Am I a dyspraxia Sufferer?

The last blog showed you that although I have had some shortcomings followed by some success I still have dyspraxic issues. You may well ask does that mean that I am a ‘Dyspraxia Sufferer?. I cringe inwardly when the press describes one of my people as a dyspraxia sufferer during dyspraxia awareness week. I insist that during dyspraxia awareness week that journalists choose to ignore my requests and I’m far from gentle about it when they do. (the local kids don’t call me terminator with-out good reason). I complained to the Dyspraxia Foundation and find that it is their policy not to describe us in these terms but the media seems to love using it. Before my life got really busy and I delegated moderating to my volunteers to the facebook group that was part of my research for the book E Book ‘Dyspraxic Adults Surviving in a non-dyspraxic World’ Many new members have described themselves as ‘suffering’ from dyspraxia or that they are a dyspraxia sufferer. As an anti-oppressive practitioner I try to empower them in a gentle but assertive way without jumping down their throats that this was a disempowering way to describe themselves. That they have dyspraxia, they live with dyspraxia but my preferred tem is that I am ‘dyspraxic’.,Now it wouldn’t be very mindful of me to let my ego get the better of me & wipe the floor with people who opinions will not be changed and they genuinely believe that they are dyspraxia sufferers. However lets unpick the term ‘sufferer’ The Oxford English dictionary defines the verb Sufferer as; Experience or be subjected to (something bad or unpleasant): to (suffer from) Be affected by or subject to (an illness or ailment):The Noun Suffering (The state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship): My opinion is that s that if I identified myself as a dyspraxia sufferer this suggests that I that dyspraxia is a dreadful illness and hat I am a frail and helpless victim that has no control over my life and that I live in a state of constant pain. Yes I have experienced frustration, discrimination, social exclusion and bullying along with anxiety, depression and periods of long unemployment. However My suffering has been due to societies lack of awareness of dyspraxia, plain ignorance or indifference about my differences and not my actual dyspraxia. This type of suffering is relevant to how Mindfulness describes suffering This. is when we feel overwhelming negative emotions which can be increased by attaching negative thoughts and stories to negative emotions. Unnecessary suffering can start when we begin to revisit the event and attach negative thoughts to this experience. This is what distracts us from our real emotions. We need to realise that we live in a state of impermanence and that everything has an end therefore, we need to be aware of our emotions only and recognise what they feel like. Feelings of grief and loss are amplified because we expect that this will not end. We need to learn that suffering exists and is part of life through which we can grow and learn and that everything is in a constant state of change, so if suffering begins it will definitely end. For example: I once had overwhelming feelings of anxiety, low self-esteem and believed I was unemployable and stubbornly held onto this belief until it became self-fulfilling. I was on a real pity party but all parties have a beginning a middle and an end. This state definitely is not permanent as I’m in paid work now. So readers although my life can still be difficult due to my dyspraxic differences, I’m anything but a dyspraxia sufferer I’m far from being a helpless victim who has no hope or control over their lives.