Anyone Else Struggle Like Me?

[barry1010]

There are many things I struggle with and it is nothing to do with age, I've always been like it. I don't know anyone who has these annoying problems. A few examples -
I struggle with:
Plugs. Apparently it pains people to watch me trying to put an electric plug in to a socket or a cable in to a port. With electric plugs I can't get the angle right and with computer cables I seem to have them upside down, back to front or wrong angle. I was filmed trying to plug my phone in to charge. I tried, couldn't do it. Looked closely at the cable and the phone and must have thought one part was upside down - I turned the cable and the phone;
Screw top lids. I have trouble getting the lids / caps on to bottles and jars, more often than not I manage to drop the top. Same with trying to get the lid back on an electric kettle;
Screws/nails. I can't get them in straight. I'm convinced I am using the screwdriver/hammer correctly but they still go in at an angle;
Jumping. I can't jump. Not from standing still no matter how hard I tried nor off a wall - I bend my knees too soon or too late and can't judge just how far down the landing is.
Catching balls. Nope. I catch empty air;
Co-ordinate body. Lunges are a good example. They are easy, I've watched of people do them, people have helped me to do them but I can't work out just what to do with my legs. I am likely to fall over if I try.

Anyone else out there like me or am I 'special'?

[Sqad]

You are a valuable member of AB, a regular guy, what you are describing is extremely common and is called ageing and immobility.

No, I don't struggle, cus I don't try to perform the tasks that you describe.

[barry1010]

I’ve always been like it, Sqad. Maybe I need more staff

[Buenchico]

You're not 'special', Barry. You're just 'weird', like me ;-)

I can identify with some (although not all) of the things in your list. For example, when I was teaching maths there were some questions in the workbooks for 11- and 12-year-olds that required them to visualise shapes being fitted into blocks. I hated it when kids asked for help with working out how to answer those questions because I couldn't answer them myself! (Fortunately, I had understanding colleagues, who recognised that I had difficulties in spatial perception and who were used to me sending pupils to them for help with hat part of their studies).

It wasn't until many years later that I was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. I've since found out that poor spatial perception is frequently a symptom of Asperger's syndrome and other autism-related conditions. So perhaps you might be on the autism spectrum too?

[wolf63]

This is one of the things that I have problems with -
https://postimg.cc/BLwv7Sw7

[bednobs]

barry, did you know you can buy magneticc chargers? i cant do chargers due to my disability but the magnetic ones are GREAT.
perhaps you have dyspraxia? can you ride a bike?

[Cloverjo]

I can’t catch either. Can’t hit a ball with a racket.
Also, I can’t judge distances and speed very well. I’m often stuck on one side of the road for ages because I can’t tell if that car in the distance is just about to hit me if I cross.

[Hopkirk]

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.

I bet there are things you can do that would put the rest of us to shame.

[barry1010]

Buenchico, the shapes - I have never been able to post shapes in to the 'letter boxes' that toddlers play with, you know the sort of thing, usually a square, triangle, star shape; nor do jigsaws.
Needless to say my spacial awareness is poor, Cloverjo, and I have the same problem driving until I am very used to the car.

Wolf, exactly that. I do use magnetic chargers, they are a godsend for me, bednobs.

Thanks, Hopkirk. Most embarrassingly I don't recognise people I know well if they are not where I usually see them - the GP staff, shop staff, neighbours - I'll walk straight past them.

[rowanwitch]

Hey that's my world too, it's like knowing logically which way up a thing should be but somewhere between brain and action the message gets scrambled.

[barry1010]

It's good to know I'm not alone, Rowan. :D

[rowanwitch]

In probably aspergers too but my gp refuses to refer me for assessment as she says I am too old to justify the cost.

[barry1010]

I've never thought about it, Rowan. Maybe it's better not to be labelled if you have managed to get through life so far.
Different for youngsters, though, if it means they can get any help and support for school and such like. I see it is around £1500 for a private adult diagnosis