In fourth grade Becky dreaded recess due to socializing and dealing with bullies. Whenever Becky recalls a childhood injury-she physically feels the pain again. I also experience frequent bouts with insomnia, fatigue, and headaches from all the clutter in my mind.” “My memory ability makes it difficult to release negative memories and causes me to relive them. When Becky was in elementary school bullies noticed she was different and socially awkward and tormented her. There are some drawbacks to her memory ability. She can tell you the day of the week it was, what foods she ate, the weather, her outfit, and every detail in precise order of what she saw and heard. If you give Becky a random day from twenty years back. Becky shares, “My short term memory is poor but after a month it becomes long term which stays forever.” I can even remember every birth date of mine.” Becky loves Harry Potter and can recite all seven books.”īecky does not have a photographic memory but her mind has a powerful ability for recollection of sequences of events down to the microscopic detail. “When I get a memory, I relive it vividly I know it’s not real, but my emotions think it is. She is able to perfectly recall every event in her life from twelve days old-her earliest memory is lying on a sheepskin in the front seat of a car, looking up at the steering wheel-thinking what is this? I use drops of fragrant oils on a handkerchief such as peppermint to remind me of my favorite candy shops from childhood or happy holiday occasions.”įrom infancy Becky possessed an incredible memory ability. With scents I’m beginning to use my sensitive nose to reproduce happy memories. These headphones are the best because they’re soft, costumed fitted, wireless with a long lasting battery, and able to block background noise. I also don’t like the sight of bare feet so I wear my Converse sneakers.”īecky has developed some helpful coping skills, “For load sounds I’ve learned to discreetly adapt by listening to music through my Bose headphones. Whenever I came across that fragrance I remember being bullied there. The smell of honeysuckle causes me to experience anxiety because a house I didn’t like going to as a child had a garden full of that scent. My sensitivity to smells can cause me to visually relive past events in my mind. Low buzzing background sounds causes me to experience anxiety. “I am totally terrified of balloons popping. Some sensory challenges Becky experiences relate to certain sounds, smells and sights. “Those of us with autism and other disabilities require multiple times the work to get the same acknowledgement as others.” It’s taking me longer to mature into adulthood, find a career, and live independent.”īecky’s main struggle with autism is the world is primarily structured for neurotypical people. Autism has effected virtually every aspect of my life as I have almost all of the characteristics. Becky shares, “Since I was diagnosed at fifteen. The tests confirmed her mom’s intuition that Becky was autistic. After her mom examined the diagnostic criteria and characteristics for autism-she decided to have Becky tested for autism. When she was fifteen her younger stepsisters had clinical testing for depression and autism. Yet I couldn’t tell my Mum that Minnie’s face scared me because I was too young to speak.”Īt six years old Becky was misdiagnosed with childhood depression. On her first birthday Beck’s mom gave her a Minnie Mouse doll, “I was absolutely terrified of it. For fun I would organize the cutlery drawer, read atlases and assemble jigsaw puzzles,” Becky says.īecky’s mom Janet noticed her daughter was unique. “I can remember every detail from my infant years. Only eighty people in the world have been diagnosed with HSAM (Highly Superior Autographical Memory) and Becky Sharrock was the first from Australia.Īs a toddler Becky Sharrock screamed when cuddled.
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