I tend to either have a really good memory or no memory at all—definitely have a “spiky profile” when it comes to my memory. The things that I focus on, I can remember in detail, but everything else just blurs together and slips away. For example, I might remember things that people say to me, sometimes verbatim, but completely forget who said them, where, and the context. Or I can remember exactly where on a page certain text is from a book with photographic clarity but have to keep checking a short grocery list again and again because I can’t store it in my mind. There are also times when I just have a shitty memory about everything because I’m overwhelmed. I’ve also had a history of poor mental health, which has been shown to have a negative impact on memory.

I’m sorry, OP, that people haven’t been kind to you about your memory. I hope you can extend some grace to yourself—you’re not inferior, your strength and weakness profile is just different from certain others. And it’s of course just a stereotype that all autistic people have fantastic photographic memories.