SDAM is not a medical diagnosis
For the longest time, I never knew why I couldn't recall my past. I always tried to describe it as I could remember feelings or facts, but not the memory itself.
It got to a point where I would just recite "memories" passed on via word of mouth by friends or relatives.
I would always agree that I remembered something when someone asked.
Things even got to the point where I wanted to feel normal, so I made up life experiences and faux memories.
After discovering this reddit, I realized this is what affected me, but was absolutely devastated to learn there is no diagnosis for it. There are a variety of reasons listed why it isn't a medical diagnosis, but here is the one I disagree with:
No Functional Impairment: Because SDAM is a lifelong trait, individuals with the condition are typically healthy, high-functioning adults who have developed strategies to navigate their daily lives without distress.
I have navigated my entire life in distress trying to seem normal and portray myself as an individual with past experiences. I can't answer ice breaker questions sometimes and have to Google other peoples answers and pick one that would be the most plausible for me as a person.
I can't disclose that I can't recall memories to answer an interview question like "Tell me a time when..", but I swear I am more than capable for the job itself.
My life is a huge distress signal. I want the status of this condition to be diagnosable.