I am 26 years old and just learned of the severity of my dyscalculia. I was diagnosed when I was 16 by sylvan learning center. I went to many schools and no one ever caught onto it. It cost me to be in 6th grade math level when I should have been in 10th grade. I did the tutoring and learned different ways to do math, and it brought me up to 11th grade level in six weeks. I remember in school breaking out into hives over a math test. I remember crying when I got home cause everyone else could figure it out, and that meant I was just dumb. My teacher even told me I was stupid if I couldn't figure it out. I would cry over calculators, these devices were the worse things I ever put my hands on in school. I would break my pencils on purpose just to get out of doing the work. After enough borrowed pencils people stopped lending them to me, rather quickly. I was never a sweaty person as I am small framed and very cold most of the time, but math tests made me break out into a waterfall sweat.
I can remember numbers fairly well, as long as I repeat them over and over again. I mix up every now and than, but I correct it. I am great at counting up to the next dollar, and working cash registers got me into a routine. Math is not so much of an issue anymore as other things are become more apparent as I get older.
I lose focus very easily, and when I am interrupted my thoughts are completely gone. I can't pick up where I left off. I can't relay messages to others (ie phone calls) without getting irritated. Everything seems to clutter my mind. I am getting very annoyed at everything, and can't even hold an argument as my brain gets overloaded with information.
I have lost a few jobs due to this, and maybe it was for the better. Measuring jobs such as carpentry are way out of the question. I have found comfort in the cleaning industry, and have even started my own cleaning company. But with my new company, there are lots of numbers, percentages, fractions, formulas, taxes, and everything else that causes me alot of time and mistakes. And starting out my own business means I have no one to do this stuff for me. It's just me.
Unfortunately I am afraid I am going to have to give up on my dream because it is just too stressful and boggles my mind beyond belief. I was hoping there was a cure or something out there, but it looks to not be that way. How do I train myself to focus on one thing, and have a clear mind? I can train my mind, but can not just DO. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks!
Note To Mod: Please move to appropriate forum category. This is the one it chose for some reason I didn't get a choice. Or maybe I did?
Edited by sting130u on March 26 2012 04:45 AM
Location: Texas USA Posts: 6102 Joined: 2008-05-25
3/26/12
Hi sting,
I've got that same 'can't remember what (or why) I was trying to tell you because you interrupted me' symptom. It makes it look like I was telling a story for 'no reason', when really, if the other person would have just let me finish instead of interjecting non-related questions, I would have been just fine. Everything I was saying would have made sense and tied back into whatever we'd been talking about. And then, when I don't remember what I was telling or why I was telling it, I'm left looking as though it was me who went off on a tangent for no reason. This also happens when I'm talking to friends who think that when I pause (briefly, to think of the right word), that's it's their job to finish my sentence,... sometimes with the opposite of what I was trying to say. So annoying. And sometimes, the other person in the conversation will do this several times in a row. I'm usually too caught up in trying to get them to 'hear me' that it doesn't occur to me how ill-mannered they are behaving. .... need to find an appropriate time and place to mention this to them.
And 'debates'. I'm totally like you on this. Everything distracts me. I give a lot of thought and weight to what other people say. And, I also give them the 'benefit of the doubt', so that even when they are wrong, I think that they are sincere. But later, when I find out that they were just using a 'lawyer tactic' to get me off-track so that they can 'win' the argument,... grrrrr. I don't intentionally 'debate' and I don't like them. I think that the 'debate' format makes it very difficult for a person to admit that he/she was in error. I usually 'loose' in any argument, even when I'm right. I think of some real good zingers about 24 hours after one of these encounters. :(
Nope, no cure for dyscalculia. Something that calms my mind and also lessens the noise of the ringing in my ears is the herb St. John's Wort. It's great stuff,... a little expensive. It's sold in capsule form in most health food stores. I take two capsules before bedtime and sleep well, too. Warnings are appropriately placed on the labels, so I don't feel a responsibility to state them here, but I'll toss out some possibilities anyway. Taking St. John's Wort makes ones skin more sensitive to sunlight and sunburn, and it's such a great detoxifier that it will invalidate women's birth control pills, leaving them unprotected. Love it myself. It causes me no problems.
There's a part of the forum called 'Introductions'. If you want to, you might post there too, so everyone can find you. - jus'
Thank you for replying, I noticed that forum after the fact. I am seeking out professional counseling to see what they can do for me.
I agree with you on the debate. I have so many thoughts its hard to process, and during debates I have it all up there but can't get it out.
I have always excelled in reading and writing. In third grade I read The Hobbit. I was 18th grade (college graduate) reading and writing when I dropped out in ninth grade. Somehow I made it to tenth grade after dropping out, and ended up getting my GED. I made a 98+ on everything but math, which I ended up with a 88.
Again, thanks for your reply. I will look into the St. Johns, sounds like good advice to me. Anything natural and given to us by the Lord is welcome in my home
Location: Texas USA Posts: 6102 Joined: 2008-05-25
3/26/12
Yes, I totally prefer using herbs to medicines whenever possible. And the herbs have micro-nutrients that fix things that we didn't even know needed fixing. They will never be completely 'analyzed' by man because of their complexity. Good for you on getting that GED, and with that nice fat 98+ in everything but math. - jus'
