Developmental prosopagnosia, colloquially known as face blindness, affects an estimated 2% of the population. This chronic condition which inhibits daily activities such as walking can be debilitating. In this lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder, individuals cannot recognize faces they have seen many times before. Consequently, they deeply struggle to connect socially, personally, and in the workplace. Even with intact vision, memory, and intelligence, individuals living with this condition generally face the challenge of contending with its all-consuming presence.
People who are diagnosed with developmental prosopagnosia do not have the ability to recognize even their best friends and family members. An unfathomable 62% of all those impacted were able to name their close family members right off the top of their heads. 35% had difficulty identifying them in non-traditional environments. 69% said they were able to identify less than ten known individuals. This stands in stark contrast to the typical adult, who can recognize about 5,000 known faces. This wide gap highlights the disorder’s impact on the quality of personal relationships and social life.
The emotional impact of developmental prosopagnosia is just as deep. People with prosopagnosia often describe feeling embarrassed or socially anxious in public when they fail to identify others. One individual expressed the pervasive effect of the condition:
“This condition impacts every aspect of my life — my relationships, friendships, work activities, and social life. It deserves more attention as it can have a seriously detrimental impact on the physical and mental health of those with the condition.”
Social gatherings present a particular challenge. People with this comorbidity find it difficult to participate in normal social interactions. For instance, they may find it difficult to make introductions in social settings. One person described their struggle at social events:
“Any occasion, social, or work, where one is expected to mingle and meet new people is hard; I can’t tell whether someone is a new person or not, so I can’t ever introduce myself to anyone (it might turn out we’ve worked together for 10 years).”
The stress and anxiety that accompanies these scenarios may cause people to withdraw from social events entirely. Some have shared their reluctance to participate in larger groups:
“I avoid groups of more than one or two people and feel very nervous in a group. It is a shame as I love being with people.”
In managing this complex disease, people use many different approaches. Others describe relying on strategies like making descriptive notes on people’s physical characteristics, behaviors, physical mannerisms and other distinguishing features. 28% of those impacted have said it has helped to write descriptions of friends or family to help identify them. On average, people with developmental prosopagnosia say that they’ve tested out at least four alternative strategies to help them through social situations.
These strategies do hold promise, but their efficacy differs widely from person to person. Indeed, the psychosocial toll is perhaps even higher for those still in their lives lost, affecting their confidence and general quality of life. One person articulated their ongoing struggles:
“I have anxiety in social situations because I constantly think there are people there thinking I’m rude because I don’t approach anyone, ever.”
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