Living with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) #AlcoholStories

Summary

Bobby, at 34, shares his journey with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), emphasizing the misconceptions and challenges it presents. From early struggles with speech and play to behavioral issues in school, Bobby's story is one of resilience. Despite frequent job losses, he found solace in accepting his condition and urges society not to give up on individuals with FASD or disabilities, offering a message of hope and understanding.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Bobby shares his personal story to shed light on the stigma surrounding FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders).
• 👶 Bobby's early struggles included speech therapy at age 5 due to difficulties in speaking and pronouncing his name.
• 🧩 He also underwent toy therapy and family counseling, indicating early interventions for his developmental differences.
• 🎓 Bobby faced challenges in school, where he acted out to deflect attention from his disability.
• 🏢 Despite leaving school early and starting work, Bobby struggled to maintain employment, with a history of 30-40 job changes.
• 🔄 In recent years, Bobby has experienced improvement, managing to keep a job for a couple of years.
• 🤔 Bobby emphasizes that he never used his disability as an excuse but recognized his unique struggles.
• 💪 He learned to be less hard on himself regarding his learning capabilities and focused on doing his best.
• 🌈 Bobby's message highlights that FASD is a disability that may not be visibly apparent, urging understanding and support.
• 🤝 He encourages not giving up on individuals with FASD or any disability, offering a message of hope and perseverance.

Q & A

What is FASD and why does it carry a stigma according to Bobby?

FASD stands for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, which are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. It carries a stigma because of the misconceptions and lack of understanding surrounding its causes and effects.

At what age did Bobby first receive therapy?

Bobby started receiving speech therapy when he was around 5 years old because he couldn't speak properly.

Why did Bobby participate in toy therapy?

Bobby was in toy therapy because he couldn't play with toys properly, indicating difficulties in understanding how to interact with them.

How did Bobby's family support him growing up?

Bobby's family supported him by enrolling him in speech therapy, toy therapy, and family counseling to address his developmental differences.

What was Bobby's experience with learning and behavior in school?

Bobby struggled with learning and exhibited behavioral issues in school. He acted out to deflect attention from his disability, which was not recognized by others.

Why did Bobby leave school early and start working?

Bobby left school early and started working due to his struggles with learning and behavior, which made it difficult for him to continue his education.

What challenges did Bobby face in maintaining employment?

Bobby faced significant challenges in maintaining employment, as he was never able to keep a job for long, having had around 30 to 40 different jobs.

How has Bobby's situation improved in recent years?

In the last couple of years, Bobby was able to keep a job for a couple of years, indicating an improvement in his ability to maintain employment.

How did Bobby's attitude towards himself change over time?

Bobby stopped being so hard on himself after realizing that he had different struggles. He accepted that doing his best was good enough.

What message does Bobby have for those with FASD or other disabilities?

Bobby's message is one of hope and perseverance. He encourages not giving up on individuals with FASD or other disabilities, emphasizing that there is hope for them.

Why does Bobby emphasize that FASD is still a disability despite appearing normal?

Bobby emphasizes this to challenge misconceptions and to highlight that disabilities are not always visible, and that individuals with FASD face unique challenges that need to be recognized and understood.

Outlines

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🌟 Personal Journey with FASD

Bobby, a 34-year-old man, shares his personal experiences with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). He recalls his early childhood struggles with speech and play therapy, and the relief he felt upon understanding his condition. Despite facing learning difficulties and behavioral issues, Bobby left school early and struggled to maintain employment. However, he emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance and not being overly critical of oneself. He also raises awareness about the invisible nature of his disability and encourages support for those with FASD or other disabilities, conveying a message of hope and perseverance.

Keywords

💡FASD

FASD stands for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. It affects the brain and can lead to a range of physical, behavioral, and cognitive problems. In the video, Bobby shares his personal experience with FASD, highlighting the stigma and challenges he faced, such as learning difficulties and behavioral issues.

💡Stigma

Stigma refers to a mark of disgrace or discredit associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. In the context of the video, Bobby discusses the stigma surrounding FASD, which may lead to misunderstanding and discrimination. He encourages viewers not to judge or give up on individuals with FASD or other disabilities.

💡Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is a treatment that helps individuals with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. Bobby mentions that he was in speech therapy at the age of 5 because he couldn't speak properly, illustrating the early interventions he received due to his FASD.

💡Toy Therapy

Toy therapy, also known as play therapy, is a psychological intervention that uses play and toys to help children express themselves and cope with emotional challenges. Bobby's involvement in toy therapy indicates the extent of his developmental differences and the support he needed to engage in typical childhood activities.

💡Family Counseling

Family counseling is a form of therapy that aims to help family members improve communication and resolve conflicts. Bobby's mention of family counseling suggests that his FASD affected not only him but also his family dynamics, necessitating professional support.

💡Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities are neurological disorders that affect a person's ability to process information, which can impact reading, writing, and other cognitive skills. Bobby's struggle with learning is a central theme in the video, as it is a common challenge for individuals with FASD.

💡Behavioral Issues

Behavioral issues refer to patterns of actions or reactions that are considered problematic or socially unacceptable. Bobby discusses his behavioral issues in school, which he used as a coping mechanism to deflect attention from his disability.

💡Acting Out

Acting out is a term used to describe a child's or person's way of expressing their emotions or needs through actions rather than words, often due to difficulties in communication. Bobby's acting out in school was his way of dealing with the challenges of his FASD and the pressure to fit in.

💡Job Instability

Job instability refers to the inability to maintain long-term employment due to various factors. Bobby's inability to keep a job is a direct consequence of his FASD, which affected his ability to perform consistently and adapt to work environments.

💡Self-Compassion

Self-compassion is the practice of being kind to oneself in instances of pain or failure, understanding one's own suffering and striving for well-being. Bobby talks about stopping being so hard on himself, which is an important aspect of self-compassion and a key to his resilience.

💡Hope

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Bobby emphasizes the importance of hope for individuals with FASD or other disabilities, suggesting that with support and understanding, there is always potential for improvement and a better future.

Highlights

Bobby shares his personal story to help reduce the stigma around FASD.

Bobby was relieved to find out about his FASD diagnosis at 16 or 17.

Bobby's early struggles included speech therapy at age 5 and difficulties with toy therapy.

Family counseling was part of Bobby's upbringing, indicating early recognition of differences.

Bobby's acceptance of his FASD diagnosis brought clarity to his experiences.

Learning and behavioral issues were significant struggles for Bobby.

In school, Bobby acted out to deflect attention from his disability.

Bobby started working at an early age but faced challenges in job retention.

Bobby had difficulty keeping a job, with 30 to 40 job changes.

Bobby stopped being hard on himself, recognizing his unique struggles.

Bobby emphasizes the importance of doing one's best despite learning challenges.

Bobby points out that FASD is still a disability, even if one appears and speaks normally.

Bobby offers hope and encouragement for those with FASD or other disabilities.

The message is one of perseverance and not giving up on individuals with disabilities.

Transcripts

My name is Bobby. I'm 34.

I wanted to share my story

because there's a huge stigma surrounding FASD,

the causes and effects.

I was about 16 or 17. I was actually...

kind of relieved a little bit, actually.

growing up, I knew there was something different about me because

I was in the speech therapy when I was, like, 5

because I couldn't speak properly, I couldn't pronounce my own name

I was in toy therapy because I couldn't play with toys.

And then there was, you know, family counseling and stuff like that

so I knew something was different.

I couldn't put my finger on it

and that's why when my dad told me

it made a lot of sense and, you know,

I accepted it

Well, it has been a huge struggle, obviously, for many reasons.

I did struggle with learning and the behavioural issues.

and in school I just... I acted out

to deflect...

you know, my disability so nobody would

nobody would recognize it.

And, I left school.

I started working at an early age

and then ...

Yeah, I was never able to keep a job

... ever.

The last couple of years, it did get better.

I was able to keep a job for a couple years but growing up,

I couldn't even tell you how many jobs I've had.

30 ... 40.

That I stopped being so hard on myself after a while

because then I realized that, you know

even though I never used it as a crutch

and I never used it as an excuse,

I also knew that I had different struggles so

I couldn't be so hard on myself

when it came to my learning and I knew that

as long as I did the best that I could do

that was good enough.

Just because I look normal and talk normal

you know, it's still a disability

So if you have a child or know someone with FASD

or any other disability,

the only thing you can do is...

is not give up on them. There is hope.