By Jesse Fedorka
When I was sixteen, I received extensive cognitive testing because my scores relating to reading and writing were lacking. This led to the conclusion that I have moderate dyslexia and my processing speed is slightly below average. Up to that point, the symptoms of these issues were a point of acute frustration in my academia. When I received a formal diagnosis and subsequent educational accommodations, yet, it was a relief for me. I then knew that I was not stupid or lazy and there was not something I had been doing wrong.
The greatest challenge moving forward was living with the social anxiety that comes with poor handwriting, spelling, and reading. To overcome that challenge. I allowed myself to take pride in my strengths. Math, science, and abstract concepts are all subjects that I excelled in. Excelling in these subjects takes effort. It is less common and not immediately apparent to everyone in a classroom setting. This lack of visibility can lead to a feeling of apprehension in group settings.
I still have anxiety over displaying my graphic and phonic shortcomings, and I am a twenty-five sergeant in the Army. I teach classes, give counselings, write reports, and lead men from all walks of life. I have had to do one simple thing. This allowed me to gain the confidence to do my job. It also meant I had to expose my weakness. That is, I stopped sneaking around with dyslexia. I talk and joke about it as if it is not a crippling factor, because it is not.
My advice to anyone dealing with dyslexia would be to keep something in your mind that you excel at. When the fear of that feeling of exposure starts welling up, latch onto how excellent you are in your strengths. Do this quietly and calmly and move on through the situation. The more times you go through this process, the more natural it will come. Don’t shy away from anything that you are not comfortable with. Have your own metric for personal proficiency and let everyone else struggle over convention.
Reading Within Reach 