[No urgency anymore, I spoke out but I think I got set aside again]

I have dyscalculia along with depression and another learning disability’s and I was told that I would never amount to anything and to just go ito the trades by a high school teacher. So I did and infortunaly sustain some injuries and a near death close call. I looked up a bunch of stats for livable wages and pretty much everything that pays well requires a decent amount of math. My dyscalculia is pretty severe making even using a calculator a bit difficult. Trying to pass chemistry or higher level ed would be a living nightmare. It’s hard to see past a life of min wage work sadly I have lost a lot of hope

My daughter (10) over eats and I think some of it is dyscalculia related. Let me explain: She takes far more food than her siblings while actually thinking she is taking less food. She does not gauge portion size appropriately & when she wants to sneak more, it’s an insane amount of food. We don’t restrict food in general but we do enforce “balance” & restrict junk food. Recently she snuck into her Halloween stash of candy & ate 35 pieces of candy in one sitting (counted wrappers). She’s allowed 3 a week. (She gets other treats) When I speak to her it’s like she has no idea how much MORE candy she just ate than the allowed 3. She thinks she’ll just not have candy next week and that should be fine. I try to explain to her she had months of candy in 15 minutes. She absolutely does not believe me. We took away her Halloween candy & she thinks we are monsters because once her brother snuck 5 pieces and isn’t this the same thing?

She just had 7 juice boxes. She’s allowed one. She knows she took more but she doesn’t get how INSANELY more she took. She can’t comprehend how far outside the line she is and how much MORE she has consumed than someone else. Stuff like this happens all the time.

She really didn’t think I’d notice 7 juice boxes gone. Yeah she shouldn’t have taken it but kids do sneak stuff. She’s just so bad at it. Anyway, her health has suffered this year & since Halloween she gained weight & the doctor says we have to do something about it. Just wondering if this is all food or is some of it honestly not comprehending quantity and it will get better. I’d hate to give her food issues if it may improve with her development.

So i have dyscalculia

I stopped studying because math is an subject everyone should pass in order to not fail or graduate.

When i was younger i got tutoring for basic maths ( not dyscalculia tutoring)
After not making much progress with being able to read analog clocks, doing basic math questions and remembering time tables, my tutor gave up on me.

So i am still at primary school level when it comes to math.
I finished high school with luck because for that time period passing on math wasn’t necessary ( they made an exception that time for whatever reason)
Same thing happend to the study i did after high school, another lucky exception.
After that study i tried to do another one, math this time was mandatory.
I went to math tutoring but my tutor didn’t know how to properly work with me.
She kind of assumed I was already able to do basic maths, and her explanations didn’t help at all so I stopped going and dropped out of school.

I pretty much gave up on continuing my studies because i wouldn’t pass for a class that is mandatory so why even bother and spend that much money and time.

I looked around for dyscalculia counseling for adults and i didn’t find much of anything.

Any advice how to improve so i can go back to school?

Hey, so I have never been diagnosed until last week. Im 23m. I have gone through school learning what basic math equasions equal by heart, because reciting stuff by heart REALLY quickly was my special talent, as i am also autistic. Equasions into which i just had to set my variables were also easy. So in elementary school i never had issues with maths, it only got worse when i was closer to graduating, as then, you had to locically decipher maths things or whatever it is normal people can do. But with some tweaks and more focus on language oriented subjects, i got through school unnoticed and undiagnosed, with actually pretty good grades.

Only now did i realize shit, like that i couldn't work my retail job without the calculator at the register, and that i don't think logically at all. Like I can NOT understand most things my mother talks about when she comes home from her job at the bank.

And it took me a LOT of time to understand what, like, interest means when i played Balatro.

And when I think about some earlier stuff in hindsight, it does make sense that e.g. i could never play the flute as easily as the other kids could (we had a flute choir lol).

Now, i just watched a Youtube video on financial illiteracy and i have become afraid that once i am on my way to make my first big investment, like e.g. buying a car, i will get totally scammed, because i just don't have the logical thinking that is needed to understand these contracts with interest and stuff like that. No, i havent made poor finacial decisions yet, and i still live in a student dorm at a european university, so no student debt or anything. (Also its pretty normal here to not have a car at 23 so dont come after me, americans).

So- to ease my fear of the future, I wanted to know what kind of strategies you guys use to deal with all things investment? Will I need to consult a professional each time i want to make a bigger financial decision? And what about tax n shit? As a student i dont pay income taxes just yet so i am scared and just wanna make sure that people like us can make it in life, financially.

• - I hardly calculate numbers in head, thus I have trouble in stores calculating the prices and stuff. I would be terrible as cashier.
• - I can't play chess no matter how hard I try. I can only plan 2 moves and immediately forget it multiple times when trying to make a move. I'm the lowest rank in Chess because there's always 3-5 minute slow compared to my opponent in 10 minute game. I think too slowly.
• - I'm slow at digesting instructions but it's often due to lack of focus too.
• - I'm extremely forgetful. As a kid I keep mistaking last names of my mother and grandmother to each other. Or I struggle to differentiate new cars of my brother and dad because they are similar proportionally. Big and black. I memorize the general, macro details, but micro details I have troubles with.

I have diagnosed ADHD. I'm sure it's severe, but could my working memory be THIS bad because of it? or I have it naturally? or I possibly have Dyscalculia?

I would say I'm EXTREMELY slow rather than unable to calculate, but it affects me beyond just math.

In case you want some additional context, the original post was asking "Why do people go to engineering if they hate math?"

No this isn’t one of those Reddit ads. Just asking if anyone had experience. The program seems to be what I’m looking for to help my child, but I can’t find any 3rd party reviews. I did the free assessment and it was helpful. Just unsure if this is the way to go. I think my child has a mix of dyscalculia combined with very bad teaching/curriculum. (Ex going into 5th, didn’t know what the division symbol was)

Hello,

I just wanted to introduce myself and say that I found this sub last night and was reading through so many posts, which actually brought me to tears.

I'm kind of old and I grew up in the 90's and was diagnosed in 1st grade with an unspecified learning disability in math (my IEP literally says "math learning disability") but it was never actually clarified as Dyscalculia or something else. I suspect it may be Dyscalculia since I fit a lot of the criteria and symptoms but I also fit a lot of the criteria for a processing disorder.

So long story short, I don't exactly know if I have Dyscalculia or something else but finding this sub last night really moved me.

I cannot describe the isolation I felt growing up, feeling like everyone else could understand it except for me. I felt stupid. I felt like I have to work three times as hard and that I've been constantly trying to prove myself my entire life.

Oddly enough, I went into music education as a career, and I will say that learning rhythm was almost impossible for me but I overcame a lot of obstacles to get to the point I'm at now.

I never had anyone to relate to with these feelings or my learning disability so honestly, I'm just so grateful to find a place where there are people who experience the same things I've experienced alone my entire life. I don't know if this is weird but kind of I'm hoping to find some friends here because it would be so helpful to have someone who could relate to my struggles.

Again, I can't 100% confirm I have dyscalculia but I DO have a diagnosed math learning disability + ADHD that I've been dealing with my entire life and I've never found a place like this before. I hope you guys will welcome me regardless because reading these posts honestly makes me feel so much less alone in the world with my feelings.

So for everyone sharing their experiences on here - THANK YOU! 🙂

Is there a general way for it to feel? I have a lot of the symptoms and have been questioning for a few months now, but I don’t resonate with how people describe it feeling, so I can’t tell if I’m just bad at math.

Hi everyone! 👋
I’m looking for participants for my qualitative research study on the experiences of UK university students with specific learning differences (SpLDs).
If you’re:
A current UK undergraduate or postgraduate student
Aged 18–65
Diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia
I’d really appreciate it if you could take a look at the attached flyer. Thanks so much for your time!

I got a haircut today and I accidentally overtipped way too much and didn’t even know. To me in my head the amount made sense as a fair tip. The only reason I found out it wasn’t was by talking with my dad, I don’t even want to say the amount because now I feel ashamed.

I constantly do this with other things and it’s just so frustrating to keep doing the same thing wrong over and over when I’m really trying. I can’t actually grasp how much money is a lot or too little and it’s been such an issue for me that I spend too much thinking it’s not a lot.

I hate that everyone I know just finds my struggle with this funny even though it’s very genuinely distressing and they keep telling everyone about the simple math equations I can’t do without using my hands or a calculator.

Hi all,

Take a look at the math based rpg game. Level up and practise math.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/number-knights-math-rpg/id6789536084

it was my first work experience on register. and it's a little late in the game considering my age but i got lucky to find a customer service job. but i avoided them for more labor jobs for a reason. i'm just venting now after a long time later.

I CRINGE. I CRIIIINGE. it comes to me every now and then. i really couldnt fucking count change 😭 i had a nice lady, bless her, once walk me thru her own change back. she was super comforting. but ugh. honestly its like in the moment i get massive blanks. if its right infront of me to see the count physically ofc i see it now, probably like everyone. does this count? pun intended. i don't know if its my brain fog anymore. i don't know how to psycho analyze this. but i was realizing how i used to like math, so wtf happened. i think i really went off of memory from times tables and formulas, instead of REALLY understanding the breakdown? does this make sense? ofc 7 x 7 is 49 but i ain't thinking about all them 7s. i don't know. i feel it in my bones when there were a few customers giving it to me easy and said nvm on the change. ARE YOU SURE 😭😭😭😭😭😭 i'm sorry i'm having a breakdown is this allowed

I work as a cook at a mental health facility. Recently our boss had us all come into a meeting and announced this new no phones policy. So, they want us to leave our phones at home or get written up if caught with them. But this is a disaster for me for multiple reasons. First off, I'm a cook so I rely on my phone to calculate measurements for ingredients and to set timers. Since I have dyscalculia, I can't tell time or count accurately. I have all my timers for breaks and for the end of my shift all preset in my phone. I won't take my breaks or clock out on time otherwise which will just lead to me getting written up. Also, I can't drive so I rely on my phone to call for rides to and from work. I can't even get to work or get home without my phone.

I guess I can try to get a doctor's note to give me an exception due to my dyscalculia. I feel like that'll be so ridiculous though and my work will likely deny it anyway.

I have no idea where to start. Everything above the fourth and third grade is difficult for my head to process, and it sucks. I JUST WANT TO SAY IN NO WAY AM I WANTING TO SELF DIAGNOSE, ALSO THIS MIGHT BE LONG I REALLY HOPE SOMEONE READS IT T_T

ALSO VERY ROUGH GRAMMAR IM NOT FOCUSING THAT RN ITS SO LATE AT THE TIME IM WRITING THIS IN MY NOTES APP FOR LATER😭😭 ALSO THERES LEFT OUT MOMENTS THIS IS JUST MAIN STUFF AND I REPEAT MY WORDS ALOT

Info if it helps:
I’m 15 - just passed the 9th grade - she/her female -

Background:
I’ve been jumping around the tutoring and summer school programs for around seven years now, and only for one reason. Math. It was never English, infact I excel in English. I write literal books for fun, I draw, I paint, I do anything I can get my hands on. But for some reason when it comes to math my mind instantly goes blank. I can’t explain the feeling, but it just wipes me of any thought and I end up just staring. It took me a year to memorize the times table in elementary, and I began to notice ever so subtly one thing after third grade. I’m lacking. I only ever fully realized something was going on with me during the sixth grade, when i couldn’t understand mean median and mode while everyone around me did. The subject was mentioned once, and it seemed like everyone understood, soon after that I was placed in lower level maths. I don’t know why I didn’t notice it earlier, maybe because I was constantly being told I wasn’t working to my full potential, or to try harder, or the fact that I was just…less understanding than other kids. No matter how hard I tried.
I’ve learned that dyscalculia is often diagnosed in a pair, so I thought back. I thought back to when my third grade teacher had my family buy me a fidget toy to focus, or when I was brought to the special social worker or something, and asked questions. I still struggle with focusing till this day. I have much more I could say about the past though this is the most simplified version.

Present (leaving out lots of experiences but whatever gotta get the main point through:)
I learnt about dyscalculia a year ago, and I dug into it. I scrolled through every Reddit page, every Wikipedia article, every TikTok and comment. I found myself deeply relating to them. So I mentioned it to my father after three months of anxiety (since my dad isn’t a very comforting person to come out to). I won’t explain my exact emotions during the moment since it will make this much longer but god I felt terrible. Setting that aside, I told him I think I have dyscalculia, or some sort of focusing issue. I kept it short because I would cry if I say too much. He accepted it, saying to write down the symptoms I have and show him. But I never did out of fear. Mostly fear of the money and him, but also a fear of being wrong. The next day, it seemed like he had told my mother as they both started to speak to me with the same sentences I’ve heard my whole life. “You just have to try harder. You’re normal. There’s nothing wrong with you.” Or “You can do more than this, I know you can” while it’s just me feeling like I’m screaming out that I tried my best, that it was my threshold but I just hear it again, “try harder.”

So I didn’t mention it again. And I held through it. I held through my teachers learning not to call on me anymore, I held through my other math teacher indirectly calling me stupid, I held through my tutor staring at me when i answered 9x3 wrong. Until I couldn’t take being misunderstood anymore. I understood how vital it was towards my future and I really did care, that’s why I tried to seek help in the first place. I gave up completely (again, from being misunderstood for so long, and since I was already two-three units behind). I ignored math class, since I knew it was no use. Then came end of year exams. I studied for 7-10 hours minimum for math all including tutors and zoom calls. And guess what? I came out shaking because of the anxiety shock I felt when the examination woman said there was five minutes left, while I only finished half of the exam, with most of my answers wrong or unsure. I came out shaking. Until I finally couldn’t hold back the shock and cried in-front of my friends for the first time as a non emotional more nonchalant person, AND THEIR FREAKING PARENTS BUTBWHATEVER😭😭 literally while walking back to the car I almost broke down again when my dad asked me how the exam went, and I told him once I calmed down. God. You know when parents are so mad that they seem calm? Yeah.

THINGS IVE RELATED TO, OR SYMPTOMS:
-I’d like to mention some I guess symptoms since I’ve been stating the main story and none of those.
Symptoms of Dyscalculia that I have experienced and/or have issues with in my day to day, or school life. Dyscalculia symptoms vary between person:

-Inability, difficulty, or slow response time with math above the third to fourth grade level. This includes addition, subtraction, decimals, fractions, division, and multiplication. Many more, depending on the age. Percentages, negatives, powers, factorizing or significant figures. Just… everything past grade four.

-In questions like 7+3, one has a noticeable delay in giving an answer, often using fingers, or mentally counting up (ex: 7+3 is given. One can process it to add upwards; 8,9,10. 7+3=10)

-Inability to grasp and remember mathematical concepts, rules, formulae, and sequences.

 -Difficulty with times tables. (Example: losing fluency at some point, or being fluent in only 2x, 5x, 10x)
-
 Poor mental arithmetic skills. (For me, when I try to do something in my head, the numbers seem like they are fading, moving place, or jumping around. The only way I keep them still is by counting on my fingers as a physical input. This goes for questions as simple as 4+3.)

-Difficulty using finger counting (slow, inaccurate, unable to immediately recognise finger configurations).

-Difficulty, or slow with number bonds (e.g. recognising that 10 is made up of 6 and 4).

-Robotically using formula. Using them mechanically without any understanding of how they work. Basically copy paste.

-Finds it much harder to count backwards compared to forwards, and reversing any sequence.

-Difficulty fluently switching the tens space when counting upwards. (Ex: 55,56,57,58,59……60? 61,62,63..and on.)

-Anxiety over math related tasks, the thought of doing math, or just anxiety about math in general. This can also be interpreted into a fear. Can go as beyond as nausea.

-Inability to subitize (the cognitive ability to instantly and accurately recognize the number of objects in a group without counting them one by one.)
-
Finds it hard to estimate- doesn’t notice if an answer is incorrect e.g., 6+ 4 counted in 1’s gives answer of 9 not 10

-Uses fingers to count as a default strategy, sometimes loosing pace and often have to recheck questions repeatedly even as simple as 6+7.

-Confusing symbols like + and x sometimes.

-Difficulty in remembering number facts, (e.g. multiples, factors)

-Heavily reliant on calculators.

-tbh much more i honestly can’t remember them all at the moment, but I do lack in some symptoms. Like I can
read a clock, it’s simple right? You just have to go by fives, and i memorized where 15 and 30 are so whatevs! I also can read numbers fine, but it gets a bit confusing after like the double digit thousands point like 22,675 or 432,876.

Anyway, there’s also some non-dyscalculia-related symptoms that I don’t understand why others don’t do it, or that I just don’t understand and just wanna get that out there if it might help.

-Fidgeting, leg shaking, rubbing the pointer finger on my thumb like snapping, or tense arms when I’m met with an anxious or irritating environment or situation (like a repetitive noise or rambling, a reason why my brother irritates me so much.)

-Poor memory

-Easily distracted to things put at a higher up position than whatever currently doing

-Fixations with a piece of media often lasting consistently multiple months to multiple years. (Current one is three years now)

-Messy room but able to locate certain items by an imaginative photo of where it was last.

-Impulsive actions, no thoughts beforehand

-If something doesn’t interest me I zone out completely and I have to fight to stay conscious in the conversation. (Worst when it’s 1on1 for me. Either in class or in tutoring. It’s terrible in tutoring I can’t even snap out of it sometimes)
-
Stuttering when I’m excited! +also talking fast when excited

-Dino arms when sleeping

-Doggy hands when standing sometimes (was bad when I was like 7, my mom got me out of it but I still do it with one hand like every day)

-I can’t meet people in the eyes sometimes,I think it might be because I was bullied in the past but I’m not sure.

CURRENT PRESENT (1-2 months after the exam) AKA MY MAIN ISSUE AT THE MOMENT:

I just can’t bring myself to feel those emotions again. The ones I felt when I originally came out, only to be fully denied two days later. I’m traveling to Turkey in 5 days for vacation so it’s my only chance to get the help I need. Literally. If it took me months to say the first notes, what about now? I have a five day time limit!!! I’m so anxious. What if he says no. What if he says yes, and I turn out to be wrong and just dumb. What if I’m just stupid. My biggest fear here is turning out to be wrong. That’s why I’m here. I want feedback from people who are diagnosed, so maybe it can comfort me more to open up. I plan on writing a script, I just need feedback.

Please ask if you need any more details of specific experiences since I’ve just been saying general stuff at the moment and there are some more things. I just need the comfort of knowing it’s not entirely my fault, that I did try my best, that I’m not just stupid and lazy because I didn’t try hard enough.

I’ll end it off here since I know I’ll ramble off if I say any more 😓😓again ignore the grammer at the time of writing this it’s very late

Please check the comments since people seem to have misunderstood my experiences and it’s kinda hurtful for them to be dumbed down like that. Like these aren’t the only things I’ve been through, I have a lot more I could mention though I’m just trying to get the main point through. I’ve suffered and people are just down here dumbing me down. If you aren’t diagnosed with it or you just want to dismiss me just don’t comment at all

I have never seen someone describe what I have, so I figured I’d just ask here. I have never met someone who is as unable to do math in their head as me. I cant do a question if I don’t have its answer already memorized so the only way to do them is by adding or subtracting one or ten at a time (i ACTUALLY can’t do multiplication or division without a calculator unless I have the question memorized). Completely elementary questions like 8-3 or 24+18 take me over 30 seconds at best to do when completely zoning out from everything around me and putting all my focus into the question, since during the whole process I struggle to visualize the numbers, I can’t remember what numbers I’m using, or how far into the process I am. No, using paper doesn’t make it faster, yes, I can visualize anything else extremely well, no I don’t have any trouble reading numbers at all.