“Disabilities” I’m Proud to Have

What do Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs and I have in common? Dyslexia, which causes difficulty with reading, writing and spelling. What do Channing Tatum, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams and I have in common? ADHD, which causes difficulty maintaining mental attention and becoming easily distracted.

These disabilities made school difficult growing up. I was academically behind my peers, but never enough to get held back. My parents sought out help with my academic struggles, but was not able to find the right help. When I came to UWM I discovered the Learning Disability Specialty Clinic. After taking an evaluation a psychologist diagnosed me with Dyslexia and ADHD. After a moment of self-pity, I began to research the disabilities; medication can control ADHD, but not Dyslexia.

The stereotypes associated with ADHD and Dyslexia are ‘stupid and lazy’. Many kids get bullied and develop low self-esteem, anxiety and depression; I was one of them. During my high school algebra class, I remember a poster that hung on the wall that had an Albert Einstein quote, “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Every time I got frustrated, I would look up and take a deep breath. My brain works harder to achieve tasks. I quickly tire out, because my energy is spent on trying to keep myself focused. An assignment that may take a student an hour to do, might take me two or more.

The statistics show that one in every five kids have dyslexia, and also 30% of them have ADHD as well. Also four percent of American adults have ADHD according to the Dyslexia Center of Utah. The brains of the people with these disabilities are made to be more curious and creative. Dyslexia has changed the world by the minds of Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and many others. ADHD has given us laughter from the great comedians Jim Carrey and Robin Williams. I do not see these as a disability, it’s an ability. I wish I knew I had my abilities in high school, so it would not have taken me 20 years to be proud of who I am. If you meet someone who is struggling academically, don’t look down on them. You never know, they might just change the world.