Dyspraxic peoples talents?

[PaulC7063]

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[Tom fod]

Hi Paul Welcome to the forums (or fora)

I'm inclined to agree that's a fair point. A lot of us tend to be hyper aware of our own faults and are not always so good at recognising and/or appreciating our strengths. It doesn't help that some people like to point out our mistakes loudly/judgementally. We're usually aware ourselves so I really can't see the benefit in them doing so. (need to stop rant here!)

In many ways I'm a big picture thinker and thorough to the point of being a perfectionist.

In many ways I'm very determined and persistent but sometimes I easily become disheartened.

I'm very caring and good at empathising with others.

I'm good at developing my own coping strategies. I'm very inquisitive and like to be able to unpick and understand how things work as a way of making them less scary.

Think key is demystifying dyspraxia. No easy feat but places like these boards are invaluable for helping people to feel that they're not alone and that they do have something unique and useful to contribute!

I started a discussion a while ago about work strengths http://www.dyspraxicadults.org.uk/forum ... f=9&t=3238

[Jim]

We do sometimes have a tendency to "put our selves down" as it were...

However, I don't think acknowledging your own weaknesses is a fault or a bad thing. I know many people see it as being unduly negative. I disagree, it's being realistic. It's far better to know your own weaknesses, only then can you confront them and build your coping mechanisms around them.. which ultimately is actually quite positive really.

So when someone tells me off for being negative or putting myself down, I show them that they are actually being just as ignorant (or arrogant) as they think I'm being negative.

[Tom fod]

Think we have an over developed strength for acknowledging our weaknesses. We're very honest people,

[Gina Trent]

Hi. If I'm honest, I think I only have one decent tallent, and that's playing the drums. I had 2 years of lessons at school, but didnt get far. I can't read music very well, its a delayed reaction from looking at the sheet to playing it. To say that that is coordinating your hands and feet at the same time, I don't think about it, I just listne to my music and memorise it, I just know how to play them. It's the only thing that comes natural for me. I am a kind person though and I don't like lying. Apart from that, there isn't anything else, but that's good enough for me.

[Mopps]

Yes what you said is very true@
Dyspraxics can have talents too,
There,s many out there I am sure
Who down themselves and think we're poor
What gift have I got what can I do?
But there is something each are good at that is true.
I like to write In rhyme Like this.
I make Jewellery for charity,
Make cards play keyboard a bit
At my lap top or I pad too I'm told I am a whizz.
Now folks let's hear what you can do
If I can do these things
I have mentioned here
What will you contribute friends to this New Year.


Mopps

[moleyface1991]

Everyone has a talent but I think there is a definite belief that people who have difficulties are less than able to prove themselves because they have a fear of rejection, humilation and sufferage.
To pin point my 'talents' I enjoy singing, I got a A at GCSE Textiles, I enjoy writing, I enjoy making mood boards. I cant really say they are talents because I have seen people who are truly amazing and to be honest I have little confidence in my self because of my current work position.

Chris

[Tom fod]

Hi Chris

You are making a contribution. I have a friend who has only in the last couple of years obtained a similar volunteer role with Marie Curie, having been seriously affected by depression throughout her life. She still struggles badly with self confidence but has made significant progress. It's a step along the way and something you can put on a CV. Unpaid work shouldn't be undervalued. If volunteers dried up we'd be in a real mess.

Qualities like turning up on time and being able to carry out tasks/help out are useful and transferable qualities. You might consider it only a small contribution but it is still a contribution that ultimately helps those who are suffering and their families.

[moleyface1991]

Hi Tom,

Interestingly whenever I say to people that I volunteer, especially to those 'agencies' they seem to believe that it isnt worth much. They often say 'what you do before that' and I have been out of work for 2 years since leaving college.
My experience at Sue Ryder has been great because it is a calm, respectful and friendly place to work and I am happy to say that I feel good doing it. Unfourtunatley the places I apply , especially through agencies I sometimes feel my dyspraxia dyslexia and irlen syndrome seems to be a problem for them as I am open about it, ironically they have little understanding of it
But the manager and person I spoke to at sue ryder she has a son and daughter who both similar to me and I am thankful for that because she gave me that starting point, I am proud to have it on my CV but now I am very much scared what the future holds because I struggle to believe my talents really show especially because when in the limelight my work can sometime be inconsistent, I know this from my school work, but just to have a chance to prove myself and do something I enjoy would be benefical.
I am eternally grateful to have the support of sue ryder because they do care and often ask me how the job hunt is going, when I had an interview at Argos they said they will keep fingers cross, but often when in a highly important situation I stumble and forget what I am suppose to say, I must look like idiots to them, but I know they care and I am thankful to the position they gave me.
The job centre stupidly dont realise that I may need that extra support and when they ask questions and damning me for the problems in finding a job- not knowing what I want to do - you'd think they would offer some sort of support from someone qualified with helping dyspraxics and learning difficulty people back into work.

Chris

[Gina Trent]

Yes what you said is very true@
Dyspraxics can have talents too,
There,s many out there I am sure
Who down themselves and think we're poor
What gift have I got what can I do?
But there is something each are good at that is true.
I like to write In rhyme Like this.
I make Jewellery for charity,
Make cards play keyboard a bit
At my lap top or I pad too I'm told I am a whizz.
Now folks let's hear what you can do
If I can do these things
I have mentioned here
What will you contribute friends to this New Year.


Thats good mopps! :-)
Hope you had a nice xmas and new year.

Mopps

[JohanMidas]

I've been thinking about this kind of issue a lot recently, though mainly my focus has been on dyslexia instead.

I think there are (at least) three ways of looking for and arguing for 'dyspraxic talents':

1) Dyspraxia causes suffering and additional challenges, and this hardship leads to additional willpower, empathy, resilience and determination "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" : I think there is some evidence for this, though mainly to do with major tragic life events rather than ongoing struggle.

2) Dyspraxia is a broad condition involving a rag-bag of traits and qualities, some bad, but some good. Only the bad ones get noticed, because people only tend to visit professionals about their problems, not abilities. (Think about it: if there are major depressives with long-term lows, and bipolar people with low lows and high highs, then surely there must be some people, just as 'unbalanced' as major depressives but in the other way: always bizarely happy, whatever happens to them. However, major euphoria isn't a recognised condition, unless it blends into psychosis, because it's not a trait people want rid of.)

3) Dyspraxia is comorbid with other conditions, which are rag-bags of both bad and good traits. Having dyspraxia is an indicator of other traits, some of which are positive, but it doesn't cause any of them.


At the moment, I'm thinking (1) and (3) are more plausible than (2), and of course I'm thinking mainly about dyslexia with regard to (3). My dyslexia is likely to be considered more an issue educationally and occupationally than my dyspraxia, but on balance I'm more positive than negative about what it means to be dyslexic, in terms of the additional aptitude it provides for lateral, visual and top-down thinking compared to non-dyslexics. By contrast, I can't think of anything inherently positive about dyspraxia, except operating through (1).

[moleyface1991]

JohanMidas

I know from my own struggles at school that Dyslexia is a bummer. But I have also had good days academically as well. Its been a long road definitly but being able to say that I have achieved something good at school /colege and been seen as dylesxic makes it much more sweeter.
As a dyspraxic sufferer it is more of a day2day thing rather than academic,( getting up and dressed, looking tidy, coordination, walking straight. (i can go on but you get the point)). Its just something that when you grow up doing/acting a certain way you get used to it. it is part of who you are and it becomes more of a quirk to people, for example when I make a cup of tea for people I seem unable to fill up to the top of the cup because when i look down on the cup it looks to filled up to me, if you see what i mean. Often people say 'give me only half a cup then'. Now when at school I hated sports and I think it held me back also with some physical things in my life - i look like a horse/pony when i run - I mean that definitly is a negative to being a dyspraxic, but it is how you look at it init. I mean i can say it is a negative but if it means i dont get chosen to do the 100 meters at school sports day then it is great!!
Basically all im saying is that we all cope with out differences differently and it is down to how you picture yourself and your attributes and how it affects you to make a clear list of the positive and negative sides of being dyspraxic and dyslexic.

Chris

[JohanMidas]

OK, that sounds like maybe a fourth kind of 'positive', most closely related to the first: clumsiness/'klutziness' can be endearing! In some ways that just feels like the flipside of bullying: other people are still treating people with dyspraxia differently as a result of the symptoms. It's still not really a strength as I'd see it.

[moleyface1991]

JohanMidas ,

Unfourtunatly bullying often comes from ignorance and lack of understanding on the subject. We can type here that we are bullied because we are different but where is the support/guidance/sympathy from the school/college, I was diagnosed when I was 17, im sure if I had people at school who realised my struggles, then surely we could of handled it better and be able to find better ways with coping with it, Enduring the ignorance of others not really understanding my problems made it worse, because it didint effect others openly meant I wasnt able to get the support from school quickly enough, thus, my own beliefs in my strengths are very little and poor, I only saw the downside to everything and see all my work as weak and stupid in comparison to others/

Chris