"You don't have any learning disability!"

[Rageaholic]

I have been diagnosed with ADHD and a few other learning disibilities. In many ways, it has been a relief to know that there was an actual cause for my struggles and that I wasn't just some moron.

Yet despite this, I still get know it alls claiming that they know more about me than doctors who diagnose people like me for a living. Some are just ignorant and don't realize the extent of my struggles with certain things, but then there are those judgmental twats who think I'm just making excuses. They dismiss any struggles I am having as just being lazy or that I am not trying hard enough. Which is the last thing someone who is struggling needs to hear. It's like telling a depressed person that they are to blame for all their problems.

I shouldn't let this bother me so much because a lot of those instances have been in the past, but it still bothers me that there are people who still think this way.

[Dreamstalker]

There are people who believe that ADD/ADHD/autism et al are fad diagnoses and so don't exist at all.

While I do feel it has been or is overdiagnosed to an extent, I mean that in the way that it's become a catchall label for some kids who don't actually have it, which has muddied the waters so much that nobody knows exactly what the disability is. I've locked horns with a few armchair docs with regards to Aspergers....they think that since I don't fit the symptoms that Site X lists I'm lying.

[DrFaroohk]

Any time someone disagrees with what an expert told me, I respond with "well I guess he didn't go to as good of a <expert school> as you did. Where did you go again?"

[LexiaFira]

you aren't alone rage, i grew up with ADD before ADHD was around.
I had a horrible time focusing and paying attention and I wanted to so badly but everything in the room was just SO attention grabbing that after a while I had to be put in a special class. I still learned at the normal pace but it was quieter with less students. And I was taught how to tune out distractions. Now...its more like oh we recognize the problem but yeah you're on your own for figuring out what to do.

Or I mention Attention Deficit Disorder and get asked isn't that ADD? no, I wasn't overly hyper just could not focus. I understand your pain.

[Hyena Dandy]

I had a friend who was diagnosed several times with Aspergers, but her mother said that Aspergers was too common of a diagnosis, so it couldn't be right.

[Rageaholic]

And I was taught how to tune out distractions. Now...its more like oh we recognize the problem but yeah you're on your own for figuring out what to do.

Or it's "We recognize the problem, but it's just something you have to deal with!". Even the most understanding of people can fall into that trap.

[Dreamstalker]

One of the problems with Aspergers is that every website or book on the subject seems to have a different list of symptoms (one which I can't recall the name of now uses a 'list' composed almost completely of signs and symptoms from the lower-functioning end of the spectrum). I also agree that when it came to the forefront it was something of a catchall 'fad' diagnosis; fairly easy to label a kid as it wasn't clear exactly what AS entails. Combine that with all the studies citing a rise in ADD/ADHD/autism...

There's a radio personality (Thom Hartmann I think) who has ADD and has written a lot on the subject...one of his views which I agree with is that what we call ADD/ADHD was a survival mechanism way back when, but modern society has overstimulated that part of the brain to become a negative thing.

[Akasa]

I was lucky, my grandmother was one of those who petitioned and spoke to Congress to recognize learning disabilities. So as a teacher for children with learning disabilities she taught me ways to compensate. Sure I still need extra time with my tests, etc. and I get that through I forget which office at the college. Its been a few years. Depending on your learning disabilities if you attend college you'll be able to take advantage of those services too.

[LexiaFira]

Or it's "We recognize the problem, but it's just something you have to deal with!". Even the most understanding of people can fall into that trap.

thats basically what my first dr. told my mom as a kid. she went to another that wanted to put me on Ritalin. that made it worse. after seeing how it bothered my mom i figured how to eventually self manage up to a point. it is manageable for ME but its not the same for everyone else. I have seen just how hard so I believe

[bara]

What sucks is that it is often misdiagnosed and as a result when people do actually have it, most are less inclined to believe.

There was a lady at one of my past employers that claimed to have it.. had a Dr.s note and everything. The problem was that the doctor had several pending lawsuits for malpractice. Think he got thrown in jail for fraud or something.

Whether or not she had it I dont know. The lady was nuts, but she only seemed to have a problem when it came time to do evaluations. She also claimed to not want anyone to know she had it, but then went around telling everyone she had it.

[Racket_Man]

the fun thing with me is I am old enough to be a pre-ADD/ADHD (the official diagnosis) person. during the early to mid 1960's they STILL tried to put "hyper" kids on downers/tranquillizers. LOL that seemed to have the OPPOSITE effect on me. just sped me up more and turned my permanent teeth a light shade of yellow.

I know there were many medical and psychological test done to me like EEGs, extensive blood work, many psych tests etc, years of sessions with several different psychologists in different sedttings (clinical AND RELIGIOUS). (very primative by todays standards) . I do know that my ADD comes via my Mother and it effects all of my siblings to one degree or another and their children (not sure about grandchildren as I do not have much contact with them).

[Lace Neil Singer]

I grew up before Aspergers was diagnosed; I was diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder, along with possible schitzophrenia. True, I lacked social skills, yammered on and on about my various obsessions and found socialising difficult, but that's a far cry from having a personality disorder.

I finally got my diagnosis as an adult, and refused help cuz I'd already found ways of coping. I force myself to socialise and talk to people, tho I suspect that I'm not only not on the same page as them, but probably not even in the same book. I do my best to act neurotypical, tho it's a strain sometimes.

I also find it extremely irritating if someone says, "Oh, you're just making excuses, you know" when I have been diagnosed by a doctor. Also, Fiance's mother, who works with autistic children, was certain I had Aspergers even before I got near a doctor.

Yeah, I know right now it's along with AHDD the fashionable tag to give to kids who haven't been parented properly, but it does exist. Just cuz some people tend to fake having flu to get out of work, doesn't mean that flu doesn't exist and anyone who says they have it is faking.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, here's mine: "You could do it if you just tried harder."

Really? Why the fuck didn't I think of that? Think of all the trauma I could have avoided MY WHOLE FUCKING LIFE.

Actually, that's the worst one. THIS is the worst one: "You can't have dyscalculia, you're too smart."

Both usually uttered by people way stupider than I am.

One person actually said "And I thought you were so smart!" when she found out. I just said "Oh, do you think I'm stupid now?"

Oh, no, I'm not bitter or anything.

Here's a guy who talks about the same sort of thing in this vid. At about a minute in he reacts to someone who ought to know better making a public pronouncement that learning disabilities are scams made up to excuse bad teaching. Unbelievable.

[KellyHabersham]

Yeah, here's mine: "You could do it if you just tried harder."

Really? Why the fuck didn't I think of that? Think of all the trauma I could have avoided MY WHOLE FUCKING LIFE.

I got that exact sort of comment from teachers and relatives about the difficulties I had in math. Looking back, it really puzzles me that no one ever suspected that I might have a learning disability, and it's frustrating because I'm not sure what my options are as an adult. (basically, one reason I don't have a college degree is that I can't pass the math requirements)

[Rageaholic]

"You could do it if you just tried harder"

I had a 4th grade teacher who often said "There is no such word as can't". I wanted to snap back "Really? Then why did you just say it you stupid bitch!". So yeah, I hate being told that I'm not trying hard enough when they have no way of judging.