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Introduce yourself here, a bit about you and your interests.

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Outdoors&flowers
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 4:24 pm

Hello

Post by Outdoors&flowers »

So am Introducing myself to all you lovely people as someone who has recently concluded she may be mildly dyspraxic!!! I had a vague notion before that I was dyslexic due to my poor spelling but dyspraxia fits much better with the other things I do. I managed to get to university but found I was hopelessly unfocused and unacademic. Up until October I was working as an Occupational Therapy assistant in the NHS. I have always been a very empathetic person so the job suited me until I began to find the stress at work was getting too much. My brain was constantly over loaded and in a muddle. I started having major panic attacks. nothing would stay in. I was always late and felt totally out of control. I had my moment of realisation in a clinical governance session. One of the children's therapists gave a presentation on dyslexia and dyspraxia. I sat there and cried (gently sobbed really so no one would see!!!) She was describing the sort of things I do!!!! I have always been clumsy. when I was young my mother constantly told me off for not taking care and crashing about. I trip over thin air. I'm hopeless at being on time. I'm very untidy. I'm left handed for writing but do most other things with my right hand. I day dream constantly. I have trouble focusing on one thing for very long. My maths is terrible. I struggle with spelling but love reading books. when I write I miss letters off words and miss out words all together without realising. It took me ages to learn to drive and am petrified of driving a horse lorry because of its size. I'm hopelessly disorganised with paying bills and financial stuff. Most people who know me would describe me as a one off!!! (in the kind way people do when they really don't quite know how to take you) I'm very tuned in to people feelings and seem to try to go out of my way to help others and make them feel good. This can often get me into trouble as I struggle to see things the way others do. I love nature and animals and the outdoors and spend a lot of time alone. I have always felt different somehow. At work once we did some personality tests for fun and had to stand in different parts of the room according to the results. All the physios stood in one corner and I was by myself in the other!!!!

so anyway, that's me. Would be interesting to get some feed back on the above. Am very much looking forward to chatting to people with similar stories and exploring the world of dyspraxia!
Ram
Power poster
Posts: 173
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2014 8:30 am

Re: Hello

Post by Ram »

Outdoors & Flowers said:
One of the children's therapists gave a presentation on dyslexia and dyspraxia. I sat there and cried (gently sobbed really so no one would see!!!)
Welcome to the forum, Outdoors & Flowers. It is indeed quite an experience when undiagnosed adults first encounter a clinical description of the condition. It is interesting to observe how we react in different ways. The best description of my reaction was one of frozen shock
Tom fod
Administrator
Posts: 2947
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 9:05 pm
Location: SW UK

Re: Hello

Post by Tom fod »

Hi and welcome. I'm glad you've found us.

The current employment climate is not helpful and I believe a lot of neuro-diverse people are really struggling.You certainly seem to have some traits/tendencies. Whether or not you manage to obtain a formal diagnosis you're absolutely welcome here and we look forward to your thoughts and contributions.

Please feel free to ask questions or just use this space as a place to vent about being a round peg forced into square holes.
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)
otis_b_flywheel
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Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2016 3:01 pm
Location: Strathpeffer
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Re: Hello

Post by otis_b_flywheel »

Hi there,
Thanks for introducing yourself to us. I was very sad to read that you are no longer working as an occupational therapist (OT) as I suspect you have a massive amount to offer others in this role. You don't yet have a formal diagnosis, yet the symptoms you describe do seem consistent with dyspraxia. I'm currently getting help from an OT who is herself dyspraxic and that gives her a lot of "street cred" in my eyes - so much more so than the previous cognitive behavioural therapist I was seeing who kept asking me to "put the dyspraxia aside".
I wonder if it would help you to get a formal diagnosis? I know this can be a difficult / drawn-out / expensive process, but if you're able to get an assessment perhaps you would be in a better position to get another job as an OT, as your employer would be required to make reasonable adjustments (such as allowing you to work part-time or with a reduced workload) to enable you to work effectively in your post. Are you / were you in a trade union? Such organisations exist to help people in your position.
Best of luck
Tim
Tim

"I may not be perfect, but parts of me are pretty awesome."
Outdoors&flowers
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 4:24 pm

Re: Hello

Post by Outdoors&flowers »

Thank you so much for your replys. I feel very welcome . I think that getting a formal assessment may be the logical next step for me. I actually feel a massive sence of relief to know that im not just some strange weird girl.
The good news is I am putting my talents to good use by looking after the elderly/dementia patients in their own homes. Much more relaxed. Unfortunately the NHS is under such huge pressure that the job I once loved just became an excercise in reducing "bed blocking "
It is a good point though that I may one day be able to make the most of my skills and newly found knowledge to help others. I have been reading with interest what other people do for a living. So much useful posituve stuff here. Very happy to have found you all :-)
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