would occur after cessation of use
 
Asperger's - the plus and minus.

Memantine said:
I have Asperger syndrome so i have a photographic memory. It's not only a visual picture in my mind though. It's just that numbers and names stick in my memory very strongly.

I don't think photographic memory means that you actually see pictures as if you see it with your eyes.
Click to expand...

Me too - when psychiatrists talk about 'boxes', they cannot define a box. Imagine a HUGE aircraft hanger with 10s of 1000s of piles of paper. That's my memory - Even if it's not on the top of the pile, I can find the appropriate data REALLY fast. You don't forget ANYTHING. Of course, this means bad things are ALWAYS visible but I put them at the back of the room. I have files for all 18 senses mixed in. I can remember seeing a document, the smell, the texture and the feel of the paper even before I read it.

It's a blessing & curse. ALL bad things will stay with you forever, but so will all good things. Having direct access to all of the files is like static-RAM where others have dynamic-RAM.

It's a POWERFUL thing if you immerse yourself in 1 subject. So often I can draw a molecule and THEN have to run it through my IUPAC to get the name.

Although clumsy with the non-vocal communications with others, we are TRUE friends because we don't know HOW you would lie about such a thing.

Overall, with any science, you have a huge advantage. I wrote computer games for 20 years and, if put in front of the devkit again, I could write out the 100,000 lines exactly the same - no need to compile, you KNOW it works. I found the best solution was to avoid all emotional relationships apart from the tiny few who understand you. I have 4. I would happily die for any one of them. 3 girls and a guy. One of the girls accepts the name 'big sister', the other 'little sister'. Then there is my wife and 1 guy.... Rather have these 4 than 100 acquaintances.

I don't mean I have no feeling for others. I LIKE people but I know I'm awkward. I DO care for these people but know that, face to face, they would be freaked out within the hour....

Swings and roundabouts. Lednicer is clearly Asperger's, so is Jacob Szmuszkovicz and even Dr. Dave, but we can communicate and if it's good - we will be the first to tell you. Who had the idea is less important than the idea - but still important.

Hope that gives some insight,
Sean

PS I don't take any meds. I enter a state of 'flow' where I can remain for 18 hours....
 
I don't think memory is a hole in which you put information that you can recall. I think memory is linked to how far do you know about yourself your meaning in life your goals etc. Knowing all this makes you able to recall things easier since everything makes sense, in context. So developping a perfect memory is quite easy but long.

For this, you need to gain control over your conscious mind by finding your place in your brain and take over it. Once you have found your center peace you have only the number of neurons and time to practice as a limit. You are technically limitless :p. Psychedelics help with psychoconsicous oriantation, which makes finding the center peace easier.

I also think that by taking over your center peace you not only gain memory but overall control over you whole brain.
 
Mracid said:
I don't think memory is a hole in which you put information that you can recall. I think memory is linked to how far do you know about yourself your meaning in life your goals etc. Knowing all this makes you able to recall things easier since everything makes sense, in context. So developping a perfect memory is quite easy but long.

For this, you need to gain control over your conscious mind by finding your place in your brain and take over it. Once you have found your center peace you have only the number of neurons and time to practice as a limit. You are technically limitless :p. Psychedelics help with psychoconsicous oriantation, which makes finding the center peace easier.

I also think that by taking over your center peace you not only gain memory but overall control over you whole brain.
Click to expand...

I really have to tend to agree with you on this. Learning a piece of information in context sticks in my head for a long time, but pieces of useless information leaves quickly.
 
No one has a "photographic memory". The idea is a myth based on people like the above who have great situational-recall. I actually read a great review of some papers/scientific progress in either Scientific American or Discover magazine, where they dispelled some of the greatest scientific myths. 2 were the idea of photographic memory, and that people have different learning "styles" like visual, auditory, tactile etc... it basically boils down to the cards you're dealt. With enough effort anyone can learn through any technique, but there are limits. If you continue to learn and educate yourself, it will become second nature to form pneumonics, associate memories, etc.

You fundamentally cannot change your capacity to learn/visualize though (unless temporarily like with psychedelics as mentioned above)
 
PINKoPANaTHER said:
No one has a "photographic memory". The idea is a myth based on people like the above who have great situational-recall. I actually read a great review of some papers/scientific progress in either Scientific American or Discover magazine, where they dispelled some of the greatest scientific myths. 2 were the idea of photographic memory, and that people have different learning "styles" like visual, auditory, tactile etc... it basically boils down to the cards you're dealt. With enough effort anyone can learn through any technique, but there are limits. If you continue to learn and educate yourself, it will become second nature to form pneumonics, associate memories, etc.

You fundamentally cannot change your capacity to learn/visualize though (unless temporarily like with psychedelics as mentioned above)
Click to expand...

It's all about context. How can you use any data you percieve, no matter its form, to get what you want. How to use the whole world to gain what you want in any form you want. It's like hacking life. lol
 
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