Rikus
10-11-2008, 12:15 PM
Hi
I was diagnosed with ADHD about 2 years ago and use Ritalin on a daily basis. I have lately been struggling with writing and reading a bit. It feels as I have a mild case of Dyslexia, and I know I don't. I have been under a lot of pressure and stress lately.
Have any one else experienced this? It seems as if my brain is just to slow and sometimes and am battling with this. I sit in a meeting and someone hands out a document to read quickly and I get stuck. Is this normal? If so any ideas how to handle this? Thanks
I was diagnosed with ADHD about 2 years ago and use Ritalin on a daily basis. I have lately been struggling with writing and reading a bit. It feels as I have a mild case of Dyslexia, and I know I don't. I have been under a lot of pressure and stress lately.
Have any one else experienced this? It seems as if my brain is just to slow and sometimes and am battling with this. I sit in a meeting and someone hands out a document to read quickly and I get stuck. Is this normal? If so any ideas how to handle this? Thanks
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lunalu
10-11-2008, 06:53 PM
hmmm..I really don't think dyslexia is adult onset. Has writing and reading always been a concern? It might be the meds.
Rikus
10-11-2008, 07:24 PM
I do not beleive it is dyslexia. It sometimes feels as if my brain runs to quick and I am busy with the next words before i have nearly finished reading or writng the one I am busy with. it does not happne all the time but it occures more when I am stressed. I wil raed trough an e mail 4 times and still not see the errors that i typed. I sometimes get to a point were i will ask my assistn to read the email as I just can't comprehend it. The majority of the time it is fine.
Thunor
10-13-2008, 11:48 AM
Unfortunately, stress and hurry are your problems here.
I have similar difficulties reading, writing and doing tasks when I'm stressed. All I can recommend is, make sure you're getting enough sleep, ADHD is enough of a bear on its own without fatigue complicating things. As far as stress, look into stress management strategies such as breathing exercises, stress breaks and regular exercise.
On another note, are you medicated for your ADHD, or is it something you're trying to deal with on your own?
I have similar difficulties reading, writing and doing tasks when I'm stressed. All I can recommend is, make sure you're getting enough sleep, ADHD is enough of a bear on its own without fatigue complicating things. As far as stress, look into stress management strategies such as breathing exercises, stress breaks and regular exercise.
On another note, are you medicated for your ADHD, or is it something you're trying to deal with on your own?
rheanna
10-14-2008, 07:54 AM
Rikus,
As Thunor says, it's hard for most of us (with or without ADD) to respond in a cool calm collected manner when we're under pressure. I believe it's called performance anxiety. :)
Learning ways to recognize the signs of being stressed, and learning relaxation practices (easier said than done!) can, over time, be a big help here. Also, as Thunor suggests, discharging some of that stressful energy with hard physical exercise on a regular basis will help as well.
Another thing to consider is whether your dosage of Ritalin is sufficient. Perhaps you are getting used to your old dosage and a higher dosage might be more appropriate now. Or, perhaps you can take a slightly higher dosage on days when you expect those stressful work demons to attack.
Besides, some of us are just slower readers than others -- and it's tough to change that fact just because there's a room full of co-workers staring at us and expecting us to "perform" on cue. If you are normally a slow reader, requiring a bit of peace and quiet to digest the words on the page, it's ok to discuss that with your human resources office and with your boss -- you have the right to say that you'll be glad to read the document when the meeting is over.
Some of us ADDers can't juggle too many balls in the air at once. We may be able to pay attention at the meeting to what everyone else is saying, but that maxes out our attention capabilities, and asking us to read and evaluate a document while everyone is waiting for us to read, evaluate, formulate a response, and then deliver an intelligent sounding and relevant response is just asking too much.
I guess I'm saying that I would be responding like you -- I can read and process the written word just fine -- but not at the same time as I am asked to process the flowing discussions in a meeting.
--Rheanna
As Thunor says, it's hard for most of us (with or without ADD) to respond in a cool calm collected manner when we're under pressure. I believe it's called performance anxiety. :)
Learning ways to recognize the signs of being stressed, and learning relaxation practices (easier said than done!) can, over time, be a big help here. Also, as Thunor suggests, discharging some of that stressful energy with hard physical exercise on a regular basis will help as well.
Another thing to consider is whether your dosage of Ritalin is sufficient. Perhaps you are getting used to your old dosage and a higher dosage might be more appropriate now. Or, perhaps you can take a slightly higher dosage on days when you expect those stressful work demons to attack.
Besides, some of us are just slower readers than others -- and it's tough to change that fact just because there's a room full of co-workers staring at us and expecting us to "perform" on cue. If you are normally a slow reader, requiring a bit of peace and quiet to digest the words on the page, it's ok to discuss that with your human resources office and with your boss -- you have the right to say that you'll be glad to read the document when the meeting is over.
Some of us ADDers can't juggle too many balls in the air at once. We may be able to pay attention at the meeting to what everyone else is saying, but that maxes out our attention capabilities, and asking us to read and evaluate a document while everyone is waiting for us to read, evaluate, formulate a response, and then deliver an intelligent sounding and relevant response is just asking too much.
I guess I'm saying that I would be responding like you -- I can read and process the written word just fine -- but not at the same time as I am asked to process the flowing discussions in a meeting.
--Rheanna
Rikus
10-18-2008, 06:10 AM
Thanks for all the replies
I have worked for my current employer now for a year and the writing thing has become a bit of a problem. Most part of my ADD is under control despite the fact that i have some bad days but fortunatly they are far and few between.
I have gotten to a stage that I seem to find it difficult to read, especially if i had a long day. It is not as if I read a document and then do not understand it, it is that I just battle to read what is in front of me. I have spoken to the powers to be in the office but it is as if they can't comprehend it. When I move a way from the PC for a while it seems to get better. I fortunatly have an assistant, that helps me a lot as she knows what goes on. She will now ask me if all is ok i say no she print the e mails and we go st in the boardroom and she read it with/for me and it works fine.
I have spoken to my dr and uped my meds it is going a bit better but still strugling.
Cheers
I have worked for my current employer now for a year and the writing thing has become a bit of a problem. Most part of my ADD is under control despite the fact that i have some bad days but fortunatly they are far and few between.
I have gotten to a stage that I seem to find it difficult to read, especially if i had a long day. It is not as if I read a document and then do not understand it, it is that I just battle to read what is in front of me. I have spoken to the powers to be in the office but it is as if they can't comprehend it. When I move a way from the PC for a while it seems to get better. I fortunatly have an assistant, that helps me a lot as she knows what goes on. She will now ask me if all is ok i say no she print the e mails and we go st in the boardroom and she read it with/for me and it works fine.
I have spoken to my dr and uped my meds it is going a bit better but still strugling.
Cheers
artsy70
10-22-2008, 09:42 AM
Hi
I was diagnosed with ADHD about 2 years ago and use Ritalin on a daily basis. I have lately been struggling with writing and reading a bit. It feels as I have a mild case of Dyslexia, and I know I don't. I have been under a lot of pressure and stress lately.
Have any one else experienced this? It seems as if my brain is just to slow and sometimes and am battling with this. I sit in a meeting and someone hands out a document to read quickly and I get stuck. Is this normal? If so any ideas how to handle this? Thanks
Rikus
I have similar experiences and even worse ones. I have found that when I have taken my meds for Adhd and had spent time reading study material I can't remember what I have read. This is often due to stress ( left assignments for Uni/college to the night before)Another reason why this happens is because I also have dyslexia ( mild) as well as Adhd. Research indicated that 30% of people with Adhd also have dyslexia as well. Dyslexia often can go undiagnosed as may people have good sight reading (orthographic skills) which means they can read the words because they have a visual memory of these words..Often bright Adhd Dyslexic's may be able to rely on these skills to read, but it becomes apparent often in around 2nd or 3 year of college /University when they have to read unfamiliar words they do not have the phonemic awareness abilities to be able to properly "decode" unknown words.There are tests that clearly diagnose adult dyslexia.. won't bore you with those though...
Reading difficulties can be one of the down sides of Adhd. I will share this tip for all adders.... I have purchased a reading pen from Spectronics,the oxford reading pen is another smaller similar device.. What these devices do is scan full pages of text and they speaks the text back to me. I listen with headphones as I am reading. I find I am able to retain info better,as I have the visual and auditory thing happening together.
For the unreadable emails.. Yeah I have have that problem too. My solution that I have found successful is download voice recognition software, one really good programe is Dragon speak, I talk it types. Saves the hasel,fatigue of editing.I find it great for emails not so good for high fog factor academic stuff though, I do those the old pen/paper way.
Another thing that I have found that has saved my husband and friends the boredom of reading out my University essays ( 3/4 through an undergraduate Degree) to edit is is a free text to speech software Called Read-Please, what I use this programe for is to re-read essays that I have typed,as it speaks back my words, I again put on the old headphones and I like this software as it highlights the words. I find even by listening to the daggy synthetic computer voice it prompts me to things like poor sentence structure and incorrect use of words that happen to be used incorrectly. In art theory essays I was up until finding these gems always getting pulled up for the confusing between form,and from, spellcheckers can only do so much......
these technologies are not cheating they are simply a way of working smarter not harder, take the stress off ... hope this helps......keep smiling.......
I was diagnosed with ADHD about 2 years ago and use Ritalin on a daily basis. I have lately been struggling with writing and reading a bit. It feels as I have a mild case of Dyslexia, and I know I don't. I have been under a lot of pressure and stress lately.
Have any one else experienced this? It seems as if my brain is just to slow and sometimes and am battling with this. I sit in a meeting and someone hands out a document to read quickly and I get stuck. Is this normal? If so any ideas how to handle this? Thanks
Rikus
I have similar experiences and even worse ones. I have found that when I have taken my meds for Adhd and had spent time reading study material I can't remember what I have read. This is often due to stress ( left assignments for Uni/college to the night before)Another reason why this happens is because I also have dyslexia ( mild) as well as Adhd. Research indicated that 30% of people with Adhd also have dyslexia as well. Dyslexia often can go undiagnosed as may people have good sight reading (orthographic skills) which means they can read the words because they have a visual memory of these words..Often bright Adhd Dyslexic's may be able to rely on these skills to read, but it becomes apparent often in around 2nd or 3 year of college /University when they have to read unfamiliar words they do not have the phonemic awareness abilities to be able to properly "decode" unknown words.There are tests that clearly diagnose adult dyslexia.. won't bore you with those though...
Reading difficulties can be one of the down sides of Adhd. I will share this tip for all adders.... I have purchased a reading pen from Spectronics,the oxford reading pen is another smaller similar device.. What these devices do is scan full pages of text and they speaks the text back to me. I listen with headphones as I am reading. I find I am able to retain info better,as I have the visual and auditory thing happening together.
For the unreadable emails.. Yeah I have have that problem too. My solution that I have found successful is download voice recognition software, one really good programe is Dragon speak, I talk it types. Saves the hasel,fatigue of editing.I find it great for emails not so good for high fog factor academic stuff though, I do those the old pen/paper way.
Another thing that I have found that has saved my husband and friends the boredom of reading out my University essays ( 3/4 through an undergraduate Degree) to edit is is a free text to speech software Called Read-Please, what I use this programe for is to re-read essays that I have typed,as it speaks back my words, I again put on the old headphones and I like this software as it highlights the words. I find even by listening to the daggy synthetic computer voice it prompts me to things like poor sentence structure and incorrect use of words that happen to be used incorrectly. In art theory essays I was up until finding these gems always getting pulled up for the confusing between form,and from, spellcheckers can only do so much......
these technologies are not cheating they are simply a way of working smarter not harder, take the stress off ... hope this helps......keep smiling.......
Rikus
10-23-2008, 12:46 PM
Hi
thank you for all the information. I have spoken to our HR Manager and she was very understanding. I was very apprehensive to speak to them about this as I see this a huge negative point in ability. I was and still am a bit affraid that this will in some way hamper my growth in the company. They were very understanding and helpfull and I was supprised by their re action.
They suggested tols me that they will supply me with sofware that will enable me to listen instead of read. I do not know if I want it as I am Ok most of the times and it I feel a bit uneasy getting this stuff as it sort of this in your face inability that I have.
I will see what happens and how this evolves.
Cheers
thank you for all the information. I have spoken to our HR Manager and she was very understanding. I was very apprehensive to speak to them about this as I see this a huge negative point in ability. I was and still am a bit affraid that this will in some way hamper my growth in the company. They were very understanding and helpfull and I was supprised by their re action.
They suggested tols me that they will supply me with sofware that will enable me to listen instead of read. I do not know if I want it as I am Ok most of the times and it I feel a bit uneasy getting this stuff as it sort of this in your face inability that I have.
I will see what happens and how this evolves.
Cheers