Do other people with learning disabilities and/or ADHD feel alone in their struggles?

Question

Sometimes I just feel like no one understands how hard I work to do the things I do. I have ADHD, Dyslexia ans several other 'specific learning disabilities'. I spend HOURS a night on homework when others spend only one, just to pull an 80%. Then uneducated people tell me that I am faking it (like my father), that I am retarded, that I'll never be anyone, that I'll never accomplish anything. I just get so discouraged. I'm in high school, and I am in all the 'good' classes (the ones you need to go to university) and I have an IEP, but some teaches just don't get it. Some of my peers just don't get it. I take learning strategies (which is the only class I take that 'normal' kids don't take), there are 5 other boys and three other girls, and the others call us 'the tards'. Anyone else feel like they are the only one in the whole world that struggles like this?

Answer 1

Please   do  not   get discouraged..   I  am  an   adult   with a  learning  disability.   My  parents   got  me  help when  I was   younger.  Tutors , resource  room  iep  u name it.   I  even   got tutored   when  I  went to college   in  everythin   but   my  education   courses.  I  am   now   a   school   teacher.   I   graduated   with  a masters   in  2000  in  special   education   with a   3.5.   I   drive, I   live  by  myself   and   soon   with   my fiance.   He  also  has  a learning  disablity   where   as  I can  express  m yself   he cant   but   he  is  good with   money   where  as I am  not   .    I  also  had  very  little   friends  in high  school.   I  was   called names  even in elementary and  jr high school.  Please   do not  give up.

my moto   was:   NOBODY   TOLD   MY I  CANT  DO IT  SO   I  CAN.       If  u want  to talk  u can   email  me ok.

Answer 2

Hey; don't beat yourself up.  

It sounds to me like you are doing great.  You are obviously a hard working, intelligent young lady.  Just because you have a few specific problems does not mean that you should devalue yourself!

Think of it this way.  You are in all the 'good' classes despite these problems.  Would those who throw jibes at you have the courage and the fortitude to succeed if they were in your shoes?  I think not!

Just keep up the good work and ignore everyone else.  In the end people find it very difficult to argue with success!  Stay focussed!

http://www.snowdrop.cc

Answer 3

I agree with "a psycho" that you should keep up your good work as no one can argue with success. But considering the situation you are in, I dare say you really are in dire need to be in the company of "positive" people. Stay away from negative people, even if you are a normal person because this type of people are very destructive in nature.

If you know of any motivational guru around your place, its probably good to seek their help. My personal experience with motivators is that they can help people look at things from positive angles.

In signing off, I would like to give you one tip: Whenever you come across anything negative in nature, such as someone bad-mouthing you or utter degrading remarks, mentally said to yourself "erase, erase, erase from my memory." If you do it with concerted effort, it can do your sub conscious mind a world of good.

Source(s):

http://www.adhdquestionsandanswers.com/

Answer 4

Wow its bad enough your fellow class mates are calling you names, but having your father call you "retarded" is just cruel.

Vick please keep on trying your best, and try to ignore the people who pick on you (lot easier to say than do). If your able to encourage the teachers to help you in the classroom with simple tips see below

I struggled through school and did not pass my final year of high school. I learnt to read when I was 14, and how to read a analogue clock at 15, yet I could write and spell ok.

When my daughter started having problems at school I pushed for an assessment, but the school told me I was being an over anxious parent (despite them telling me she was behind her peers). She would take for ever to complete her home work, her hand writing was as if a spider crawled across the page, had aweful problems with spelling etc.

She was eventually diagnosed as having ADHD, ODD and dyslexia, at the time of the dyslexia diagnosis, I too found out I was dyslexic too.

With support and using the tips below, my daughter and I became qualified disability support workers, and I am also qualified Youth worker too.

Tips that we found helpful

Keep a dictionary on hand to check words that we don't know or new words, and write them down in a note book to help remember them.

A list of the most commonly misspelt words, as well as list of words that dyslexics often mix up, because the sound the same, but are spelt differently e.g which, witch, flour, flower etc.

Teachers to write each paragraph in different colours, so students can keep track of were they are if copying from the board. (some teachers were more than happy to do this, other not so).

For reading try different coloured overlays, to see if it make reading easier. My daughter wear Irlens lens which we noticed made a huge difference.

Learn the letters of the alphabet using bright coloured magnetic letters, and learn their placement in the alphabet, and practice spelling basic words.

Class handouts to be on coloured paper, for my daughter and I its a cream or buff colour (you may have to try different colours).

Where possible use a computer to do assignments etc, ensuring we use spell check to keep spelling mistakes in check.

When given an assignment start them as soon as possible, so you do a little bit each day, rather than leave it until the last minute.

Please pass on the some of these links to the school so they can assist you better, print off the most common spelling mistakes etc and have them laminated so you can keep them in you folder, and see if your parents will read the info on dyslexia, in particularly what dyslexics see when reading, (last link), hopefully this will give them a better understanding of dyslexia.

I hope this helps and your welcome to contact me if you want some more information.

Answer 5

This is the advice I give my ADHD son. All the people you know now will no longer be in your life after high school. The only people whos opinion matter are yours and mine. I am a very supportive parent. My son puts in HUGE efforts to get thru homework and school with very little recognition by teachers so I try to make up for that and reward and paise him for his efforts. I hope you have at least 1 person who can be that 4 you. To heck with DAD you'll prove him wrong 2!!!  NEVER give up girl you're doing an amazing job!!!!!!!

Answer 6

You are not alone. I'm 37, will be 38 this July, and I still have to deal with *ssholes that think I'm a "r****d" because of my disabilities. My disabilities are learning disabilities, epilepsy, and speech impairment. Instead of getting discouraged, I just get extremely pissed. This attitude of mine is what lead me to not only attend college, where I'm majoring in Computer and Electrical Engineering, and maintaining a 4.00 GPA, but it also has lead me to become an outspoken "thorn" when it comes to the rights of the disabled. This was especially true when I found out that certain city and state departments of education were discriminating against the learning disabled just to obtain more federal money.

Answer 7

I feel you and no exactly what you mean and are going through.   Wow is amazing how similar our stories are...I alwasy that that no one out there works and puts in sooo much effert as I do.  homework lets take last night for example...school ends at 3 got home at 330 started immedately on my math hw finished half my math homework by time it was 8 30 and then started crying because I did not understand anything and felt soo alone and no matter how hard I tryed I was still only on number 2 and when I went to check the answers they were both wrong.  So I started reading a chapter in catcher in the rye for english and finished that chapter at  1 30 AM.  I am also taking a study skills class which is not a main stream class, but all the rest are regular.  sophmore takin geometry.

So yes I definately know what ur feelling..so I guess now we atleast know that theres 2 of us lol

Answer 8

Don' t be discourage , though I do not suffer this disease , I do feel there are a lot what we called " normals " that are senseless and perhaps they themselves are too immature to understand what it is like to have a disaliblity . Move forward and you will overcome by believing you can . As you get older towards your adult stage you will learn  that these "norm kids " did not know any better because of their upbringing and feel some apathy for their ignorance of understanding what Dyselixia is . Focus on the positive of whom you feel comfortable with and ignore those who name call you . Just like an old saying "Stick and Stones may break my bones but names will not bother me ."

Answer 9

I feel your pain!! I study all night to get a 70 and people don't study and get a 100! It drives me nuts!!! We just have to accept were doing the best we can and thats all that matters. But believe me your NOT alone!