Is it Dyslexia, idiocy, laziness or something else?

[Sixfootsquirrel]

I was diagnosed with dyspraxia at a very early age and therefore have always had a lot of support.

To be honest it has never been that bad, I'm very big on computers and often these made up for my spelling and matchmatics, so much that I have an English Literature A-level and a Degree in Computer Science, something that others in my situation would find difficult

Recently though I'm having huge problems at work, I work in a large organization with lots of different computer systems, I've been there 8 months so far and I've had a lot of issues memorizing the different systems and if I don't write it down I will often forget it. Many times people ask me if I've done that and if this person called or not and I really cannot remember. On top of all this there are around 100 people in the department and I can only remember around 10 of their names and so when someone asks me to go speak to this person I always shrink inside of myself and I really cringe

Recently another member of staff was made head of the team but they don't seem to unstand the issues that I have and it's made me doubt myself, maybe I am just being lazy or maybe I'm just not clever enough?

The other day I heard the organization has a special section of support for people with dyslexia and I approached them of my own accord asking if there is anything they can do to support me, they have asked to meet me and I told my manager this who immediately had a meeting with me, asking me why I went behind their backs and asking me what support they can provide. I said that I did not want to approach them before I knew what support the organization could provide and that I'm unable to tell them what they can do without knowing what is available. My new manager said that they would need to approve any courses and if they would be helpful to the organization as well as me.

Surely if you have a special section of the business that deals with dyslexia you would want people to use it right?

If anything is having similar memory issues to myself please let me know, I really don't know if it's getting worse and I simply can't remember or maybe I do get lazy because of the double amount of effort I seem to need to put into things?

[Hidden]

Dyslexia has nothing to do with laziness the brain of a dyslexic person is far more complex than the average person and because of that if the person has the correct schooling and needs taken care of we can become some of the most intelligent and respected people in the workplace, this is why the organisation you work for has this programme running because they know how valuble you are.

These people have Dyslexia:

Bill gates

Richard Branson

Kiera Knightley

Steven Speilberg

You will more than likely find they struggle day to day and and find it difficult to remember things and complete very simple taks but then they can do something that would truly amaze other people.

I myself work in a busy building with about 50-60 people and I can remember about 10 names and even then I struggle to work those names out and designate them to the correct person.. it's getting the information out of the brain and process it in order that seems to be the issue.

[cathythechemist]

To my understanding a dyslexic brain is no more complex, it's just different in how the wires link to each other which leads to "normal people” getting confused, flummoxed and frustrated and, sometimes as you've discovered, threatened when they don't understand.

Apart from being forgetful, do you also seem to have issues with distractibility, sense of time passing/time management, expressing yourself before your brain has a chance to filter your words and tone of delivery (a form of impulsivity?) and have you had these all your life and have made life really difficult? How did you find uni? Do you believe you flgot the ggrades that lived up to your true potential?

I ask all of the above because I see a similar feeling running through your post to how I felt befelt before I learned about adult inattentive ADHD. Might be worth looking in to, especially as even if you don't have it (you can even if you have a degree!) As there are so many memory aid tips on can pick up that will still help.

It's also worth mentioning that although the dyslexic population is no more likely than the general population to have ADHD, ADHDers are far more likely to have dyslexia, dyspraxia etc, depression and anxiety and autistic spectrum problems than the rest of the population.

Also Richard Branson is apparently known to have ADHD, and it's theorised that both Einstein and Tesla (awesome scientist - look him up!!) Had ADHD as well!

[Sixfootsquirrel in reply to cathythechemist]

I really don't know about the ADHD. As far as I can remember I was able to pay attention in my lectures and did well in my coursework, but I find it really hard to hear people in a crowded room, so far that I avoid pubs as much as possible.

I also feel that I did all that studying at university and now I can't remember any of it and so all my hard work is lost

My attention span has shrunk as of late. Although part of the problem is I can't remember, I can't remember a lot of my childhood and even what happened last week, my memory fails me on so many levels. I had help at school but never seemed to need as much help as I feel I need now, but again I don't know

Also it's convincing the people at work that I need this and I'm not a complete idiot, they treat me like a child a lot of the time and what makes it more difficult is that I really cannot stand working on a service desk and I've felt trapped in this job for a while. People really don't understand me and that's not unusual since I don't understand myself

Should I go to my GP, I really don't know what to say and if they can help me?

[cathythechemist in reply to Sixfootsquirrel]

Perhaps you don't then, if you did OK with your coursework. ADHD inattentive is like the scattiest person ever! They can concentrate, but only on things that interest them, and then it's like they can't "surface" because they're so focussed on what they're doing they loose track of everything else - including dinner time, going to bed, some people even put off going to the toilet and end up with bladder problems because they just "want to finish this little bit". This is called hyperfocus, and you can have issues with GPs and psychiatrists because if they're now knowledgeable about ADHD, they don't seem to know about this phenomena and presume that ADHDers cannot concentrate at all on anything ever!

I had massive issues with handing in coursework in on time. I couldn't pace myself if I couldn't get into the coursework, and the longer it got left, the more guilty and overwhelmed and therefore paralysed I got, until the deadline was more or less upon me by which time I could then finally get my arse into gear and get it done. However it wouldn't be at the same standard as it would have been if I had been able to get my arse into gear at an earlier stage.

I could also forget about pieces of work completely, prioritise the wrong things, not realise how little time I actually had to revise for exams (I seem to have 3 time periods, past, now, future. Most other people can tell how long 15 minutes is, roughly; I think I have been writing this reply for 2 minutes, but it's probably closer to 10. A month away always seems in my head to be a very long time away, so I don't tend to worry about stuff that far ahead - even next week stuff isn't really thought about!).

I also have issues with sleep - getting to sleep in the first place, waking up in the middle of the night and sometimes having issues getting back to sleep and finding it very difficult indeed to get out of bed when I really need to. Almost every day (unlike occasionally in "normal" people). This is quite common in ADHDers.

If any of the above sounds like you (or indeed anyone reading this!), it might be worth reading up more on ADHD in adults. It is NOT ALWAYS HYPERACTIVITY! I am not hyperactive at all for instance. I am also happy to PM with you if you get a bit overwhelmed/find information difficult to sift through.

[tracy01942]

i have known for many years i was dyslexic, i always struggled and still do with reading and writing, organizing my time,and paperwork, in the past i have suffered from depression, as a result of issues that i felt nobody would listen to a better solution i had to solve the problems, i couldn't understand why the solution wasn't as clear to other people, i used get so frustrated and feel trapped , that i would end up going of sick and taking medication,

its only when i started to research on the internet and by reading some books about what dyslexia that i realized how it can effect much more areas of your life than just reading and writing , i finally realized that i was normal and the rest of the world was mad and they did not have my special talent of thinking outside the box, since i have come to terms with my problems over time, i attend a adult evening class for english for 2 years, i started to volunteer at the local CAB as a advisor i then became a union rep, the union supported me to finally access some professional help with my dyslexia where i met a brilliant dyslexia tutor called debbie,who was the first person i ever met that understood the difficulties i had, had for many years, the 1st meeting with debbie was such a release i cried all the way through our first session , but i finally felt the world was off my shoulders.i then went on to meet a TUC tutor called cath who not only improved my knowledge, but built my confidence, she then introduced me to unionlearn, who work with all the unions to help their members improve and undertake learning in and out of the workplace , unionlearn then funding a project that i was to lead on, to help other members attend courses, if it wasn't for the union and my full time officer carol support, i wonder where i would be now .

as I am a now a full time local union rep, i've been seconded out of my care assistant role, to a full time role in a office,were i represent members in disciplinaries, sickness, H&S redundancy meeting, the amount of paperwork is unbelieve, as is the stress, but i love it, i finally able to use my talent of thinking out the box, my blackberry is my best friend at it helps me spell, i tell people i'm dyslexic, and if they see any daft spelling mistakes to tell me, i also tell them just cause i cant spell, doesn't mean i thick either ,

i fully believe until you understanding what dyslexic really is, and accepting is not going away, and to realize the things you can do, and are good at and look for strategies to help you with the area you know are the problems, is the first step to a new happier life, oh and of course join a UNION ;0)

[rosieposie87]

I'm dyslexic and dyspraxic and really struggle with my memory and organisation, I would really struggle with the task you've been asked to do. I agree with Tracy when you realise and accept your difficulties are more than the standard reading spelling etc it does make you feel better. Stress can make organisation and memory worse so hopefully you'll be taught some strategies when you go for help.

[TruckerGeo]

I`m Dyslexic but I really don`t think of any thing is broken . we are all working on are bad reading and writing ...I think of us as window`s working on a trs-80 we hate it some times ..we do think in another way......this means there tests are worded for them...we just wan`t to get on with it....We play by our own rules....

[yeswecanread]

All you need to remember is that Einstein and Leonardo Da Vinci and Beethoven were dyslexic, as we know from manuscripts. Please would you look at our 'yes we can read' website. It is a manual, which anyone who can read can just pick up and use to teach someone from 8 to 80. All you have to do is read the general instructions in 15 minutes or so. Please look at the videos you will be inspired. One-to-one is the key. It works, I promise you.