Adulthood Learning Disabilities
It’s believed that up to 10% of Americans may have undiagnosed learning disabilities they’ve carried into adulthood. The tragedy is not only that these individuals have gone through half their lives feeling frustrated and confused, but that they now carry the emotional scars too. Many adults with dyslexia and other learning disabilities have very self confidence, suffer from anxiety and experience bouts of depression. Sometimes the impact of something as basic as reading difficulties can transform into a diagnosable mental disorder, while other times it’s manifested as stress.
The challenge of coping with learning disabilities as an adult is enormous. Today, so much emphasis is placed on completing college and special needs adults are expected to fit into this mold, even when other options like vocational skills training may be more in-sync with their adult learning styles. According to the National Longitudinal Transition Study, the results are bleak, as 35% of children with learning disabilities drop out of high school (which is twice the rate for students without learning disabilities). Only 2% of high school graduates with learning disabilities transition to a four-year college.
Despite the inherent challenges of maturing into adulthood with adult dyslexia or another adult learning disability, there are always exceptions. In the nineties, Jason Lopez was diagnosed with ADHD anxiety, as well as auditory and visual learning disabilities. Even so, he has graduated from a four-year college with a 3.82 GPA and is now pursuing his master’s degree in Boca Raton. Lopez credits his success with some advice from “The Fonz” — Happy Days actor Henry Winkler who struggled with dyslexia before achieving epic TV success. “If you can will it, then it’s not a dream,” Winkler had said. “It all begins with you.” Lopez says he was motivated by people’s underestimation of his abilities. Once he achieved a two-year degree from Landmark College in Vermont, a school specializing in adult learning disability studies, he had the confidence to keep going.
Like anyone else who has reached adulthood, it is important for adults with dyslexia or other disabilities to set and achieve goals. Advancement opportunities should always be considered. Whether the individual is working hard just to “prove others wrong” or to find a sense of fulfillment, motivation is ultimately the key to success, so one must find some sort of cause. Reading books about adult learning styles and disability-specific management techniques can be extremely empowering, as can finding a role model or mentor.
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Tags: adult learning disabilities, adult learning disability, adult learning styles, children adults, working adults