I’m a 65 year old woman with a intellectual disability, ask me anything
I am very curious to know about how you found out about lemmy and why you use it. And why did you want to do an AMA.
Also how has life been? How are you doing?
Has AI been any help?
You seem to have worked as an exotic dancer. How’s retirement like?
“I am very curious to know about how you found out about lemmy”
I found out about it on Wikipedia and thought it sounded cool.
“why you use it”
I like talking to interesting people.
“And why did you want to do an AMA.”
I have a unique experience and perspective I couldn’t share anywhere else.
“Also how has life been? How are you doing?”
Hard. I’m at that age where friends and family start dropping like flies and all I can do is watch knowing I’m next. I keep myself busy. I watch films, I like to bake/cook, I cycle a lot, I love to find new websites and I have a tradition of going to the bars every Friday.
“Has AI been any help?”
Not really. I used it a few times when it was new not much after that.
“You seem to have worked as an exotic dancer. How’s retirement like?”
Only for a little bit. The last job I had before retirement was as a barmaid. Retirement is alright.
I like talking to interesting people.
I guess so do I.
Hard. I’m at that age where friends and family start dropping like flies and all I can do is watch knowing I’m next.
I don’t want to be insensitive, but are people really dying so fast these days? That sucks.
Not really. I used it a few times when it was new not much after that.
I don’t have an ID, but I’ve found that it can be a graceful teacher at times, explaining things in different ways and a lot more patient. Maybe it might be useful to you as well when you have difficulty understanding something.
Thanks for taking time to answer my questions. You should stick around (if this isn’t a fake account). Lemmy is very nice and accepting of people from all across. Most people believe in FOSS and helping others.
“I don’t want to be insensitive, but are people really dying so fast these days? That sucks.”
Because there old. All of them are in there 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.
“You should stick around (if this isn’t a fake account)”
Thanks, I will
Was there any early signs growing up? What was going to Special Education classes like? If you could change it would you?
“Was there any early signs growing up?”
Too many to count. I learn to speak at a later age then others. I wasn’t able to read a book until I was 9. I always learnt slower then the other kids in my school and instructions and guides just didn’t click.
“What was going to Special Education classes like?”
Very isolating. I couldn’t be with any of friends and being special needs does single you out and make target for mockery. Not to mention it leaves a nasty stain on your record.
“If you could change it would you?”
Ever since I was a little girl all I’ve wanted to be is normal. Absolutely.
How would I know if I have an ID?
If you’re still doing things on the 7th Grade level you probably have an ID.
Thank you for being so open and sharing your experience!
It’s no problem.
Is there a formal diagnostic process? If so, what was it like?
It was intense. I had to do an IQ test in school which is how I found out my IQ is 72.
What are some examples of things you’ve had to overcome due to your ID?
Basic things like spelling and maths are really hard for me. I also have struggles with speech. I struggle with things like sounding out words, pronunciation and I also have a lisp.
Another big thing I’ve had to overcome is the sigma. There’s a lot of sigma when it comes to being mentally challenged. This is why every word for it eventually becomes an insult. This has happened to words like “rêtrd", “moron” and "spd”.
My parents was very disappointed in me for having to go to special ed classes in school. I remember one night in particular when I overheard them talking about me. They talking to each other about how embarrassing it was to be the only parents with a kid who had go to S.E classes. How I would always be a burden and who had no opportunities in the real world. I remember how I just cried my eyes out for hours after hearing that.
I feel bad for laughing at “overcoming the sigma”
What about it made you laugh? Why did you think was funny? Not trying to be antagonistic or anything I’m just wondering.
I think the word you were looking for was “stigma”, sigma is used in other contexts as a meme :)
Damm.
I think they’re laughing about how it can be misunderstood as the online meme Sigma.
Oh, that makes sense.
Are you willing to share what kind of intellectual disability it is?
There isn’t any other type of intellectual disability. You may have got them mixed up with learning difficulties which do have different types. A intellectual disability is its own thing entirely. An intellectual disability is when someone has problems with learning and processing information.
To elaborate, is there a specific cause of the disability (autism would be an example) and does it affect specific aspects of your life (reading or writing or both, etc…)?
Asking about the “type” is more contextual. Admittedly, it may not appear to make sense at first glance. (Example: https://neurolaunch.com/intellectual-disability-types/ ; Other sites may use “type” but give different examples or conditions.)
Edit: FWIW, my ADHD (and I also suspect autism) is the cause of my own intellectual disabilities. I am not considered “stupid” by any means, but I do have a wide range of quirks: Focus, task completion, organization, planning, hyperactivity, memory issues and past substance abuse being among them.
“To elaborate, is there a specific cause of the disability (autism would be an example)”
This is a good question. Honestly I don’t even know the cause of it. I have a siblings who seem fine. My parents were ok as well. There’s just something different about me that makes me like this.
“and does it affect specific aspects of your life (reading or writing or both, etc…)?”
Reading is off the table. It takes me forever for read anything and my spelling also sucks. I always forget how things are spelt. I have a hard time following instructions. I’ve lost many jobs due to this.
What’s something you wish everyone knew about people with intellectual disability?
It goes unseen. A lot of people assumed that everyone with an ID speaks like Forrest Grump and acts like Gilbert Grape but the truth is that ID’s are a spectrum that vary from person to person.
