Table Of Contents
1. Introduction
2. How to Use This Module
3. Important Note for Adults with Both LD and ADD
4. Equipment and Supplies
5. Stages of Grief – Accepting your LD/ADD
6 What Stage am I at?
7. LD/ADD Gifts – Recognizing Your Strengths
8. Creativity Time! – LD/ADD Envelopes Exercise
9. Ready to Find Your LD/ADD Pride!
10. Works Cited
Right now, it may be hard for you to believe or accept the concept of LD/ADD Pride, especially if you have only just been diagnosed. Acceptance is a gradual process which requires you to feel that having a learning disability (LD) and/or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is part of your life and you can live with it.
To have a sense of LD/ADD Pride requires a little more. You must not only accept your learning disability, but also, believe that: many of the strengths and abilities you possess are directly associated with your learning disability and/or Attention Deficit Disorder (they are connected) you are smart and have lots of things to offer the world.
Once you believe these things, you will want to share your philosophy by putting your LD Pride into action through:
working toward building your LD/ADD community advocating for changes and accommodations for yourself and/or others
Do not try and force yourself to have a sense of LD/ADD Pride right away. The pride will come when you are ready. Finding it may take a little while. Firstly, you will need to go through a sort of grieving process in order to accept your LD/ADD. Secondly you will need to identify the strengths that are related to your LD/ADD. Only once you have gone through both these processes can you truly begin to realize your LD/ADD Pride.
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This module is written for adults with LD and/or ADD (if you have both learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder, please see, Important note for adults with both LD and ADD). It is designed to help you move through the process of accepting your LD/ADD in order to recognize your strengths and eventually find your LD/ADD Pride.
The module will help you understand and cope with the emotional fallout of having LD/ADD such as the depression and anger.
It is very important that you not only read the module, but also try the exercise and answer the questions that accompany the text. This module is available off line for a small charge. Email liz@ldpride.net for more information.
It is also important to note that the main exercise in the module requires a number of supplies that are reasonably inexpensive to buy, if not readily available in your own home (Please see, Equipment and Supplies).
As you read through this module, you will notice that the process of accepting your LD/ADD is not completely straight-forward. Some parts of the text may feel more relevant to you than others depending on your level of acceptance so feel free to bounce around in your reading to find those sections that feel right for you. Most importantly, try to enjoy this process of self-discovery and be honest with yourself about how you feel. The last section offers lots of opportunity for you to be creative so don’t be afraid to have a little fun!
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Here is a list of all the equipment and supplies you will need to complete section 8 of the module:
Creativity Time! – LD/ADD Envelopes Exercise
- eraser (optional)
- pencil (optional)
- two white 8 x11 envelopes
- two white regular letter size envelopes
- pencil crayons, markers or paints
- scissors
- white or lined paper
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STAGES OF GRIEF – ACCEPTING YOUR LD/ADD
When you are first diagnosed with learning disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder, you will likely feel a great sense of relief that you can finally put a name to your difficulties. You will feel validated that you do, in fact, have a bona fide disability and your problems are not a matter of being lazy or stupid. It is also very comforting to know that you are not alone – there are many others LD/ADD adults who experience similar difficulties to yours. Now, that you know accommodations and remedial services can be provided to help you cope with your LD/ADD you will feel more positive about your chances of succeeding in your education or work life. However, this initial sense of optimism will soon ware off as you realize that you must still face the problems your LD/ADD poses for you in your everyday life. At this point, you will need to work through the five stages of grief described in this module.
Being diagnosed with LD/ADD is no different from being diagnosed with any other disability. It changes your life and will require life-style adjustments. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross originally conceived the five stages of grief to help with the process of accepting death. However, her theory is now applied to help with any kind of loss. Upon diagnosis, you may look back at your life and start to identify missed opportunities that can be attributed to your LD/ADD.
For example, you might have lost a job because you could not cope with its requirements, or you might have lost a friend because you have trouble maintaining relationships. If your LD/ADD makes money management a challenge, you might have experienced a loss of financial stability. At this point, you may think to yourself, “If only I could have been diagnosed earlier, I might not have missed out on so much”.
You may suddenly realize how much easier it is for other people to cope with school, career, and/or social interaction and feel cheated out of opportunities. Such thoughts will likely stir up strong emotions for you including sadness and anger. It is important to allow yourself to feel these emotions in order to work through the grieving process. It may help to remember that what you are experiencing is a perfectly natural response for people coping with loss in their lives.
Before we proceed to the five stages, you should know that this process does not always proceed consecutively. Many people move back and forth between stages. Some people get stuck in one stage for a longer period of time than another. It is important to remember that no one person’s experience with this process is the same as another’s and that there is no wrong way to experience the stages.
Now, let’s take a look at the five different stages:
Denial
Denial is the first stage of the grieving process and usually occurs in various forms. It may be hard for you to believe that you do, in fact, have LD/ADD. You may question the diagnosis or believe that you have somehow overcome the disability so that it no longer exists. If you question the diagnosis, you may find yourself saying “I can’t have LD/ADD – There must be a mistake!”. Adults who believe they have overcome the disability are likely to have experienced academic success (e.g. graduated from college or university).
They only see their LD/ADD in terms of their ability to succeed academically and since they have conquered this hurdle they reason that their LD/ADD is no longer a problem in their lives. As a result, it becomes impossible for them to see how their disability affects other areas of difficulty. Such areas might include finding and maintaining a job, organization, controlling anger, money management and making and maintaining friendships, etc.
Another form of denial may actually make you question the legitimacy of the disability itself. For example, you may conclude that “there’s no such thing as learning disabilities, only learning differences” or that “ADD is not really a condition – it’s just an excuse people use to hide their personality flaws”.
A more common form of denial is to have trouble acknowledging the extent to which your LD/ADD affects you in your everyday life. You may convince yourself that your LD/ADD is much less of a problem for you than is indicated in your assessment/evaluation. As a result, you may have trouble making the necessary life changes required to help you cope with your LD/ADD including taking medication, and asking for or using various accommodations and learning strategies.
Probably, the first step to getting out of denial is to identify that you are actually in it!
So, with that said, if you can identify with any of these forms of denial you are already on your way to coming out of it and that’s good news because this is the first step to accepting your LD/ADD.
Anger
Anger is the second stage. Denial is often a more comfortable stage than anger. It does not deal with any difficult emotions because we choose to push them away by not recognizing the reality of our situation. However, typically, at some point, reality comes crashing down and anger is often the result. Past and current difficulties linked to your LD/ADD often bring a painful awareness of the extent to which your LD/ADD affects your life. Such awareness may leave you feeling angry about the huge impact your LD/ADD has and continues to have on your daily living.
You may also perceive your diagnosis of LD/ADD as being “unfair”, and become angry that you have to deal with it while others do not. At this point, you might direct your anger towards others. You may feel envious and resentful towards people who do not have LD/ADD and have, what you perceive, as an easier life. During this stage, you may also find yourself blaming others for failures and losses that can be attributed to your LD/ADD.
For example, you might blame your parents or teachers for not meeting your educational needs or not recognizing the problem in the first place. Sure, you have a right to feel angry at others and even to feel envious of their lives, but try to remember how much your anger can hurt others around you. Your parents may feel guilty enough as it is without you blaming them for mistakes they already recognize.
It may help to remember that most people (parents especially) try to do the best they can for us with what they have to give and know. In other words, if a person did not know how to help you, they would not be able to do so. With this said, it is still important to express your anger. Otherwise, it will just grow inside of you and put you at risk for other problems.
There are ways you can express your anger without hurting those you care about. It might help to talk about your angry feelings with someone you can trust (e.g. a parent, friend, sibling, relative or counselor). Sometimes it helps to write your feelings down. Your writing can take on many forms including various kinds of creative writing (e.g. a poem, story, or play). You may choose to write a letter (you do not have to send it). Other forms of creative expression include music, visual arts, and drama. Whatever coping strategy you decide to use, don’t hold these feelings inside.
Bargaining
Bargaining is the third stage of the grieving process and usually takes place shortly after your anger has passed. During this stage, you will find yourself bargaining with your LD/ADD in a fruitless effort to fight your LD/ADD in order to make it go away. For example, you might come to expect your LD/ADD to no longer be a problem for you as long as you continue to keep up your end of the bargain by taking your medication, attending support groups, therapy, and/or utilizing the various accommodations and learning strategies available to you. Of course, such bargains are likely to be disappointing when your LD/ADD fails to live up to it’s end of the deal and continues to be a problem in your life.
Due to the on again, off again nature of these two disabilities (i.e. you can do it one day but not the next), you might secretly barter with your LD/ADD for a short reprieve from the affects of the disability during important life events (e.g. job interview, exam, social gathering).. Again, this type of bargain is likely to be a source of great disappointment if your LD/ADD fails to comply. Bargaining may seem like a solution to your problems at first, but in the long run it will never completely manage your LD/ADD because the bargains you make with your LD/ADD will eventually fail. This often sad and frustrating realization will lead you to the forth stage of the grieving process.
Depression
Depression is the forth stage. It usually occurs after coming to the realization that your LD/ADD can never be totally overcome no matter how hard you try. At this point, there will be no denying the reality of your disability and the difficulties it continues to pose in your everyday life. You may find yourself thinking “I’ve got it, and there’s nothing I can do about it”. You may despair about various losses you have experienced which can be linked to your LD/ADD (e.g. job loss, lack of educational success, loss of a friendship/partnership, etc.).
Some people feel tired of constantly battling against their LD/ADD and want to simply give up fighting it. You may feel a sense of hopelessness and question your ability to succeed. This is especially problematic if you tend to buy into other people’s false evaluations of your character or ability (e.g. believing that you are fundamentally stupid or lazy). Sadly, such beliefs often lead to feelings of shame about yourself. As a result, you may find it more difficult to tell others about your LD/ADD in order receive the help and accommodations you require.
You may also feel very alone and not know who or where to turn to for emotional support. Of course, you are not really alone because there are lots people going through this experience but depression has a funny way of isolating us. This is why support is so essential during this stage. No matter how sad you feel or how much you feel like being alone during this stage, it is important to express your emotions with someone you trust (e.g. a parent, close friend, sibling, or counselor). Finding a support group for LD/ADD adults can also help you feel less alone and provide an outlet for your emotions with people who have similar concerns (contact your local Learning Disabilities Association to find one near you).
Acceptance
This is the fifth and final stage of the process. During this stage, you feel ready to accept your LD/ADD as a permanent part of your life. The diagnosis no longer feels so traumatic for you. The painful emotions (e.g. anger, despair) associated with the earlier stages have passed and you begin to feel more at peace with your LD/ADD. This does not mean you give in to it. You will, of course, still need to take your medication, utilize school and workplace accommodations and use various learning strategies to cope with your LD/ADD.
However, you will no longer feel the need to spend all your time and energy fighting the disability. Instead, you will take a much calmer and rational approach to coping with your LD/ADD. You will also no longer feel as much need to hide your LD/ADD and will begin to feel more comfortable asking for help or accommodations when you need them. Finally, you will begin to feel more hopeful about your future with LD/ADD and your ability to cope with its everyday challenges.
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Generally, people move back and forth between two or more stages before accepting their LD/ADD. While reading through the descriptions of each stage above, you have probably asked yourself what stage(s) you are at.
The following assessment will help you further clarify this question.
Directions:
A) Score each statement in the columns below by giving yourself the appropriate number:
1 for
2 for
3 for I rarely or never think or feel this way
I sometimes think or feel this way
I often think or feel this way
B) Click on the “submit” button at the end of the questionnaire to see your score!
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LD/ADD Gifts – RECOGNIZING YOUR STRENGTHS
Many adults with LD/ADD are so overwhelmed by their weaknesses, they forget to recognize their strengths and abilities. This is an understandable reaction (most people tend to focus on what is wrong in their lives rather than what is right) but focusing all your time and energy on your difficulties is likely to have negative consequences on your self-esteem. Recognizing your strengths may take a real effort on your part but it is worth it – the benefits are three-fold! Firstly, you will feel more confidant in yourself and your ability to succeed. Secondly, you can use your strengths to help you compensate for your weaknesses. For example, if you are artistically inclined, but have a poor memory, you could use your artistic ability (e.g. draw pictures or diagrams) to help you study and memorize course material. Thirdly, it is important to recognize your strengths because doing so will help you accept and make peace with your LD/ADD. You can do this by recognizing the many positive characteristics that are thought to be directly associated with LD/ADD (Please note: This is a crucial step to realizing your LD/ADD Pride).
Below is an overview of seven positive characteristics that are commonly thought to go hand in hand with learning disabilities and/or ADD. It is unlikely that all seven characteristics will be a perfect fit for you, but they should give you a good idea about your strengths and how they relate to your LD/ADD.
Sensitivity
Many adults with learning disabilities and ADD are thought to be highly sensitive individuals. They are very intuitive and in-tune with both their own and other people’s emotions. Sometimes they are actually able to perceive other’s thoughts and feelings. They generally feel things more deeply and tend to be very conscientious and caring individuals. For example, Thomas West, writer of “The Minds Eye”, not only gives a thorough explanation of Winston Churchill’s learning disability, but also describes his sensitive nature. West details Churchill’s tendency to break into tears quite easily”(154) even out in the public eye. He notes one incident in which Churchill was moved to tears after witnessing the devastating effects of a bomb.
Highly sensitive people with LD/ADD often have a strong sense of justice and tend to fight for what they believe. As a result, they often make excellent human service workers (e.g. social workers, psychologists, activists, etc.)
Unfortunately, sensitivity has been given a bad rap in our culture. It is often viewed as a sign of weakness. If you consider yourself to be a sensitive person, you may have been criticized for being “too sensitive”, “overly emotional”, “weak”, or “thin-skinned”. These are all attempts to shame you into hiding your sensitive nature and the awareness this gift conveys to you.
Creativity
People with LD/ADD are often highly creative individuals. They tend to excel in the arts and sciences (e.g. visual, dramatic, and musical arts, mathematics, biology and various other scientific specialties). Such creative abilities are thought to be caused by the tendency for people with learning disabilities to be visual thinkers (i.e. they think in pictures rather than words) and ADD’ers to have spontaneous and unregulated thought patterns (often through daydreaming). These abilities seem to allow a less linear approach to problem solving (i.e. ideas do not follow directly from one to the other) that often reach beyond the boundaries of organized thinking patterns. A person with LD/ADD may have an uncanny ability to come up with novel ideas to solve a problem (perhaps during a brain storming session) that other people have not yet considered.
To demonstrate this point, one ADD adult writes:
“I find that when “normal” people are faced with a challenging issue or crisis or problem – they start thinking of all the ins and outs and how to go about solving the problem and all the reasons why or why not they should do what they want to do. Then after all that they start thinking of all the different ways they can go about doing what they decided they are going to do. All this takes time. Me, I just jump into something headfirst. I don’t think according to rules and guidelines and….. And most of the time people say “wow – how did you think of that?” It does cause trouble sometimes. But most of the time it works to my advantage…”(Goldie)
Many people with LD/ADD are able to piece information together in completely new ways. For example, Einstein (commonly thought to have learning disabilities) had to change his way of thinking about “some extremely basic ideas, and conceptions…” (West, 188) in order to fully actualize what is now considered his most famous discovery – the theory of relativity. There is also a great deal of proof that Einstein was, in fact, a visual thinker and relied on this ability in order to conceptualize most of his scientific work. According to James Adams article, “The Brain of the Century” at the web site Brain.com, Einstein himself described his scientific thought process as not involving words, but rather visual images. Furthermore, Adams details one of Einstein’s daydreams involving traveling on a beam of light which Einstein credits for helping him develop the theory of relativity.
There are also other similarities between those who are highly creative and people with learning disabilities and ADD. MacArthur’ne’s article, “The Human Nature of Creativity” (also from the web site Brain.com) asserts that an essential element of “creative genius is this urge for wholeness, an attempt to see the big picture.” Perhaps then it will come as no surprise that people with LD/ADD often credit their creative ability to their tendency to see the “big picture”. This ability allows them to see all sides of a question (multidimensional thinking). As a result, they often have many insights into a topic, make far-reaching analogies, and/or sum up the content of an issue in simple, clear terms that everyone can understand.
The following comments about multidimensional thinking by Jim Valliere’s (an adult with learning disabilities) demonstrate his ability to see the “big picture”:
(Quoted exactly as received) “To me I can see most everyting from more than one direction at the smne time I can see the Black the White the Grays , Hey I’ll give up winning spelling bees for that abiltty. Most havce trouble seeing one side of a problem. it’s a gift ” from who I don’t know” to be able to really understand somethingg on all levells.And of course you can ‘t get soem good with out the bad so I’ll say I made out on the deal.
Down to Earth
People with learning disabilities and ADD don’t generally like complexity. They tend to fall into two extremes. They either (as mentioned above) view things as a whole or get so caught up in small facts and details that they have trouble forming an overall picture of a subject, problem, or issue. As a result they often live by the phase “keep it simple”. This philosophy reflects in their communication and everyday interaction with others. People respect and look up to them for their ability (often out of necessity) to simplify things and apply them to the real world.
Further more, many people with LD/ADD tend to take a more hands on approach to learning. They prefer to learn about and experience the world around them through movement and touch rather than reading a book. As a result, they are frequently described as being very down to earth.
Honesty
Honesty is very important to people with LD/ADD. In fact, sometimes it may be hard for them to tell even the smallest untruth (i.e. a white lie). Although this tendency can lead them to say things they will later regret, it does have its benefits because it sets the stage for clear, direct communication. People appreciate their ability to explain their point of view in simple, clear terms free of innuendo or sarcasm. Sally Smith, writer of “Succeeding Against the Odds” appreciates the direct, honest approach of many LD/ADD adults describing it as “often refreshing to hear” (66). She further appreciates the LD/ADD adults ability to “get to the core of the question” (Smith, 66) by saying exactly what they believe or feel about an issue.
Personality
Unlike many people, adults with LD/ADD tend not to be so bound by society’s norms and conventions. This characteristic makes for a dynamic and interesting personality.
Passion
People with LD/ADD tend to become very passionate about things that matter to them. When they find something they enjoy doing or feel strongly about, they dive right in to it and become almost completely engrossed by it. Smith cites the example of a night school student with learning disabilities who gets so involved in an activity that “nothing else matters”(74). At this point, they are at their height of productivity. They may even do extra work or go beyond the call of duty. They want to prove to everyone they can do as well as anybody else and they can be successful. Such passion and boundless enthusiasm is useful in the workplace and is an essential ingredient to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
Loyalty
Many people with LD/ADD have trouble making friends and/or finding a partner, but their extreme loyalty to the relationships they do have is a beautiful thing to behold. People with LD/ADD tend to show their loyalty by their ability to preserve a friendship over a long period of time. They will often defend a friend in the face of criticism (usually said behind their friend’s back) and will stick up for them if they are being teased or bullied. This ability is more than likely linked with their sensitive and caring nature. Also, many people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder have been teased or bullied themselves. They know how much it hurts and are therefore very protective of people they care about.
Other Strengths
There are a number of other strengths worth mentioning that may or may not be connected to your LD/ADD. Many people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit disorder are extremely adept at multitasking (i.e. they are able to do more than one thing at once). However some people have great difficulty in this area. Superior verbal abilities are common in adults with Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities. Some people with learning disabilities do well in specific academic areas such as math and science. As mentioned above, other people with LD/ADD excel in the arts (e.g. visual art, drama, music). People with dyslexia and ADD often show strengths in areas requiring visual spatial abilities such as mechanics, sports, and architectural design.
What are your Strengths?
Wherever your strength lie, it is crucial for you to you recognize them and allow yourself to feel good about them. This is not bragging – it is about giving yourself the credit you
deserve. So go ahead and give yourself permission to feel PROUD of your abilities and the possible connection they might have to your LD/ADD!
It might help to write them down. List a few here…
CREATIVITY TIME! – LD/ADD ENVELOPES EXERCISE
Here is fun part of the module! This is your chance to express your creative side and start keeping track of your thoughts and feelings about having LD/ADD in order to accept it and recognize your strengths. Most importantly, this is a concrete way of working towards realizing your LD/ADD Pride.
Instructions:
1.
Gather all the materials you will need including:
-
- eraser (optional)
- pencil (optional)
- two white 8 x11 envelopes
- two white regular letter size envelopes
- pencil crayons, markers or paints
- scissors
- white or lined paper
2. Start by working with the two large envelopes. Label one of the large envelopes as your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”. Label the other envelope as your “LD/ADD Gifts Envelope”.
Design your Envelopes to reflect what they are about. This step is optional, but highly recommended to help you release your emotions. (See Figure1and 2 for below for examples):
-
- Figure 1
- Figure 2
3. Now turn your attention to the letter size envelopes. Label each envelopes with one stage of the grief process including denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
4. Place all five letter size envelopes in your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”
5. Now turn your attention to your white or lined paper. You will be using this paper to record your thoughts and feelings about the acceptance process and the various gifts you possess to be distributed into their respective envelopes.
For the next few weeks try to be aware of your thoughts and feelings about the accepting your LD/ADD (You will be working with your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”) Whenever you have a thought or feeling about your LD/ADD attempt to choose what stage of the grieving process it applies to and write the thought down on a piece of paper. After writing your thought or feeling down cut it out and place it into the most appropriate letter size envelope (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) and put it back into your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”.
Simultaneously work with “LD/ADD Gifts envelope”. Record as many gifts as you possibly can. Try to record at least one gift for every three thoughts or feelings included in your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”. It may help to start by recording the gifts you outlined in section 3 “What are your strengths?”. This envelope may take a real effort on your part to fill up especially if you don’t feel very confident in your abilities right now, but in order to make this exercise worth while it is important that you keep trying.
6. Once you are satisfied with the contents of both your “LD/ADD Grief “and “LD/ADD Gifts” envelope (give yourself a few weeks to think about and record your contributions) open the envelopes and review your contributions. You are likely to be amazed by the degree of emotion expressed in your LD/ADD Grief Envelope, especially if you have kept these emotions pent up inside yourself for a long time. Do not let the depth of your emotion scare you away from this activity. It is normal to have strong emotions during the acceptance process. You can temper this process by alternating your attention between your “LD/ADD Grief” Envelope and your “LD/ADD Gifts Envelope”. Also don’t forget to make contributions to your “acceptance envelope” (one of the letter size envelopes located in your LD/ADD Grief Envelope).
7. You may find it takes a while to build up the number of contributions in your “acceptance envelope”. Take your time. Go at your own pace and don’t expect the acceptance process to happen right away.
8. When you feel comfortable, share your envelopes with somebody you trust (e.g. a close friend, relative, counselor) and what you have learned about accepting and living with LD/ADD.
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READY TO FIND YOUR LD/ADD PRIDE!
So you are ready to find your LD/ADD Pride. At this point, you’ve worked very hard at accepting your LD/ADD and realizing your many gifts. You are beginning to understand how these gifts may be link to your LD/ADD, but want to know more. You have already read the brief explanation of LD/ADD Pride so here is a more in depth one:
What is LD/ADD Pride?
LD/ADD Pride is a concept originating from Deaf Pride. Deaf people are not ashamed of being Deaf (they capitalize the letter “D” of the word “deaf “to show their pride). In fact, many Deaf people have declared that they would not take advantage of a cure for deafness, even if it posed no risk to their health. Their lives have been so thoroughly enriched by their culture, language, and connection with the Deaf community that they actually want to be Deaf!
Although people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder do not have a distinct language or culture like Deaf people, we do have a wonderful history of greatness (many famous, influential people have been born with LD/ADD), a tendency to be extremely creative, and often possess other gifts that can be directly linked to the LD/ADD brain (please see “LD/ADD Gifts”). Thomas West, writer of “In the Minds Eye” agrees. He asserts that “great proficiencies in some areas can involve surprising and unexpected deficiencies in other areas…” and goes on to say “what is optimized…for one function may involve fundamental elements that make it unsuited for another function…”(19). In other words, our gifts and abilities are not realized in spite of our LD/ADD, but rather because of it!
So LD/ADD Pride is about not being ashamed of your learning disability or Attention Deficit Disorder due to the likelihood that many of your strengths are related to your LD/ADD including:
Your Personality Strengths:
- Sensitivity
- Creativity
- Down to Earth
- Loyalty
- Honesty
- Personality
- Passion
Your Talents and Abilities:
- Multi-tasking
- Math and/or Science
- Sports
- Music
- Visual arts (e.g. drawing, painting, etc)
- Dramatic arts (i.e. acting)
- Mechanics
- Speaking
Your way of learning and interacting with the world gives you a unique perceptive that many other people do not possess. With a new understanding of LD/ADD Pride many adults with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder have been compelled to say:
“I’m LD/ADD, and I’m Proud!”
Maybe now you will be too!
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READY TO FIND YOUR LD/ADD PRIDE!
So you are ready to find your LD/ADD Pride. At this point, you’ve worked very hard at accepting your LD/ADD and realizing your many gifts. You are beginning to understand how these gifts may be link to your LD/ADD, but want to know more. You have already read the brief explanation of LD/ADD Pride so here is a more in depth one:
What is LD/ADD Pride?
LD/ADD Pride is a concept originating from Deaf Pride. Deaf people are not ashamed of being Deaf (they capitalize the letter “D” of the word “deaf “to show their pride). In fact, many Deaf people have declared that they would not take advantage of a cure for deafness, even if it posed no risk to their health. Their lives have been so thoroughly enriched by their culture, language, and connection with the Deaf community that they actually want to be Deaf!
Although people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder do not have a distinct language or culture like Deaf people, we do have a wonderful history of greatness (many famous, influential people have been born with LD/ADD), a tendency to be extremely creative, and often possess other gifts that can be directly linked to the LD/ADD brain (please see “LD/ADD Gifts”). Thomas West, writer of “In the Minds Eye” agrees. He asserts that “great proficiencies in some areas can involve surprising and unexpected deficiencies in other areas…” and goes on to say “what is optimized…for one function may involve fundamental elements that make it unsuited for another function…”(19). In other words, our gifts and abilities are not realized in spite of our LD/ADD, but rather because of it!
So LD/ADD Pride is about not being ashamed of your learning disability or Attention Deficit Disorder due to the likelihood that many of your strengths are related to your LD/ADD including:
Your Personality Strengths:
- Sensitivity
- Creativity
- Down to Earth
- Loyalty
- Honesty
- Personality
- Passion
Your Talents and Abilities:
- Multi-tasking
- Math and/or Science
- Sports
- Music
- Visual arts (e.g. drawing, painting, etc)
- Dramatic arts (i.e. acting)
- Mechanics
- Speaking
Your way of learning and interacting with the world gives you a unique perceptive that many other people do not possess. With a new understanding of LD/ADD Pride many adults with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder have been compelled to say:
“I’m LD/ADD, and I’m Proud!”
Maybe now you will be too!
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Adam’s, James, “The Brain of the Century”, Available at: http://www.dyslexia.com/library/offsite/einsteins_brain.html
MacArthur’ne, John D., “The Human Nature of Creativity”, Available at: http://www.dyslexia.com/library/offsite/creativity.html
Smith, Sally L., Succeeding Against the Odds – Strategies and Insights from the Learning Disabled, Jeremy P Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles, 1991.
West, Thomas G. , In the Minds Eye – Visual Thinkers, Gifted People, with Learning Difficulties, Computer Images, and the Ironies of Creativity, Prometheus Books, Buffalo, New York, 1991.
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