Dyslexia and anxiety.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety comes in many forms. It can be situational (that is, specific to one kind or class of worry, like traveling or being in social situations). Individuals with dyslexia may experience marked anxiety in situations in which they feel they will make mistakes, be ridiculed, or made to feel foolish in front of others. Severe anxiety or fears are known as phobias.

When the anxiety is specific to or triggered by the demands of being with or interacting with people, and is characterized by a strong fear of being judged by others and of being embarrassed, it is known as social anxiety disorder (or social phobia). This fear can be so intense that it gets in the way of going to work or school or doing everyday activities. Children and adults with social phobia may worry about social events for weeks before they happen. For some people, social phobia is specific to certain situations, while others may feel anxious in a variety of social situations.

Anxiety can also be generalized (that is, a kind of free-floating sense of worry or impending trouble that doesn’t seem to be specific to one trigger or event). In its more serious form, this is considered a psychiatric disorder known as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).  GAD is diagnosed when a person worries excessively about a variety of everyday problems for at least 6 months. Generalized anxiety disorders affect about 3.1% American adults age 18 years and older (about 18%) in a given year, causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. 

Anxiety and dyslexia 

The individuals affected with dyslexia are more vulnerable to this condition as they fail to cope up the ignorance of the society and their inability to process the things with precision is somehow related to making it worse (as compared to ordinary people). In many cases, dyslexia is not recognized till it reaches the severe stage and the main factor behind all of these is stress. Stress is not caused by the problems, it is our attitude towards that problem which makes stress a gruesome thing to deal with. It has been observed that the dyslexic individuals possess a creative mindset which gives them a winning edge over the normal ones as they see the world in which they dream of it. History has witnessed such great names such as Jennifer Aniston, Tom Cruise, Jim Carrey, who emerged as distinguished personalities apart from their disabilities to learn and process the things. All that demand is a healthy and caring environment on which they can rely on and they'll surely come up with great results. 

How worse it can get? 

Many individuals with dyslexia have experienced years of frustration and limited success, despite countless hours spent in special programs or working with specialists. Their progress may have been agonizingly slow and frustrating, rendering them emotionally fragile and vulnerable. Some have been subjected to excessive pressure to succeed (or excel) without the proper support or training. Others have been continuously compared to siblings, classmates, or co-workers, making them embarrassed, cautious, and defensive.

Individuals with dyslexia may have learned that being in the company of others places them at risk for making public mistakes and the inevitable negative reactions that may ensue. It makes sense, then, that many people with dyslexia have become withdrawn, sought the company of younger people, or become social isolates.

How it can be prevented?

• Professionals working with the person need to analyze and understand the way dyslexia presents itself in that individual.
• The child or adult needs to be taught how dyslexia has an impact on his or her performance in school, workplace, or social situations.
• This step involves encouraging individuals with dyslexia to look ahead and anticipate the problems they might encounter because of their condition as they face new challenges.
• It’s important to teach children, adolescents, and adults developmentally appropriate strategies, techniques, and approaches that will maximize success and minimize frustration and failure. This involves actively teaching people how to recognize and manage stress, the skills of honest self-appraisal, and the ability to learn from and repair errors.
• Educators and others involved need to create learning and social environments that reduce, remove, or neutralize the risk. This means giving students the chance to practice newly learned skills in a safe place. It also involves teaching people with dyslexia how to recognize and deactivate “stress triggers.”
• Regular and vigorous physical activity is known to enhance brainpower and reduce stress. So it is important to build in opportunities for exercise. This step also involves encouraging the person to drink plenty of water and eat a healthy diet.
• Children and adults need abundant opportunities to display mastery and experience success. Providing these opportunities gives individuals with dyslexia a chance to learn how to replace the language of self-doubt with the language of success.
• The child or adult should be encouraged to use what he or she has learned about minimizing and managing stress, and the relationship between stress and dyslexia, to plan for a future in which continued success is likely.