Diagnosing the Disease

Article submitted by Trent Pastrana

Getting the Help You need For Typlexia Disorder
Miss Speller, M.D.
Director for the Center for Typing Disorders
Piedmont, Ca.

TYPLEXIA affects more than 10 million people in our country from every walk of life. The impact of the disease on the workplace is significant, resulting in decreased productivity and abusive overuse of spellcheckers.

Are you Typlexic?
Take a few moments to answer these questions. Answer them honestly, it may save your career.

Do you hide your spellchecker from your Boss? Do you constantly type in fear? Is the backspace key on your keyboard the most worn out? Has anyone told you that you might have a problem? Do you feel that you are different from others and no one understands you? Have you destroyed or mamed a keyboard in the last month?

Several studies have revealed that those who are suffering from serious typing disorders have significant difficulty obtaining the help needed to begin the process of recovery. People dealing with typlexia nervosa or calculator misnumeral disorder know they have a serious problem, but are very ashamed of it, leading to difficulty with open, honest communication about their symptoms and if not treated eventual denial ensues requiring more radical treatment measures.

. Below is a listing of the various forms of treatment which aid those in the road to recovery.

Support Groups
These have become available in many cities and on many college campuses across the nation. They are often a place that a person struggling can learn more about the hazards of the illness, and begin to recognize that typing disorders are common and highly treatable. Many patients describe feeling alone and isolated, and support groups can often help in this regard. Support groups however are often only a first step and do not suffice for those with serious symptoms.

Diagnostic Evaluation
Because typing disorders have many different symptom patterns a comprehensive evaluation is an important first step. This usually consists of a full interview with a health care provider with specialized experience dealing with these illnesses. A typical evaluation will attempt to build rapport with the patient while assessing the primary and associated symptoms of the typing disorder. Attempts should be made as assess the seriousness of the disorder as well as immediate medical dangers.

Physical Evaluation
The majority of persons with typing disorders are treated on an outpatient basis in some combination of individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, keyboard basics crash courses, at home typing excercises, family psychotherapy, and if indicated, medication management.

Assertive Outpatient Therapy
Intensive outpatient programs (AOT) usually consist of a 2 to 3 hour coordinated effort combining a number of therapies including group and individual keyboard training in a structured setting. No mouse usage allowed.

Hospitalization Programs
For those more affected by this horrible disease there is a more structured, controlled setting for 4 to 8 hours per day on a specialized unit used to effect a blockade of the dangerous symptoms of typing disorders (i.e., self blame, keyboard destruction, bad artlcles, etc.) for those unable to block these symptoms on their own in less structured settings.

Inpatient Treatment
A 24-hour treatment program for those requiring intensive inpatient structure for medical monitoring, symptom blockade, and a comprehensive, multi-modality treatment.

Hot Lines
These have been increasing in popularity as the need for immediate assistance is recognized.. Hot lines aid in the emotional support need to suppress the dangers of unexpected explosive behavior such as damaged keyboards or unintended verbal lashings at coworkers. The hotlines can usually restore the savage typlexic back to a state of calmness where they can type without fear and errors occur less frequently resulting in greater productivity

Treatments have come a long way in the past decade with greater recognition of the need for attention to the biological components, the psychological factors, and the social forces in our society that have led to the marked increases of typlexia. Early treatment is the most effective -- Get help Now!