[Chris Tregenza]

Something that has cropped up in several threads is whether dyslexia is a gift that gives you extra abilities, e.g. creativity or intelligence. Or is a curse that holds you back.

I've written a piece on my blog: http://www.myomancy....slexia_a_g.html about this question which looks at some of the research and tries to come up with an explanation that fits the data.

My opinion is that dyslexia is a curse and I wonder what could the obviously gifted dyslexic people I meet could achieve if it wasn't for their dyslexia. What do you think?

[Joseph]

A gift. It may not give you very good friendships most of the time. But that gives you an edge. Learning how not to rely on friends is a valuable trait to learn. Friends won't take bullets for you. You have to learn how to make the differences. I don't know much about the norm really. I have a lot of friends in the real world and I don't keep very good relationships with them. We don't talk and hang out together. I learn how to live without friends for a long time now. Even though I still have friends from the second grade. I'm a junior and I still don't have good relationships with people and look at me now. I'm one of the top students in my class. While a lot of students I see. Might be high school dropouts because their passing notes during class. I can't say that I have true friends in the real world aspect one. I go on forums to talk to people but I learned from experience not to rely on them. I think it's better to learn that at a young age then finding out later in life. I don't know how you feel about that but that's where I stand.

[D's Mum]

There is the third option which is the way my son sees it - as a challenge.

He knows that the dyslexia causes problems, but he also knows that there is the possibility that without it his maths and science wouldn't be so strong.

There is also tha fact that most dyslexics that I have known are very kind hearted and often give their time to causes that need it - animals, hospitals, people with disabilities.

Just a thought

[Ninja]

I would have to agree with D's Mum on this. I definitely find that being Dyslexic is very challenging

[Sam]

Chris,

Thanks for the link back - they are always appreciated.

I don't think dyslexia is anyone of the three individually. It is a combination of all three (sorry to sit on the fence).

Some aspects to me, such as visual memory, creativity, dedication, design etc... are gifts, which I believe dyslexia has enhanced for me.

Some aspects, spelling, organisation etc... are a curse... but at the same time challenges to try and establishment methods and routines to overcome them.

Every day is slightly different with dyslexia, as soon as you overcome something, you find something else.

For example... I bought a diary to write everything down in to help my organisation. Worked well for about 4 days... then I forgot to write in it a couple of times and lost it... not so great! lol

[Sam]

PS - meant to say - great article!

[Sam]

PSS. Chris it would be ncie to have a link to Being Dyslexic under the "Publications & Websites" are of your site.

Being Dyslexic - Dyslexia Community & Information

[Chris Tregenza]

Dominic, on Sep 30 2005, 10:02 PM, said:

I tned to agree it is gnerally a curse it has blighted my life, buit facing up to it and working around it has made e a stronger person.

I certainly would not be the person I am today if I hadn't experienced dyslexia.

[Chris Tregenza]

Sam, on Sep 29 2005, 08:21 AM, said:

PSS. Chris it would be ncie to have a link to Being Dyslexic under the "Publications & Websites" are of your site.

Being Dyslexic - Dyslexia Community & Information

Done.

[Joseph]

Chris Tregenza, on Oct 1 2005, 07:13 AM, said:

Dominic, on Sep 30 2005, 10:02 PM, said:

I tned to agree it is gnerally a curse it has blighted my life, buit facing up to it and working around it has made e a stronger person.

I certainly would not be the person I am today if I hadn't experienced dyslexia.

You're still a dyslexic. It's one of those things you can't out grow. No matter how start or old you get. You will always be a dyslexic.

[#~Kate~#]

'God gives the strongest people have the hardest challenges.'

I don't think of dyslexica as a cruse i may hate having it but at the same time i never want to completely over come it. Dyslexica makes us special, Dyslexics gave a completely out of the box way of thinking it's rare and very special. Like everyone we have an important part to play in this world.

[Geebs]

Is dyslexia a gift or a curse?

Personally speaking, bearing in mind I am a grumpy old man; I believe dyslexia is a curse.

Dys- anything means can’t do.

Whatever extra’s I have from my dyslexia (e.g. lateral and systemic thinking) are outweighed by low self-esteem and self-loathing. Also the anger and frustration of not understanding why I can’t do stuff that seems easy for others.

Luckily my dyslexia is relatively mild and I have been able to ameliorate it to an extent.

I have achieved a lot. For example I haven’t been unemployed, I have an OU degree, which I studied for whilst having a full-time job. I have a good marriage and have two great grown-up kids. I have a relatively well-paid job (for the area where I live). As discussed in “Sink or Swim” article, I’ve just been able to keep my head above water.

I keep thinking how much better I could have done if I could read well, write well and play sport well enough when I was at school. If I had the same intelligence and the ability to read (and absorb) fast how much more I could have achieved, and how much happier I could have been. For example I might have never put myself forward for promotion at work – I haven’t done that because I just don’t think I’m good enough.

Dyslexia is a strange thing – nobody understands it, even the so-called experts. I am proud to be an intelligent dyslexic, and who knows my personality might be completely different if I weren’t dyslexic. I might be a right miserable git.

[Joseph]

#~Kate~#, on Oct 8 2005, 08:55 AM, said:

'God gives the strongest people have the hardest challenges.'

I don't think of dyslexica as a cruse i may hate having it but at the same time i never want to completely over come it. Dyslexica makes us special, Dyslexics gave a completely out of the box way of thinking it's rare and very special. Like everyone we have an important part to play in this world.

I agree with you on that. I'm a strong-minded person because of it. I enjoy being dyslexic even though I fear it may destroy my life but on the same level I enjoy people different from the norm. I enjoy being smarter and better then most but I wish I could talk to people in the real world. I doubt we would ever be close friends like this in the real world and that's what I want to do someday. But still I enjoy being smart, alone from people. I grew to learn about the ways of life and how to live with adversity. Though I want friends to talk to me everyday but at the same time I could live without them because I've been living without talking to friends for years. I just started talking to people on the Internet. It happen this march but I feel that adversity with friends make you less dependent on friends. I'm happy with my life style and I have to say movies and TV plays a false role in friendship. I believe that friends can change your life but I also feel that being without them makes you less caring about their feelings over your own. I guess that it could be greed but I live my life the way I want to. I can only express my thoughts on the Internet and in the real world people like me coward in the chatting with friends. I don't know what to say around them and fear that they might laugh at me. They laugh at me before. I make a mistake and it's like the funniest thing in the world. I don't know what my life would be like with honest and true friends but I feel that this lack of friendship made me stronger and made me better. I feel that nothing is more important then ones life. Though the norm would case after bullets and die for the cause of friendship but I feel that's a bother I won't and will not do.

[powervalve]

Joseph, on Oct 8 2005, 09:18 PM, said:

#~Kate~#, on Oct 8 2005, 08:55 AM, said:

'God gives the strongest people have the hardest challenges.'

I don't think of dyslexica as a cruse i may hate having it but at the same time i never want to completely over come it. Dyslexica makes us special, Dyslexics gave a completely out of the box way of thinking it's rare and very special. Like everyone we have an important part to play in this world.

I agree with you on that. I'm a strong-minded person because of it. I enjoy being dyslexic even though I fear it may destroy my life but on the same level I enjoy people different from the norm. I enjoy being smarter and better then most but I wish I could talk to people in the real world. I doubt we would ever be close friends like this in the real world and that's what I want to do someday. But still I enjoy being smart, alone from people. I grew to learn about the ways of life and how to live with adversity. Though I want friends to talk to me everyday but at the same time I could live without them because I've been living without talking to friends for years. I just started talking to people on the Internet. It happen this march but I feel that adversity with friends make you less dependent on friends. I'm happy with my life style and I have to say movies and TV plays a false role in friendship. I believe that friends can change your life but I also feel that being without them makes you less caring about their feelings over your own. I guess that it could be greed but I live my life the way I want to. I can only express my thoughts on the Internet and in the real world people like me coward in the chatting with friends. I don't know what to say around them and fear that they might laugh at me. They laugh at me before. I make a mistake and it's like the funniest thing in the world. I don't know what my life would be like with honest and true friends but I feel that this lack of friendship made me stronger and made me better. I feel that nothing is more important then ones life. Though the norm would case after bullets and die for the cause of friendship but I feel that's a bother I won't and will not do.

Hi Joseph, I am a little disturbed at your misanthropy. I too have as much faith in people as you. I to think that friendship is a fickle thing. I feel that people resent extreme intelligence, as most people like to think they intelligent. I find this at work, where the "tabloid readers" don't ever reason things out for themselves, instead they read the daily paper and then proceed to expleat platitudes constantly throughout the day.

My best friend now is my Son, and I just wish I was 8 again as we would get on "like a house on fire". My biggest fear is when he gets older an moves on.

My misanthropy has be a cummulative thing whereby know I don't even want to get to know people as like yourself you know sooner or later you will be let down, and I hurt really easily.

How has your misanthropy developed, and would you like to change it ?

[Joseph]

I'm sort of confuse with that. You say I disturbed you yet you believe the same thing I believe. Strange don't you think.

[powervalve]

yes it does seem parodoxical. Probably disturbed is the wrong word. All I know, is that isn't a normal disposition. And I think it is a reaction to how you/I have been treated. In my case it is down to being extremely sensitive. I never give all of myself to anybody due to being hurt on many occaisions in the past. "Once bitten twice shy" as they say.

You seem like a nice chap, and it is a shame you can't share some of yourself to the real world. I am old, so I can put it down to that. You are young with the whole world in front of you and I am sure from what I read of your posts, you would brighten up many peoples' lives.

[Joseph]

I wish it was that simple but people my age are too immature for intelligent conversions especially when they mostly think about going up and down on people.