Overcoming Negative Self-Perception in Dyslexia
An adult with dyslexia named Matt shared that his early educational experiences left him with a deep-seated belief of being “stupid,” a perception reinforced by his teachers. This negative self-view persisted into adulthood, causing Matt to attribute any failures or lack of success to his supposed lack of intelligence. He recounted how a persistent internal voice would say, “Matt, it’s because you’re stupid,” whenever he faced setbacks. Although Matt has overcome this negative self-perception, he still needs to remind himself of his actual intelligence, affirming, “Matt, you’re smart.” For adults with dyslexia, this insight underscores the importance of actively challenging and changing the harmful self-perceptions formed during their school years.