How To Overcome Learning Disabilities In Adults

[TopicStarter]

Is it necessary for people with learning disabilities to struggle in school and the workplace? I think recently, with increased awareness and technologies, it doesn’t have to be this way. 

It is widely thought that people with learning disabilities are more likely to drop out of school, face unemployment or be underutilized and paid less. Apart from that, depending too much on others and emotional difficulties can make work and study far more challenging. But this generalization is not always true because you can use your talents and skills to balance out your disabilities.

People with learning disabilities struggle the most with reading, writing, and math. I remember how terrified I was at school because I would get stressed when asked to read just about anything. These difficulties did not magically disappear as an adult, and I found a few ways to deal with them and built a successful career.

Here are a few things I did to overcome my learning disability:

#1 Get A Better Understanding Of Yourself: You’ll need to make a thorough diagnosis of your inner self, which will help understand any needs and strong suits. These details will give you an understanding of where you stand and the areas that need assistance.

#2 Speak Up For Your Needs: There are many types of learning disabilities, including dyslexia - difficulty in reading words, dyscalculia - difficulty comprehending numbers, and dysgraphia - difficulty in writing. Apart from that, there is also ADHD which makes it difficult to keep attention for long. Once you specify your need, convey it to people at work or university and ask for their understanding and support.

#3 Find A Supportive Environment: Don’t be afraid to discuss your needs at the workplace. You could ask them for a formal meeting and explain your diagnosis and what steps will be required to overcome them. At my office, I qualified for specialized instruction to assist reading. My employer had an automated voice system that read out emails to me to help me work efficiently.

#4 Look Into Treatment And Solutions: Learning disabilities do not change over the years, but they can cause social and emotional stress leading to other mental health conditions. I benefited from consulting a counselor to help me deal with the pressures of living in a world that is not designed for neurodivergent people. It’s always advisable to get additional support if you are going through stress.

Have you had to overcome a learning disability in the workplace? What steps did you take to make things better for yourself?
 

[Stacey]

I think being open and honest but confident helps a lot. We all have our own struggles and when you approach it like you are aware of it but you are confident in your ability to overcome things, it will invite people in to help you. 

[Emma]

On 9/16/2021 at 8:30 PM, Stacey said:

I think being open and honest but confident helps a lot. We all have our own struggles and when you approach it like you are aware of it but you are confident in your ability to overcome things, it will invite people in to help you. 

I actually met someone who was in his 40s and did not know how to read. I was shocked. He didn't seem to be ashamed of it and said he is working with someone to learn. It is a alot harder to learn things as an adult which is why I think most people are more than willing to help when they know about it.