Dissertation Research - Dyspraxia, Mental Wellbeing and Vocational Experiences

A place to talk about your experience of living with Dyspraxia

Moderator: Moderator Team

Post Reply

Has dyspraxia had an impact on your vocational experiences and mental/ emotional wellbeing?

Yes for both areas
8
100%
No for both areas
0
No votes
Yes for mental/ emotional wellbeing
0
No votes
Yes for vocational experiences
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 8

Anj
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2018 8:24 am

Dissertation Research - Dyspraxia, Mental Wellbeing and Vocational Experiences

Post by Anj »

Hello Everyone! :D

My name is Anjum and I am a third year BA (Hons) Special Educational Needs and Disability student studying at the University of Derby.

From my personal experiences as someone who has dyspraxia, I have had issues with my mental health, as well as the choices I have made relating to my career I feel were somewhat influenced to the traits of my dyspraxia which became a barrier/ issues in some types of career paths I was once considering, but became a benefit in other areas of work. From my literature review, I found there to be limited research targeted at adults but there has been some research done on dyspraxia and mental health, issues relating to diagnosis, dyspraxia and academic and work experiences.

Everyone has different traits/ symptoms of dyspraxia to an extent. My intent is to carry out research on the mental/ emotional wellbeing of adults with perceived or diagnosed dyspraxia/ DCD as well as their vocational experiences relating to career paths, opportunities, job hunting, work life, etc.
Before I do this, I would really appreciate any input from adults who have dyspraxia, which would help tailor my upcoming research questions.

What are your thoughts/ experiences on dyspraxia's relation with mental wellbeing?
Your experiences and thoughts on getting a diagnosis as an adult?
Has dyspraxia had an impact on your workplace experiences?


Any input at all would be appreciated :)


(I have gained the approval of this forum's moderator)
Tom fod
Administrator
Posts: 2947
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 9:05 pm
Location: SW UK

Re: Dissertation Research - Dyspraxia, Mental Wellbeing and Vocational Experiences

Post by Tom fod »

Just to add that Anjum approached me about this research and I have endorsed it
Tom
Moderator/Administrator

With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
Helenjohanna
Getting settled in
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 12:24 pm

Re: Dissertation Research - Dyspraxia, Mental Wellbeing and Vocational Experiences

Post by Helenjohanna »

Yes for both, but I'm not diagnosed, so I thought best not to actually vote.
Lucy
Getting settled in
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2018 4:48 pm

Re: Dissertation Research - Dyspraxia, Mental Wellbeing and Vocational Experiences

Post by Lucy »

What are your thoughts/ experiences on dyspraxia's relation with mental wellbeing?

In short - complex! On the one hand, I've always felt different, awkward, even broken, and self-conscious over not being great at "simple" tasks - especially in childhood/adolescence. That self-consciousness affects things like socialising (eg avoiding eating out with people who don't know me well in case they judge me for my clumsiness/messiness) which is also made harder by sensory processing difficulties eg separating speech from background noise and different conversations from each other, and also by my difficulty judging how much volume I'm putting behind my voice at times (so I'll be randomly too loud or completely inaudible lol). I've also found that a lot of people don't really understand or care and that I just have to get on with it anyway, which has been hard but also good. Like, it's reduced my trust and belief in people but it's also helped me realise that I can rely on myself and push through challenges.

I'd say that's the main way dyspraxia has been good for my mental health - the determination and resilience it's given me, and also the empathy I have for others which helps me in my relationships.

Your experiences and thoughts on getting a diagnosis as an adult?

Well, for me getting diagnosed was a very mixed thing. I was diagnosed as a postgrad student through uni and... on the one hand it was a relief, that I hadn't been making up excuses or being lazy - those things really were harder for me than for other people. So much of my life suddenly made sense. At the same time... it was a bit disconcerting that so much of what makes me, me, could be summed up in one word! I think I would probably have been less likely to pursue the postgrad courses I've chosen if I'd known I really was more tired than other people and slower at processing things - I'd have thought it would be too much, even with the help that's available. Honestly, it still might be too much. But I think I'd have been less likely to try if I'd known since childhood.

At the same time, I spent much of my childhood secretly wishing that I had 'something' to explain why I seemed to struggle so much in some areas and felt really defective because of that, so I might not have achieved as much academically/in my career, but - assuming I could make peace with achieving less - I'd probably be happier and more mentally healthy if I'd been diagnosed younger.

I do think it's tragic that most people have to pay for diagnosis though. And that there should be more access to support after diagnosis, and proper recommendations about adjustments and coping strategies for the wider world. I know I could pay for those things, but, well... I'm a student. And I also don't think people's access to knowledge, tools and support should depend on their ability to pay.

(Not sure if that's the kind of response you're looking for/I understood your question as you meant it - do let me know if not!)

Has dyspraxia had an impact on your workplace experiences?

YES. From worrying that my supervisor thinks less of me because that's the third time I've dropped something and we only met yesterday, to needing to physically walk the fire escape route to have any chance of remembering it, to getting lost for at least a month, to needing to write down every procedure (well, that one kind of paid off as I ended up being asked to write up some of the procedures haha), to failing some training that focused on physical skills (fortunately not at the expense of my job), to being more comfortable sitting at a corner desk with fewer distractions and more place for all my to-do lists (on the wall), to needing more time to prepare for meetings and not always being able to follow and process conversations in order to come up with ideas quickly enough to share them in meetings so I have to either let them go or bring them up later, to... the list goes on haha. And socialising, of course, is important at work too, so all of the ways dyspraxia has an impact there. And how exhausting long days (13 hours) were!! Thankfully don't have those anymore!

I think I may have waffled, sorry if that's the case! Do let me know if anything's unclear - I hope it helps.
Andrew_S_Hatton
Power poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Wed Jun 28, 2017 11:15 pm
Location: Maldon District, Essex, UK
Contact:

Re: Dissertation Research - Dyspraxia, Mental Wellbeing and Vocational Experiences

Post by Andrew_S_Hatton »

I have just scanned this, but thanks, we seem to be stuck as a "community".

Suggestions Please.

Mine is to have one live, thread, we can join at an agreed time. Ian very flexible about times.
Pete_D&L
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2018 3:58 pm

Re: Dissertation Research - Dyspraxia, Mental Wellbeing and Vocational Experiences

Post by Pete_D&L »

Anj - how’s it going? 😊 As a community I think we suffer from a ‘them and us’ mentality, them being those who wish to speak FOR US and us who live it everyday.

We definitely struggle with awareness and for all there ARE celebs with Dyspraxia they don’t appear to be that vocal about the condition.

Imagine if Daniel Radcliffe actually spoke out about it. We will get there - I’m certain of it. We just need the world to sit up and take notice. A well-done and well thought through survey could have done this but suffered from the fact parents were speaking on behalf of over 25’s and there were literally 48 respondees in the over 25 category.

I full intend to do the D&L magazine long term and really hope to be very active in getting dyspraxia out there. I think tone is important and I think softly softly may not be the way. Anger, resentment. Bitterness towards other conditions and causes with a bigger profile are very genuine and valid emotions so why not use these emotions to make some real noise! Whatever way you look at it, thousands upon thousands of adult dyspraxics have been failed through lack of recognition and support.
Andrew_S_Hatton
Power poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Wed Jun 28, 2017 11:15 pm
Location: Maldon District, Essex, UK
Contact:

Re: Dissertation Research - Dyspraxia, Mental Wellbeing and Vocational Experiences

Post by Andrew_S_Hatton »

Yes, but anger needs to be used positively and we need to ALWAYS remember that many, perhaps most with DCD simultaneously have other disabilities.

I think campaigning should be based on

1.HIDDEN DISABILITIES

2.the legal studies of disability regarding equal opportunities legislation and

3. Neuro diversity.

End.
Post Reply