You suspect hyperamnesia in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

Ask the patient to describe the memory in question and note its degree of vividness, detail, intensity, or persistence compared with their ordinary recall. Establish which of the several distinct named forms best fits, since these differ mainly in their trigger, such as intense emotion, trauma, or substance use, and their exact subjective quality. Where possible, check the accuracy of the vivid memory against known facts or collateral information, since vividness alone does not guarantee accuracy. Ask whether the memory has faded or distorted over time, since hyperamnesic memories are not necessarily more stable than ordinary ones despite their initial vividness.