My mild depression

[Oz67]

I have mild depression, because in elementary school, I have been bullied and called "Stupid", "Loser" and "Idiot" for having Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Learning Disorder Unspecified. I once believed my bullies and quite learning all together, and thought to myself as "Ret-rded" for a long time until now.

I hope it's not too late for me to learn math as I am 21 years old, I was just so frustrated and quiet, I was afraid of being called "Ret-rded" for not learning like my peers. I am sorry for using R-slur, I am just not feeling well.

 

[Knower of nothing]

I was unable to concentrate in classrooms and so started doing poorly in school the second material required effort to grasp. Didn't catch up at home either since I needed all the time to recharge and escape. Wasn't until I had quit school for good that I discovered I have no problems learning and can focus for long periods.
So I've been there in thinking I was just plain incompetent in everything, didn't help that I was clumsy in sports too.
It's never too late to learn anything, as long as you make sure to learn how to learn. If you are going to be doing self-study, it requires a bit more planning and discipline than if you had a teacher coaching you through the process and providing material and exercise. You can get by without the extra planning at a cost of efficiency, so it's down to how time sensitive you consider the need for improvement.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I don't think it's too late to learn anything,...and two,...I agree that I learn more on my own than in a classroom.

Elon Musk, a fellow Aspie, has said this many times, and is a rather famous example of this entire concept.

 

[Sunny1]

I agree. It is never too late to learn. It is an example of the intersection of interest and opportunity.
Just keep choosing the next thing that you want to learn about and approach that from all angles. This works for anything.
If you want to learn more about your special interest, say, jellyfish, then look at jellyfish from an artistic perspective, for example. That can lead you into the math of how it is designed, and what angles their tentacles are at within the species. This then gets you into the science of the jellyfish. Why are they designed like that from a need for propulsion, for example. Just the reading about jellyfish would get you into the language structure and would help your language and writing skills.
Don't give up. You are young and have just grown your learning teeth. Now take advantage of them.

 

[SpiltPaint]

You can learn anything if you put the effort in I truly believe that. I've never painted before in my life, then the pandemic hit and I wanted to teach myself something new, after some time of intensely observing others do it I learnt that art was actually very methodical, not what I initially perceived.

I was surprised I could paint a relatively realistic portrait after a few weeks, I showed these to my neuropsychiatrist whom I was seeing for a TBI I inccured, and that's when he wanted to look back further and see if I was also on the spectrum without ever realising. Turns out he was correct.

Also agree with Knower of Nothing, I struggled also in the classroom. I studied aeronautical engineering at college and found it difficult to concentrate when everyone is having conversations, it was distracting. I ended up doing most of the work from home and would attend for the practical parts.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

Im 40+ and enjoy learning, maths is not the only thing in the world. You can learn from cooking, to hair cuttin, to giving massages, train dogs, languages, or whatever thing that interest you.

Its difficult to be bullied, just try not let those insults enter your soul. There are very limited people who are such retar-ed to insult those with problems, they cant behave like humans so the best they can do is insult others to feel better about themselves. Try not to pay them much attention. Flies become important just when they interrup us.

Hugs.

 

[Jenisautistic]

I’m sorry that you Have been Bullied that must be rough

you are definitely intelligent we all are in our own ways we just need to find the way that most makes you happy and fulfilled


I myself want to learn how to read

I one point I had a lot of instruction on it and it was easy for me to try to do it but now is really challenging even to look at a book

 

[Aspychata]

I had difficulty concentrating in school also. I tended to fidget a lot which probably was stimming. Actually stimmed quite a lot in my younger years. Lately it has come out more if l am stressed but l am no longer young so nobody can really bully me for it.

 

[Tom]

Sometimes the environment or social setting hurts rather then helps the learning process. Also I have found that I might not be ready or interested in a subject at one point, but later I am very ready and interested.

It might be said that a longer learning curve is common for us in more than one area, but I also think that we are often able to keep that learning curve going for longer then most, maybe indefinately, and reach very deep levels of knowledge.

 

[VictorR]

As others have noted, having a supportive and appropriate learning environment is helpful.

I was much more successful academically in post-secondary studies in a large part because I got to choose what I wanted to study, and the work was more individualized, and less group project based.

Group projects, for which there were many in my secondary studies, were very problematic as the teachers would almost always let the students form their own groups. As an unpopular / outcast kid, I would usually end up in the "leftovers" group, which was often shorthanded in addition to consisting of those who will end up contributing little or nothing, forcing me to "carry" the group.

Teachers were often reluctant to break up bullying or to identify and support those with uneven skill/ability profiles, as many of us have.

I should note that of course each experience is individual, and I am aware that some autistic individuals have had difficulty with the lack of structure in the post-secondary environment.

 

[Slim Jim]

I wasn't bullied in school, not consistently, but I was punched, once, for liking the wrong kinda of music. A question, answer type thing.

They never called my Stupid, or idiot though. (I can't recall.) Intellectually I'm far above them. I objectively know that. So even if they did, talk crap, their worlds means nothing, as I know the truth.

So just asses yourself realistically. Like take a IQ test. You might surprise yourself. And if you get a good result, that's objective proof , you're not stupid.

 

[Oz67]

Thank you! It's kind of too late, because I was depressed about for a long time and it feels chronic. I can fix myself, but it will take time.

I sometimes fantasize about calling 911, because I meet all the diagnostic criteria for Depressive Disorder of some kind.

I know now that my mental health crisis is mild, but depression is a very serious mental disorder. I also have Bipolar Disorder and it makes my bullied past depression mixture even worse.

Basically I am also admitting asking my worth of living anymore.

I know what I said is too broad, I am trying to sugarcoat what I am experiencing, because if anyone will understand the context of what I am trying to say, someone could call the police to talk to me about my depression, and I don't want to go to mental hospital. I do well in school and don't show serious behavior issues.

I don't want to take too many medications, and all I want is talk therapy of this type of depression I have. I am high-functioning.

 

[Slim Jim]

You're only 21. That's a good age to be. High-functioning. That's hopeful situation to be in. A good mood is not guaranteed to anybody. Just got to find a way to work through problems. Effectively.

 

[Nick12]

i wish you a verry verry verry happy day filled with sunshine and rainbows