PTSD and dyslexia - (how) can you do WA?
I need some help and I know it's a long shot - I also know how amazing this community here is.
A friend (veteran) who has severe PTSD and does struggle with undiagnosed dyslexia has joined me in a network marketing business I'm involved in. I didn't realise the extent of his problems until I was giving him a hand setting up FaceBook etc. It had taken him 4 hours yesterday to work out how to work through something which should take only a few minutes - he was frustrated, which is not the aim of the game.
I've spoken to him many times and he wants to succeed (he wants to live life to the full and leave something for his amazing wife), he's determined to get into internet marketing also. I want to get him involved in this amazing community, however I don't want to set him, or anyone else up for failure.
Does anyone have any experience, or thoughts? Please put them in the comments below or message me.
Thanks again
Peter
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I have PTSD, I guess a pretty under-control case, and it doesn't stop me from doing much. I'm maybe more cautious than many people.
Regarding dyslexia, one time my husband and I left our business in the hands of a woman who had worked some for us. I didn't realize she was quite dyslexic until she started putting the wrong numbers on order forms and on mailing addresses on envelopes. it was pretty bad. Luckily, while we were gone for several months, there was another woman available to take over from the dyslexic one. Once we were back, we didn't hire the dyslexic one again. She just got too many things wrong.
Rosana,
I’m so pleased you’ve got things under control. That’s a shame that things didn’t work out while you were away, glad all sorted out in the end.
Thanks for letting me know.
All the best
Peter
Hi Peter, you being there as his friend is the greatest thing you can do.
It does get frustrating at times and patience is an essential requirement.
I personally do not think WA is one of those get rich schemes, but it does work.
I did a post on PTSD last year and am not sure if you will find any resources there to help your friend. I could always PM you the URL if you want.
Wishing you and your friend all the best,
Michael
I know it can be hard to be patient, but I think he have to do this in his own pace. Stress can actually activate PTSD so be patient and calm. A longterm mindset is what is needed.
I’m so aware and the thought of activating his PTSD is what worries me most. I think you’re absolutely correct about the long term mindset. Thanks
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Hello Peter,
My mom and Grandfather are /were dyslexic. Growing up as a child, I wrote all the notes to my teacher for my mom. Then one day my mom wrote a note to my teacher without asking me for help or telling me. My teacher scolded me because she thought I wrote the note! Anyway, my mom and Grandad did fine. They had enough heart to make up for any of their logistical shortcomings. When I was a child I used to see everything backwards and sometimes upside down about 30% of the time, and my brain finally adjusted to see the world most people do by age 11. I was lucky. Once in a while, on my way home from work, when I am tired or completely relaxed, I see a sign post or station name backwards and it feels normal. When I was in kindergarten, I loved the letters "H", "I" and "O" because I could never get them wrong! Try to write "H", "I" and "O" backwards or upside down and see what you get?! "S", "Z", "M","B", "P" always turned out wrong for me. My teacher was frustrated and labeled me as flawed, and complained to my parents that I am not qualified to be in her class or enrolled in their school
Write letters the way my teacher wants them!
I thought about how to make letters appear "normal" to my teacher. I released the fear of getting it wrong, and tried writing my Bs, Ps Zs, Ss, backwards on perpose and monitor the reaction of my teacher as a measurement of success. I setup the criteria in my mind that If my teacher praised me, then my backwards B is correct, if my teacher scolded me then my forwards B is really backwards. The results were conclusive.
Then I realized the truth! I see everything as it is, it is my teacher that sees everything backwards! Images that come into my mind do not get flipped or changed. I just see things as they are. It is my teacher that has the handicap. I learned this to be true when she asked me to draw a leaf. At five years old, within minutes I was able to draw a leaf on a piece of paper just as it is, with all its veins, and cell blocks, cuts, gradations of colors, I resolved that I would translate what I see into what she can recognize, by writing backwards, so that she could flip it in her mind to see it forwards!
My teacher praised my performance for writing letters correctly.
After a few years, I did not see my letters as backwards anymore, I got used to them and they seemed forwards. Maybe I still see them backwards, but since I got so used to writing backwards, they look forwords! Anyway, whetever works.
As far as advice goes, I would say give to your friend without expectation. By definition if you need to be patient then you must be frustrated, and to be frustrated there must be a gap in expectations. The root of frustration is then expectation itself.
So change your definition to change your experience. Give without expectation to what your friend needs to get from your help. It is your expectation that creates frustration which requires patience. It is not the situation that is causing the frustration, but your reaction to it.
Your friend,
Rupert.