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Experiences of living with a learning disability

*BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
Hey guys.

I have been thinking of posting this thread for a while, but wasn't sure about posting but then with some encouragement I decided to post it.

I have a learning disability. I have dyspraxia. I have had it my whole life and I have learnt to deal with things differently.

It affects me in the sense that it takes me a lot longer to complete tasks, so paperwork at work is difficult for me, and I have no time awareness or space awareness, which means that I have to leave more time to get to places and I am usually always falling over or bumping into things. Am I seen to be 'clumsy' to others? I'm not sure but I often worry about how other see me

I struggle with my emotions and I will have good and bad days. I take things quite literally so if someone says something to me, as a joke, I will take it personally. I also don't like change, and if plans are changes at the last minute I don't deal with this very well.

I have really poor concentration so I can't really focus on anything for a long period of time without getting 'bored', and I forget things quite easily so I have to write things down. It's like at work if I am told to go and get some paint, then glue, then some paper, and then go to another room and ask a member of staff something, I will only remember the "get some paint" I wont remember anything else.

Everyday I have to face tasks that are quite hard for me and it upsets me that I can't do these tasks as easy as other people could. Sometimes I don't really like the person I am and feel pretty alone. I cope because I have to.

I guess the point of this thread is to see if others have had similar experiences with learning difficulties and how you have coped, I am not moaning about having dyspraxia. I always remember this quote

Think ability not disability

This quote is personal to me as it is something my maths tutor used to always say to me when I was doing my maths qualification for my level three in Childcare. It has always stuck with me cos it's something that meant a lot to me when I was really struggling with the learning. So it's pretty personal to me, it helped me through when I just wanted to quit.
" And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
" So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
'' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "

Comments

  • AuroraAurora Posts: 11,722 An Original Mixlorian
    Claire,

    BRAVO!!! Well done for being able to share this on TheSite.org message boards, it really helps getting more off an idea of how you cope, and how alternative learning dissabilities effect different people in different ways. I'm proud of you :heart: I'm glad someone was able to give you a push to be able to post this on TheSite.org message boards!

    Best wishes,
    Angel
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    Thank you so much Angel

    I have wanted to post it for a while. But wasn't sure how it would go down on the boards. So thank you so much for your positive response. :)
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for posting this.

    I'm Autistic and a lot of what you've said in your post sounds familiar.
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    It's okay Melian.

    I hope it has helped you somehow seeing this thread. :)
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've had dyspraxia and dyslexia all my life but I was only diagnosed when I was 17. It's really difficult to explain how my brain works - I like to think of it as neuro-diversity: essentially my brain is wired differently from the majority of people. I do think differently to most people - I'm a lateral thinker in every sense, which can make things difficult at times, it's just a case of trial and error at finding what what works for you. For me I find using apps and having everything digitised makes a big difference.
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    Thank you for your reply MissR

    I guess I am jus feeling really alone bout it all.

    When you say apps? what do you mean?

    Also do you notice that it affects your emotions?
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Apps - I use Evernote to make notes, write down anything I need. It syncs to all my devices so I've got it all wherever I am. I make use of ICal (google calendar works really well for android and windows phones it seems). Unstuck is helpful at times, and making the most of Siri.

    Sometimes it does effect my emotions - it's easy to get overwhelmed when I can't express myself or when I'm having sensory overload.
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    I guess Apps do help. I have a few that I use and I also write everything down in a notebook, whether that be things to do with work or my personal life.

    I am going to my doctor to discuss this cos recently my moods have been worse and I think it's linked to having dyspraxia.
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Miss_Riot wrote: »
    Sometimes it does effect my emotions - it's easy to get overwhelmed when I can't express myself or when I'm having sensory overload.

    I find this a lot and have found I can't actually talk if I've got sensory overload. :(
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    What do you mean sensory overload?
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    When it gets too loud or there's too many lights. I'm too sensitive to light and too much light is physically painful and I used to get migraine if I went outside on a sunny day without my cap. I now have to wear tinted lens.

    Usually, if there are many people around having different conversations, it develops into one loud and painful noise.

    Some of us are too sensitive to noise, light, etc. So what sounds quiet to you, for some of us, it's very loud.
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    Ooh I understand.

    I get a bit like that in busy places not so much people talking but jus generally like having loads of people around me, I get panicky and I struggle to like be in control of what I am doing, hope that makes some sort of sense.
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I get that too. It's more with large groups of strange people than anything else.
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    Sounds tough.

    I don't feel as alone now I have posted this thread, knowing that others are going through similar. I guess people jus learn ways of doing things differently and coping :)
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I forgot about this!

    Claire, I hope you realise how brave you are *hug*

    I have aspergers (autism) and I struggle with some of the things you struggle with. I sometimes take some things people say the wrong way, I find it difficult to cope with change, I have poor concentration sometimes. Like, if someone is talking to me but I'm thinking about something completely different, I tend to focus on whatever I'm thinking about but I'll be nodding as though I'm listening to whoever is talking, but then I realise I wasn't listening and I'll be like 'wait, what happened'? Quite rude really.. people have come to realise that's part of the aspergers though.

    Hate noise, hate the hoover, it's so bloomin' loud! I struggle when there are too many people. I struggle meeting new people. I think the most annoying thing is that I struggle to word things properly and explain things.

    My life is a struggle, but here I am, so I guess I'm coping okay with it.

    I don't know how I have coped, I guess you just have to. Aspergers is a part of me, nothing can change that unfortunately, so I have to live with it.

    It's nice to see nobody is alone with things like this though.
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    Nah I'm not brave.

    I guess I wanted to post this thread to see if others were facing similar difficulties, and like you say nobody is alone with things like this.

    I am sorry to hear about the struggles that you face. It is really tough.

    I can so relate to the word things properly and explain things This has been a really tough for me since working at the nursery and all my volunteering. I get frustrated cos I have lots of ideas about things but I can't word them. But I have to thank the staff at TS towers for being supportive during my time volunteering cos they understand and they don't judge me, and jus accept me for me. It means a lot.

    People jus accept me for who I am. I never once let my disability hold me back, I faced lots of struggles during my college times, but I got through it. Everyday is a battle there is always something I will find difficult, and sometimes it is just easier to "give up" but I can't jus give up cos I wont get anywhere if I do.

    Okay so I have jus rambled lots of random stuff there.

    I guess my point is, that your more than your disability, it doesn't define you
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You make me laugh :)

    You haven't just 'rambled lots of random stuff', it's great that you don't let any of this get you down.

    you are more than your disability. You are caring, you are funny, you give so many people some good advice, you are random ;) you're a lovely person and that's way more important than whatever comes with you disability.

    And yes you are brave, stop putting yourself down.
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    Sometimes it gets me down, but I get used to it.

    I guess it's about trying to live life to the best of your abilities.

    All those things you have jus said, caring, funny, random. I don't feel like I am that sort of person though.

    Okay, maybe I am a bit random
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah, sometimes I have moments where aspergers is obvious, say if I can't word something, and I just want to bash my head.. but I don't!

    Haha! You can't just agree with random, but with nothing else! I wouldn't have said you were caring or funny if I didn't mean it, and I reckon a lot of other people would agree with me.
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    Yeah I so relate to that. It's slightly frustrating. Like words all get jumbled up inside your head type of thing.

    Lols. I jus don't feel like that sort of person. Meh! Anyways. it's all good :)
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    Just wanted to update this thread cos I don't want to bring my old thread back up. But I have been to the doctors today and I have been put back on medication to hopefully sort my emotions out, and it was my choice. I was scared but the doctor was lovely, so I think I have made the right decision. Time to start a fresh.
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well done claire!! Proud of you :heart:
  • *BananaMonkey**BananaMonkey* Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    Thank you :)
    " And everywhere I am, there you'll be, your love made me make it through, oh I owe so much to you "
    " So I say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing, who can live without it, I ask in all honestly what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me "
    '' It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smiling "
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