I was diagnosed as dyslexic in key stage two of primary school (during the 1990s) when teachers noticed I was behind with my reading and writing compared with my peers.

Throughout my school years and into adolensence, I didn’t really understand my dyslexia and how it affected me in such a multitude of ways. I just thought it made me a slow reader and a slow learner and meant that I struggled to write and spell things properly. If anything I just thought I was less intelligent and less capable than my peers, which led to a lot of frustration and self-doubt.

Only as an adult in my late 20s and early 30s have I really started to take an interest in trying to understand this part of me. Social media posts by Made By Dyslexia made me take interest again. I saw incredibly talented and successful people beginning to speak out about their dyslexia, from Keira Knightley to Richard Branson. They shared examples of how they saw their dyslexia as their ‘superpower’, and suddenly I wanted to know more. I didn’t want to hide and ignore it any longer.

Race forwards October 2023, where I finally had the courage to be vocal about my own story.

In this article I cover what dyslexia is and the strengths and challenages associated with dyslexia, including the impact having dyslexia can have on one’s mental health.

QUICK LINKS:
What is dyslexia
Dyslexia and mental health
My dyslexia story
Strengths
Quirks
Helpful Resources and further reading

Dyslexia Awareness Week (2-8 October 2023)

As a dyslexic person, I felt compelled to get involved with the conversation. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to start talking about it openly. Originally I decided to do this at my place of work. I provided a blog post for the companies intranet, which to my delight, has been read and applauded by many of my wonderful, supportive colleagues. Many even reached out with their own experience being dyslexic. It was a really brilliant feeling to see that what I’d written had resonated with others and helped them to also speak up about their dyslexia. I also submitted an entry for the British Dyslexia Association’s (BDA) #UniquelyYou campaign, which they shared on their website and posted on LinkedIn.

Read my Dyslexia Story on the BDA website

So this begged the question, why haven’t I shared this on my own blog!? After all… neurodiversity is part of being human, and I have a whole blog category for that in the Tellurian Thoughts section.

My dyslexia is a huge part of who I am. It is fundamental to my humanity and how I perceieve and connect to the world around me. I would even go as far as saying, if I wasn’t dyslexic, this blog probably wouldn’t exist. I owe a lot of my creativity to dyslexia, and as you’ll read further down in this post – it is likely the reason why I question everything and tend to think about the bigger picture.

As an adult I am learning to love my dyslexia. I’ve come from a place of feeling very missunderstood when I was a child and teen going through school, to fully embracing my full dyslexic self as an adult. It’s been a journey – click here to skip to my dyslexic story.

Tellurian Thoughts | Stories from my mind

What is Dyslexia?

The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) describe Dyslexia as follows:

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty which primarily affects reading and writing skills. However, it does not only affect these skills. Dyslexia is actually about information processing. Dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and the acquisition of literacy skills. Dyslexia can also impact on other areas such as organisational skills.

It is important to remember that there are positives to thinking differently. Many dyslexic people show strengths in areas such as reasoning and in visual and creative fields.
– BDA

Made By Dyslexia’s ’21st century definition’ is as follows:

Dyslexia influences as many as 1 in 5 people and is a genetic difference in an individual’s ability to learn and process information. As a result, dyslexic individuals have differing abilities, with strengths in creative, problem-solving and communication skills and challenges with spelling, reading and memorising facts.

Generally, a dyslexic cognitive profile will be uneven when compared to a neurotypical cognitive profile. This means that dyslexic individuals really do think differently.

Traditional benchmarking disadvantages dyslexics, measuring them against the very things they find challenging.
– Made by Dyslexia

Challenges	Strengths
– Information processing – Working memory – Time management and organisation – Problems with spelling and grammar – Slow at reading – Difficulty following verbal instructions – Confusing left and right – More likely to experience poor mental health – Difficulties with self-esteem – Difficulty concentrating	– Problem solving skills – Highly creative and out of box thinkers – May display strong artistic ability – Detecting patterns – Highly curious – Highly empathetic – Story telling – Three dimensional thinking – Simplifying complex information

A summary of dyslexic strengths and challenges

Are you dyslexic but are unsure of your strenghts?

Try this free online quiz by Made By Dyslexia to find out which areas you’re likely to excell at.

Listen to dyslexic celebrities share some examples of how dyslexia affects their lives in the video below.

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Dyslexia and Mental Health

According to research, as many as 70% of children with learning difficulties suffer from poor self-esteem. For those with Dyslexia, this is likely related to the frustration and feelings of inadequacy resulting from the struggle to read and perform academically compared to their non-dyslexic peers, which can contribute to low self-esteem and heightened emotional distress, and this can have an impact on Mental Health into adulthood. A study in the British Journal of Psychiatry (2007) indicated that 54% of people with a learning difficulty experience mental health struggles. The challenges posed by dyslexia, when carried into the complexities of adult life, can amplify feelings of frustration and failure, leading to a higher susceptibility to mental health issues.

Understanding the Links

Several factors contribute to the link between dyslexia and mental health challenges

These include:

Stigma and misunderstanding: Dyslexia is often misunderstood, and individuals with dyslexia may face stigma due to their difficulties. This stigma can lead to feelings of isolation and mental health struggles.
Cognitive load: The cognitive effort required to navigate reading difficulties can leave individuals with dyslexia mentally fatigued. This can impact their overall cognitive functioning and emotional well-being.
Educational experiences: Negative experiences in education, such as persistent difficulties retaining information, unsupportive environments, and a lack of proper intervention, can contribute to feelings of frustration and anxiety.

The impact of dyslexia doesn’t end with schooling

The impact extends into the professional realm, presenting unique challenges for dyslexic individuals in the workplace.

Disclosure and accommodation: Many dyslexic individuals face the dilemma of whether to disclose their dyslexia to employers. While disclosure can lead to accommodations that facilitate better job performance, the fear of discrimination or bias may deter individuals from seeking support.
Navigating tasks: Dyslexia can influence various job-related tasks, from reading emails and reports to writing documents and presenting. Dyslexic individuals might take longer to complete reading and writing assignments and have trouble with organisation, time management and prioritisation, which can lead to stress and anxiety, especially in fast-paced work environments.
Coping strategies: While dyslexic individuals might develop effective coping strategies over time, the constant need to employ these strategies can contribute to mental fatigue. Moreover, the fear of making errors can impact their self-confidence.

Dyslexia in the workplace

Creating inclusive workplaces that support dyslexic employees

This can positively influence their mental health and job performance. Here are some considerations:

Education and awareness: Employers and colleagues should be educated about dyslexia to foster understanding and empathy. It can also help shine a light on the individual strengths of dyslexic individuals and the value they bring to the table, not just the struggles they face.
Flexibility: Allowing flexible work arrangements and extended time for tasks when required, while managing stakeholder expectations can ease the pressure on dyslexic employees. Having open discussions about workplace needs should also be encouraged.
Assistive technologies: Some people with dyslexia may benefit from assistive technologies such as text-to-speech software and spell-check tools such as Grammarly, which can empower dyslexic individuals to excel in their roles. Ai tools like ChatGPT can also help with structuring reports and articles and provide a good starting point to work from. (I used ChatGPT to help me structure this blog post). It’s also important to be mindful that dyslexia can vary in it’s severity, and not everyone will require the same tools or support.
Mentorship and support groups: Establishing mentorship programs and support groups can create a sense of community and enable knowledge-sharing among dyslexic employees.

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My Dyslexia Story

Throwback to the 90s – where it all begins

It’s the 90s. Me and the other kids are rocking up to school with scrunchies in our hair; Tamagotchis and Pokemon cards in our pockets. We get to the classroom. The teacher calls the register. We all say ‘yes miss’ in turn, and then it’s lesson time. But not for 8-year-old me. It’s time for my appointment with the expert teacher that comes here to help me figure out why my brain doesn’t work like the other kids brains. And I’m eventually told I have this thing called dyslexia.

I spent quite a bit of time out of the main lessons to do extra reading and writing tasks. I also had to do pattern recognition tests, which I believe may have been IQ tests to check my intelligence. This was a common method for diagnosis in the 90s.

I knew I was different from a young age

At the time, I didn’t really understand why I was getting all this special attention, but I do remember noticing the difference in my writing ability compared with some of my friends. One friend was often praised for their smartness. They had neat handwriting and could read ‘adult level’ books. I definitely wondered why I couldn’t do that when my peers could.

At my primary school we had to earn the right to write with pen instead of pencil. Our handwriting had to be ‘good enough’ first. I was one of the last kids to be awarded a fountain pen in my year group.

For english and maths lessons we were split into two classes – one for those deamed to have a normal learning ability and one for the other kids, like me, who were falling behind and needed extra help. However, when it came to science, I was really good at it! My year six SATs grades were all over the place, so my ability was not consitent across subjects. I think this confused a lot of my teachers, who were shocked when I got a level 5 in science SATs, but could only achieve a level 3 in maths SATs.

And to go even further back, I was in my own little world a lot of the time. I have very vivid memories of primary school during break time, where I would wonder off on my own with a story swirling around in my head. I can remember being more interested in my own thoughts, than socialising with the other kids.

Secondary school and university years

Fast forward to secondary school, lessons were sorted into ‘sets’ depending on ability. I was placed in the bottom set for english and maths. This meant sharing classes with kids who had behavioral issues, making it even harder to focus. Worse, it also meant being in the lower set for science, despite my love of the subject. It was simply due to the lesson schedule meaning the higher set science would clash with another lesson I had. I remember asking my science teacher if I could move up to the higher set for science because I found it too easy. I was told it wasn’t possible and I felt very missunderstood. It often felt like I wasn’t allowed to persue my desire to learn and push myself at school in the subjects I was most interested in.

Goodbye motivation…

It was moments like this that lead to me losing the motivation to try harder. I felt like people didn’t see my potential and therefore I lost some belief in myself.

Despite my struggles, I did well in art and design. Science and geography were still favorites, and I desperately wanted to improve in English. But I was never an A student. I remember my friends stressing over their grades, but I was more laid-back. Maybe because I didn’t believe I could get A’s, so I didn’t feel the pressure.

I barely revised for any of my exams. The subjects I did well at (Art and Design) were mostly graded based on coursework rather than written exams. I was dissapointed when I got a D in maths GCSE. My maths teacher said I could achieve a C, and I only missed that grade by a few marks, which was super frustrating at the time.

After GCSEs, I drifted into A levels, following my friends to sixth form. I chose geography, textiles, travel and tourism, and ICT. I wanted to do psychology, but I didn’t get a place due to my C grade in English. One teacher made a comment that I wouldn’t be good enough at writing essays to take the subject – which genuinely offended me! The school nearly turned me down for geography A level for a similar reason.

Funnily enough, I eventually had to drop geography, along with textiles, due to failing grades. With geography, I simply couldn’t retain all the information in order to take the exams, and I wasn’t passionate enough about textiles to try harder at it. At one point I was considering doing a geography degree, but that went out the window when I had the drop the subject at A-level.

Feeling lost – University years

At this point I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I went on to do a BTEC in Art & Design because I didn’t get enough A levels to qualify for university. At the time it felt like a last resort. I felt like it wasn’t impressive to go and study art – it wasn’t a ‘core subject’ afterall, so I questioned the point of it all.

I rediscovered an interest in graphic design during my BTEC studies and went onto do a degree in graphic communication. But university was hard to say the least. I was a highly anxious young adult and didn’t make many friends. I lost a lot of motivation due to depression in my early 20s, so I didn’t really enjoy it or put the effort in.

And, despite knowing I was dyslexic, I had pretty much brushed it under the carpet. I associated my dyslexia with being a bit stupid, so I didn’t tell the university about it or seek extra help. I worried about being seen as incapable.

And so the story of grades remains the same here. I scraped by with a third class degree. I shrugged my shoulders at it all, and went on to get my first graphic design job. Luckily my degree level didn’t stop me being successful at getting a job as a graphic designer.

Re-finding belief in myself through work experience

The world of work was really where everything started to change. Through working in various creative roles, from graphic design to email marketing, I’ve discovered my strengths and my value as part of a team. It obviously hasn’t been without it’s challenges, but there have been some key ingredients to my success, which include:

Working with supportive colleagues and managers who trust in my ability and praise great work.
The freedom to work in a way that suits me.
Opportunities and challenges that have pushed me out of my comfort zone, which have done wonders for my confidence.
Learning on the job through simply doing the work, but also by learning from others with more experience than me.
Having the freedom to think outside the box and propose ideas and solutions to meet the needs of project briefs.

To learn more about my professional career, you can find me on LinkedIn.

If you skipped past it, you can read more about my thoughts on supporting those with dyslexia in the workplace, here.

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Knowing my strengths

Dyslexia is just a word for a different way of thinking and percieving the world, therefore it is a fundamental part of who I am. I attribute many of my strengths to dyslexia, but these are not necessarily all considered dyslexic traits or strengths by official definition.

I also really dislike talking about what I’m good at, so this section of this post feels very uncomfortable to write. Many dyslexic people have issues with self-confidence, which is linked to feelings of perfectionism and generally not being good enough, hense why talking about strengths feels weird. To make myself feel better about, let’s just say this section is here in case others can resonate and quietly contemplate their strengths too – I see you, fellow dyslexic earthling.

Below are my results from the Made By Dyslexia quiz.

*My specific skills according to the results of the Made By Dysleixa quiz*

*My general skills according to the results of the Made By Dysleixa quiz*

Imagining and reasoning

Imagining and reasonsing come up as my top strengths according to the quiz results shown above. According to Made By Dyslexia, ‘imaginers are great at creating an original piece of work, or giving ideas a new spin.’ For me this is evident in my artistic works and my ability to think outside the box, which often comes in handy both in everyday life and at work. Made By Dyslexia say, ‘reasoners are great at understanding patterns, evaluating possibilities and making decisions.’ For me, this is definitely a skill I’ve been able to apply to strategic thinking tasks when working in roles within marketing teams.

I used to put my daydreaming down to dissinterest or an inability to focus, which in part can be true. However, it is also a part of how my brain works. I am always thinking, contemplating or assessing. Sometimes it is escapism. That’s when you’ll find me daydreaming about adventures in far away places. Most of the time it’s because I’m trying to understand, unpick and digest something that’s sparked my interest.

I’m self-motivated

With the right support, tools, and perseverance, many dyslexic people, including myself, learn to read and write well. I wouldn’t have been able to do that if I wasn’t motivated to put the time in to learn and get better at it. I love writing as a means to express my thoughts and emotions. Technology makes it easier with spell check and grammar tools. Audiobooks and screen readers are lifesavers when I’m too tired to read.

I’ve met many fellow dyslexics who are also very hard working and seem to share the same determination to succeed as I do. Maybe it’s just part of the package that is dyslexia, or perhaps it’s linked to our school expeirience. School wasn’t easy, but I always had this desire to prove to people I was capable of more than they seemed to think. This hightened motivation has followed me into employment, and I’ve achieved things that I’m really proud of.

I’ve got a really good sense of direction

I’m not sure whether this is linked to dyslexia or not, but I’ve always been very good at remembering my way, even in places I’ve never been before. I do this by remembering visual landmarks, but partly I can sort of imagine where I am in 3D. I’ll always know roughly what direction to walk to get to place if I’ve been there before. For example, I remembered a two hour drive to my partner’s, parent’s home in London by being a passengar in the car on the same route previosuly and by remembering landmarks such as specific buldings along the route – no sat nav required to get me there when I did the same route shortly after!

I’m an empath

I’m intune with my own emotions as well as those of others. This is great, because I can connect with people on a deep level. It’s also not so great, because I absorb the energy of those around me. I’m generally an optimist, so if I’m surrounded by pesemists that opposit energy can really bring me down. I suppose it’s a weakness in that way, but it’s something I’m proud of, which is why it’s here under strengths. I care deeply about the wellbeing of others and I can possibly see myself training as a counsellor in the future.

Multiple perspectives

I consider myself open-minded. I’m interested in how humans think and act. I’m curious about religion and spirituality and also psychology. Like everyone, I have opinions and biases, but I’m not particulary stubborn or strict with them. My opinions are quite fluid and I’m open to other ideas that are different from my own, which enables me to see multiple perspectives. This means I’m not quick to judge others by their opinions or actions when they may conflict with mine, without first trying to understand them. It makes me a great listener and a good mediator when there is conflict.

My quirks

I prefer the word ‘quirk’ to ‘weakness’. Some of these could be condistered negative traits, annoyances or just generally not useful, but they are just other things that make me who I am, so let’s describe them as quirks. They vary in intensity from day to day and can depend on how tired I am, even to where abouts I am in my menstrual cycle (which perhaps is another post for another day!).

Left and right – which is which!?

This is often the case for many people with dyslexia, so is a tell tail sign for me. Verbal or written directions in general just don’t work for my brain. I need a map or other visual cues to know where I’m going.

Similar things… similar colours

I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve called Tomatoes, ‘strawberries’ or Lidl, ‘Ikea’. The similarity is that the former are both red fruits and the latter are both blue and yellow stores. That’s my best guess as to why I miss-call these things… I’m also very bad at remembering people’s names, to the point where I’ll even forget the names of my friends for a brief moment from time to time on a ‘bad brain day’ as I call it when my dyslexic quirks come out in full force.

I’m not always a very good listener

I can have strong ‘daydreamy days’ where I’m more lost in my own thoughts. It can make me a bad listener because I’ll often find it harder to concentrate when someone is speaking to me when I’m feeling a bit more contemplative. This strongly influces how productive I am at work as well, but I can use it to my advantage and spend these days focusing on strategic thinking tasks rather than ‘doing’ tasks. I really value solitude on these days so I can just be by myself and think without distractions, but it’s not always convenient and I’ve had people take offence due to me seeming dissinterested in them – to friends and relatives reading this, I’m sure you’re nodding away and I’m sorry – I love you!

I’m messy, disorganised and clumsy

There is some assumed crossover with dyspraxia in the way that I do things. When cooking I’ll hold utensils in an awkward way to the point where others have noticed and commented. Never in a nasty way, but more out of curiosity. I’ll often be unaware that I am making my life more difficult and find it hard to do things in a more logical way, even when shown.

I once went to a cocktail making class with my partner, which was somewhat stressful for me, and incredibly amusing for him to watch! My disorganised brain manifests in multiple ways. In one way, it makes it hard for me to put my thoughts down on paper. In another way, it means I’ll use about five spoons while cooking, when I could have used one. If my possessions don’t have places to ‘live’ in my house, I will forget where I put them, which can lead to frantically trying to find my keys and phone when I’m in a rush to leave the house. This could potentially be linked to ADHD tendencies that many dyslexic people have, but I have never been formally diagnosed with ADHD. I am mentally and physically disorganised, which is probably the most frustrating quirk linked to my neurodivergence, and the one that will often lead to bouts of anger and low mood when it causes me stress.

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