Both of my Neuro-Psych Assessments (2002 and 2007) have diagnosed my short term and immediate auditory and visual memory in the bottom 5 to 12 % of the population. Fortunately, my WAIS-II scored IQ's are still in the top 10% with most in the top 2%. Using work-arounds, I can still do just about anything if I am given enough time to think through the task.

I know to not fight against my memory dysfunctions. Instead, I use work-arounds and other techniques to accomplish the memory required tasks. I had an almost photographic memory up until 2001.

My bigger problem is over-attending. That is when the brain is trying to process too much information at the same time. I have to isolate myself or my thoughts so I can focus on a single mental task.

I struggle with visual clutter and auditory clutter. The new MS Office 'ribbons' system has stopped me dead in my tracks. There is too much visual information for me to sort through to do any word processing or Excel tasks.

If I need to pay attention to an audio stimuli, I need to use ear phones and/or close my eyes to get the audio focus to actually hear and process the information. Foam ear plugs also help to reduce the volume of background/ambient noise.

I do my best communicating by computer. I use the text I have typed as my short term memory. I can reread what I just typed to remember the topic I am writing about.

I can talk about information that I have 'overlearned' but struggle to maintain my train of thought with new information or abstract information.

fyi, Overlearned skills or information are skills or information that were so deeply embedded in cognitive memory and muscle memory that they are highly functional even though short and immediate term memory skills may be serious deficient.

Even with many overlearned skills, I still have to stop to think from time to time to remember a skill, such as righty tighty, lefty loosey.

With stress, the brain can easily mix up skills or even reverse them. This is a problem for me when driving. I avoid driving in busy or congested traffic areas. The stress causes to many problems.

Long ago I learn an important axiom. People like us need to "Stop to think" to avoid the errors and screw-ups due to our brain malfunctioning.