Agnostic.com

14 3

I've recently become aware that I have a problem recognizing and remembering faces. I get a general picture of what the person looks like... hair color/style, whether or not they wear glasses, basic body size, etc. But the individual features escape me. So if you put two people who have the same general characteristics in front of me, I won't know which one is which. However, after I've interacted with someone a number of times, I can recognize them,unless they've changed their hairstyle, or started wearing glasses or show up in a place that's incongruous. And it can be pretty embarrassing when I introduce myself to someone I just met the week before.

One of my closest friends, on the other hand, never forgets a face. We'll be somewhere and he'll say "There's the guy that waited on us last year in that Italian restaurant."

I did some research and found that there is a condition called Prosopagnosia or Face Blindness. It can be mild like mine, to severe enough that some people can't even recognize their own families. It's fairly common, as I understand it. At least 1 in 50 people have at least a mild form. One of the characteristics is the inability to picture someone's face in detail in their mind. I can picture my son, for example, but not the details of his face.. just a general image. Another characteristic is the inability to dream in detail. I dream in concepts... ideas... feelings.

Does anyone else have this crazy problem?

TheoryNumber3 8 June 8
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

14 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

0

I've had this issue all my life. Probably not severe, I can recognise family members, although there are two nieces I often confuse which is awkward when I'm talking to one of them about the other! But I wouldn't call it mild either. Do you find it can make you anxious in gatherings? I've never been able to work out which is the cause and which the effect. There's a gym I go to regularly with quite a few friends I've known for years, but a year ago "the Italians" turned up. Three men and three women I think, though it could be more. My older friends are on first name terms with them all and often go for day trips and weekends in the hills with them etc, they all know me by name and are friendly, but I tend to take a back seat and don't join in their social circle as i havent got a clue who im talking to! As far as I can tell there's three identical men with dark hair usually tied back in a bun and short beards, and three identical pretty women with long dark hair. I'm told by others they look nothing like each other! That sort of situation has happened frequently throughout my life and whenever mentioning it i get told i need glasses, but its nothing to do with eyesight!!

Salo Level 7 July 29, 2018

If course it causes some anxiety. Try as I might I simply can't remember the faces of the people I meet. I'm invited to a neighbor's summer party every year. I know I've probably met the people there before, but for the life of me, I can't remember them. But once I've interacted with a person a number of times, I then can remember their faces when I see them.

@TheoryNumber3 yep it seems to me that after enough interaction the face, voice and character of the person blend into something recognisable from just one of those inputs, but there's that initial hurdle to get past first. It got worse for me after suffering hypoxia 18 months ago, so it may actually be two separate problems now. I also find myself worrying that people think I don't like them due to ignoring them which doesn't help with further communication. I'd really like to get to know the Italian friends better, it seems like we'd all get on great but feels like I've left it a bit too late. The not knowing what to say has become a bit awkward, or at least it feels that way.

2

I to have problems with being able to recognizing faces. I have had this all my life. A guy shaves his beard and I have no idea who he is. Clark Kent puts on his glasses and I have no Idea he's superman. I don't know if it's brain thing or not. Oddly I have no problem at all being able to tell asians apart and can easily remember them.

That's exactly what I'm talking about.... Twins don't look like twins to me if they have different hairstyles and colors, and one has glasses. But the Asian thing is really interesting.

1

I'm the same way. I also have a problem in public. Sometimes I encounter a person with features similar to my friends' and I make eye contact or avoid it until they say or don't say something to me. I sometimes look at people and try to memorize their face. I have to imagine that they may go missing and I need to do a portrait sketch.

0

Thank you all for your input. I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who has this problem!

1

I've heard of it but don't know anyone who has it. Tell everyone to get unique face tattoos.

LOL. You must have a checkered past

1

I never had the problem until i no longer needed to remember the many people i was coming into contact with. It seems that my brain now, as i move into my 70s, has decided that p
eople who i don't expect to see again no longer need to be remembered.

Has my brain become lazy, or have i developed a 'recognition' disability. I don't know and frankly, scallop, i don't give a clam. LOL

I've trusted my brain to do what it needs to do for 60+years, and have rarely been disappointed, so i'm not going to start worrying now. I also believe that worry is a misuse of my imagination, so i just let it go, and merely apologize if i don't remember a face.

I try not to be embarrassed, and am successful sometimes. But i was embarrassed one day, after i moved to my new town and walked into Starbucks, suddenly hearing a man greet me. I couldn't recognize him. "It's Greg," he said, but the recognition and memory didn't kick in until he said his last name. Then it all came back, even as my face became hot and red from embarrassment. He certainly looked peeved in that moment. I apologized, blaming my faux-pas on a senior's moment.

I had worked with Greg on a number of committees for about 20 years off and on, but not for about 10 years. He had just been appointed as Dean of a local University satellite campus, and had moved to the town where i now lived. I've seen him since, and he's been somewhat cool, but friendly.

I do what i can, and try not to worry about things i can do nothing about. Life is too short and satisfying for such nonsense.

You have a great attitude towards this stuff! I like it.

@TheoryNumber3 Thanks. It has saved my life, emotionally, more than once. And probably will again. LOL

@josephr I think that our brains are like filing cabinets. The stuff we don't use often is in the bottom drawer and takes a little effort to recover. The pathways to the memories tend to meander .

@TheoryNumber3 I love how you've framed that. And the simile describes exactly how our minds work. LOL

2

Be sure you're getting B 12 and vitamin C and D every day and lots of fluids. People often have confusion and memory problems if they're difficient in any of these.

Thanks. Yeah I take all of those. So I don't think that's the problem.

1

I'm the opposite. I recognise faces in detail.

Yes, like my friend. He never forgets a face.

2

Weed is the answer.

I forgot the question....

According to recent studies, including the Salk Institute, posted on this site alone, it appears to be true.

That's the best solution I've heard

3

Mention it to your doctor. Could be a symptom of something. Don't panic, but get it checked out.

I probably should do that. It might have to do with being bombarded with chemo and radiation. I never thought of that.

2

I've heard of this before. Not to be flippant, but there are a number of faces I wish I could forget. It sounds like you are coping with the condition (indeed what else could you do?), and I hope it's not too much of a problem for you.

You made me laugh. but you're right. In some cases it's a blessing!

2

I remember faces and voices easily and retain those memories for a very long time. I even remember telephone numbers from 50 years ago. On the other hand, I have difficulty in remembering names.

1

Be like a guy ! We look at boobs and remember the face ever after ?   Lol

That might get me in trouble 🙂

@TheoryNumber3
I am sure it won't be the 1st time ?

2

I think I might have a mild dose of it, or is there a name for recognising the face but not getting the name ?

Me, too. Normal?

I can remember names easily, I just forget whose face they go with.

In my case I think it's called "senior citizenitis"

@TheoryNumber3 haha

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:102090
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.