Some people with learning disabilities (LDs) develop emotional difficulties because of society's perception and attitude, these can be identified as:
1. SHAME:
People growing up with a LD often feel a sense of shame. For some, it is a great relief to receive the diagnosis while for others the label only serves to further stigmatise them. Accurate diagnosis was unavailable for the more elder people which meant that they were often labeled as mentally retarded and unable to learn, little academic input was given to them and they sometimes never gained basic academic skills. Such feelings of shame often made people hide their difficulties, so that they can't be told that they are too lazy to learn or that they are stupid. Some people end up developing a defense mechanism where they deny that they have a LD in order not to be judged. Internalised negative labels of stupidity and incompetence usually result in a poor self concept and lack of confidence (Gerber, Ginsberg, & Reiff, 1992).
Society is influenced by what they hear and some myths have influenced people's negative perception about LDs:
Myth #1: People with LDs are below average intelligence and therefore cannot learn.
Fact: People with LDs have average to above average intelligence (Gerber. 1998). In fact, studies indicate that as many as 33% of students with LD are gifted (Baum, 1985; Brody & Mills, 1997; Jones, 1986). With proper recognition, intervention and lots of hard work, children and adults with learning disabilities can learn and succeed!
Myth #2: LDs are just an excuse for irresponsible, unmotivated or lazy people.
Fact: LDs are caused by neurological impairments not character flaws. In fact, the National Information Centre for Adults and Youth with Disabilities makes a point of saying that people with learning disabilities are not lazy or unmotivated (NICHCY , 2002).
Myth #3: LDs only affect children. Adults grow out of LDs.
Fact: It is now known that LDs continues throughout the individual's lifespan and may even intensify in adulthood as tasks and environmental demands change (Michaels, 1994a). Sadly, many adults, especially older adults, have never been diagnosed with a LD. In fact, the majority of people with LDs are not diagnosed until they reach adulthood (LDA, 1996)
Myth #4: LDs are only academic in nature. They do not affect other areas of a person's life.
Fact: Some people with LDs have isolated difficulties in reading, writing or mathematics. However, most people with LDs have more than one area of difficulty. Dr. Larry Silver asserts that 'learning disabilities are life disabilities'. He writes, The same disabilities that interfere with reading, writing, and arithmetic also will interfere with sports and other activities, family life, and getting along with friends." (Silver, 1998)
Myth #5: Adults with LDs cannot succeed in higher education.
Fact: More and more adults with LDs are going to college or university and succeeding (Gerber and Reiff 1994). With the proper reasonable adjustments and support, adults with learning disabilities can be successful at higher education.
2. FEAR:
Fear is an emotion which is often masked by anger or anxiety. Tapping into the fear behind the anger and/or the anxiety response is often the key for adults to cope with the emotional fallout of LDs.
Feelings of fear may be related one or more of the following issues:
3. ENVIROMENTAL AND EMOTIONAL SENSITIVITIES
Environmental Sensitivities
Adults with LDs can become overwhelmed by too much environmental stimuli (e.g. background noise, more than one person talking at a time, side conversations, reading and listening at the same time). Many people with LD and ADD have specific sensitivities to their environment such as certain fabrics they cannot wear, foods they cannot tolerate, etc.
Emotional Sensitivity
Many adults with LDs perceive themselves as more emotionally sensitive than other people. The positive features of this trait helps adults with LDs build meaningful relationships with others. For example, they are often very intuitive and in-tune with both their own and other people's emotions. However, this strength also serves as weakness due to its propensity to overwhelm the individuals. Emotional difficulties occur when they are unable to cope with the onslaught of emotions they are feeling.
4. EMOTIONAL REGULATION
Dr. Kay Walker, describes the connection between LDs and self-regulation problems in her paper 'Self Regulation and Sensory Processing for Learning, Attention and Attachment.' She states that self-regulation problems frequently occur in those with LDs (Walker, 2000). In its most extreme form, individual may easily shift from one emotion to the next. Others may experience difficulty regulating impulsive thoughts or actions. Fortunately, most adults have learned to handle their emotional sensitivity to avoid becoming overwhelmed or engaging in negative social interactions. Some adults with LD, especially those who have had very negative experiences, are prone to take criticism to heart. Emotional wounds from childhood and youth may cause heightened emotional responses to rejection. In turn, social anxiety and social phobia may result
5. DIFFICULTY ADJUSTING TO CHANGE
Change is scary for everyone, but for people with LDs and other neurological disabilities, change may be particularly difficult. Some adults will have trouble moving from one work task to another without completely finishing the first task before moving on to the next one. Adults with LDs are frequently described as inflexible when it comes to considering another person's view point or a different way of doing something. To avoid the tendency to blame the person for their lack of flexibility, it is important to understand the neurological basis for this difficulty with adjusting to change.
References
American LDA, (1996), They Speak for Themselves- A Survey of Adults with Learning Disabilities (Shoestring Press) Pittsburgh, PA 15234
Baum, S (1985). Learning disabled students with superior cognitive abilities: A validation study of descriptive behavior. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Connecticut, Storrs.
Brody, L. E. & Mills, C. J. (1997). Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities: A review of the issues. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30(3), 382-296.
Gerber, P. J. (1998). Trials and tribulations of a teacher with learning disabilities through his first two years of employment. In R. J. Anderson, C. E. Keller, & J. M. Carp (Eds.), Enhancing diversity: educator with disabilities (pp. 41-59). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Gerber, P. J., and Reiff, H., eds. (1994) Learning Disabilities In Adulthood: Persisting Problems And Evolving Issues: Stoneham, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Jones H. B., (1986). The gifted Dyslexic. Annals of Dyslexia, 36, 301-317
Michaels, C. A. (1994) Transition strategies for persons with learning disabilities. San Diego, CA.
NICHCY - National Information Centre for Children and Youth with Disabilities. (2002) General Information about Learning Disabilities. (pg. 1) Fact sheet #7. Retrieved November 2, 2002, from http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/general_info/nichcy_fs7.pdf
Silver, L. B. (1998) The Misunderstood Child: Understanding and Coping With Your Child's Learning Disabilities 3rd edition, NY: Random House Books.
Walker, K. (2000) Self Regulation and Sensory Processing for Learning, Attention and Attachment . Occupational Therapy Department, University of Florida.