Dyslexia

After 21 years, 15 years spent in Education and a year and a half spent on BA (Hons) Magazine Publishing course.  All I can say is that I am so glad I found out now rather than after I finished my degree. I've decided to write about Dyslexia as there seems to be so many particularly in the creative industries/people I know and not so many other people know about it!

Dyslexia according to the British Dyslexia Association is "a specific learning difficulty which mainly affects the development of literacy and language related skills. It is likely to be present at birth and to be lifelong in its effects. It is characterised by difficulties with phonological processing, rapid naming, working memory, processing speed, and the automatic development of skills that may not match up to an individual’s other cognitive abilities."

Yesterday I told one of my lectures at University about my discovery and he asked "How does that work with studying Creative Writing?" I answered "I actually don't know, I think it's something to do with because writing is challenging, I guess it in turn becomes more rewarding."  Since I was diagnosed last month I have been speaking to some of my friends with Dyslexia and have found some of them have had a really hard time, particularly at school and as a result are quite sensitive about the subject understandably. Personally, I've always known I was bad a spelling and find it impossible to pronounce names etc but I thought up until recently, this was just me. 

It never occurred to me to get tested until another friend of a similar age was recently confirmed and described some of the symptoms. Ironically a few days after I had the initial test, my Creative Writing teacher told me that I should get tested for Dyslexia, as it was picked up in one of my assignments.

On the plus side people with Dyslexia are more inclined to exercise the right side of their brain meaning, they're are typically more visual, practice and innovative in their thoughts meaning they are perfect for an industry where creativity is the key.

I now have an explanation to why I can be sometimes rubbish at spelling finally, and know why I have always had a particular appreciation for art! I realise without having Dyslexia I probably wouldn't have chose to follow the path that has lead me to where I am today, which I am very grateful for.

I can't imagine doing anything apart from what I'm doing right now. Being Dyslexic is just a small part of who I am it doesn't define me. I am not going to let anything determine where or what I should do and probably will write for as long as I physically am able to.


Did you know the following are Dyslexic:


Orlando Bloom
Keria Knightly
Agatha Christie
John Irvine
Richard Branson
Muhammad Ali
Andy Warhol
Picasso
Tommy Hilfiger
Leonado Da Vinci
Einstein 
Alexander Graham Bell

I will be back hopefully once I've finished my evil finance assignment for a while, then am of for a week, on a well deserved holiday :)