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Prosopagnosia - Inability To Recognize Faces

kbtoyssni

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kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted

Has anyone heard of prosopagnosia? It's the inability to recognize faces. Here's some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia

I'm starting to wonder if I have a mild case of it. Last night I watched The Departed with some friends. Normally I don't watch drama-type movies and now I know why. I didn't realize until halfway through the movie that Leonardo DeCaprio and Matt Damon were different characters. Both famous people and I can't tell them apart until they end up in the same scene together. At which point I have no hope of understanding the movie. I just felt really sad and out of place when everyone was discussing the movie afterwards, and I have no clue what they're talking about.

This is not the first time this has happened. Movies and TV shows always get me. There are a couple people at work who I cannot keep straight because they have similar body types. I can't tell Chinese gymnasts apart probably because they all have black hair and similar body types.

Just wondering if anyone else has this and if they've officially been diagnosed?

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kevsmom Contributor
kevsmom
Posted

I've wondered a few times if something was going on with my eyesight. I will see people on the street or in a store, and think "There's _____ (someone that I have known for years)." The more I look at them, the more I think, I don't know if that is them or not. Maybe this is something that I need to bring up to my eye doctor???

Cindy

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

I've never been able to remember people's faces. Any movie with men with the same hair color and relative length I can't tell the characters apart. (Women usually have very different hairstyles.) I can recognize people that I see often, but it's mostly by the way they move.

I've always known that this isn't quite normal, but in generally I'm not visually oriented so it didn't really bother me that much. I also can't tell cars apart. Most other things have a lot of variation in their colors so it isn't as difficult.

kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted
  • Author

Oh, cars is another tricky thing for me! I can never find my car. I moved to Minnesota from Wisconsin last year and the only way I could find my car was by WI plates. I've had MN plates for a week now, and I've had trouble several times finding it.

  • 8 months later...
Kamper Newbie
Kamper
Posted
Has anyone heard of prosopagnosia? It's the inability to recognize faces. Here's some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia

I'm starting to wonder if I have a mild case of it. Last night I watched The Departed with some friends. Normally I don't watch drama-type movies and now I know why. I didn't realize until halfway through the movie that Leonardo DeCaprio and Matt Damon were different characters. Both famous people and I can't tell them apart until they end up in the same scene together. At which point I have no hope of understanding the movie. I just felt really sad and out of place when everyone was discussing the movie afterwards, and I have no clue what they're talking about.

This is not the first time this has happened. Movies and TV shows always get me. There are a couple people at work who I cannot keep straight because they have similar body types. I can't tell Chinese gymnasts apart probably because they all have black hair and similar body types.

Just wondering if anyone else has this and if they've officially been diagnosed?

I can never tell actors by their faces, I always catch the voice. Although I enjoy not knowing the actors more, I can focus more on the story's rather than the actors.

spunky Contributor
spunky
Posted

I read about this a long time ago and realized I must have it to some degree.

I also don't like movies because the actors and actresses look too much alike to me. I can actually remember people's names, their hobbies or interests, other facts about them, but it takes me months of seeing the person to be able to recognize them somehwere. I know people think I'm snubbing them, but I just don't recognize them unless I've known them for a while. I can remember their names, though, and once I know that, I can tell them all sorts of little facts they've told me about themselves...but I just have a hard time recognizing people. Just the reverse of most people's problem. It's kind of embarrassing and frustrating.

  • 2 years later...
janie10 Newbie
janie10
Posted

Hi there.

I realise your post is a long while ago, but really hope you are still a member. Please contact me if you are still having these visual difficulties. I know a lady with coeliac who also has various forms of visual agnosia. If you do have a visual impairment that you suspect is related to coeliac I would really like to pass your details on to the lady (UK)who has been desperate to find someone with similar symptoms.

Thank you so much.

Has anyone heard of prosopagnosia? It's the inability to recognize faces. Here's some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia

I'm starting to wonder if I have a mild case of it. Last night I watched The Departed with some friends. Normally I don't watch drama-type movies and now I know why. I didn't realize until halfway through the movie that Leonardo DeCaprio and Matt Damon were different characters. Both famous people and I can't tell them apart until they end up in the same scene together. At which point I have no hope of understanding the movie. I just felt really sad and out of place when everyone was discussing the movie afterwards, and I have no clue what they're talking about.

This is not the first time this has happened. Movies and TV shows always get me. There are a couple people at work who I cannot keep straight because they have similar body types. I can't tell Chinese gymnasts apart probably because they all have black hair and similar body types.

Just wondering if anyone else has this and if they've officially been diagnosed?

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newgfcali Rookie
newgfcali
Posted

There's a name for this? I didn't realize it had a name. I've had difficulty remembering faces most of my adult life. I have to meet someone 6-8 times before I know who they are. It's really embarassing. My sister has the same problem. Sometimes I think it would be easier to hang a sign around my neck saying "I'm sorry, but who are you again?"

I'm a double DQ1 which I've read has strong ties to neuro problems. Hmmmm.

  • 8 years later...
Elli- Apprentice
Elli-
Posted

I have this, too.  The Departed was very difficult to follow - someone needs to tell the casting directors that ensemble casts need to all hv diferent hair. :D

Jmg Mentor
Jmg
Posted
1 hour ago, Ellie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! said:

I have this, too.  The Departed was very difficult to follow - someone needs to tell the casting directors that ensemble casts need to all hv diferent hair. :D

My mother has this, she calls it 'faceblind'. Never heard it linked to celiac before! The Departed was based on a Hong Kong film, Infernal Affairs. At least in that one they gave one of the guys a beard :D

 

Ennis-TX Grand Master
Ennis-TX
Posted

I assumed it was my autism....I can be in the same class, or work with someone for over a year and still not be able to match a face to a name. I recognize people more by a combination of voice, attitude, body outline, hair, then I do by actual faces....they seem to...muddle hard to explain but when I try to compare peoples faces to memories they distort and combine and anyone can be anyone unless they have a distinctive disfigurement, scar or something outstanding.

Bananasbananas Apprentice
Bananasbananas
Posted

Haha my husband calls me face blind. There are so many actor pairs that until I saw I side by side I had through they were just one person. Although I think I was thinking Matt damon was Mark walhberg? Lol

I would need to see quite the large, multi-ethnic case control study to believe it had anything to do with celiac tho..

  • 3 weeks later...
Elli- Apprentice
Elli-
Posted
On 2/28/2018 at 2:23 AM, Jmg said:

My mother has this, she calls it 'faceblind'. Never heard it linked to celiac before! The Departed was based on a Hong Kong film, Infernal Affairs. At least in that one they gave one of the guys a beard :D

 

Hahahahaaaa!!  A little facial isn’t gonna kill you, hair and makeup ppl!!! 

DeviD Rookie
DeviD
Posted

Wow, same here with that movie! I always got those two confused. I can recognize people in public usually but I have a hard time with actors. Most look the same to me.

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