My Dyscalculia Story: Arin Abraham

Can you tell us about your experience with maths and how difficulties with numbers have affected your everyday life (for example at school, work, or home)?

All through school, I managed to pass every subject except my Maths GCSE. For years, my family and teachers assumed it was because I was “lazy” or staying up too late, but the truth is that I tried incredibly hard. Even now, in my late twenties, maths remains something I struggle to grasp.  

Despite the impact this has had on my education and career—especially with so many opportunities blocked by that missing grade—I’ve never lost my love for hobbies that involve numbers and strategy. Tabletop wargames like Warhammer 40K, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Card Game, and various RPG systems have become some of the most accessible and rewarding parts of my life.  

What makes these communities special is how welcoming they are to players with dyscalculia. In both the 40K and Gundam scenes, people genuinely try to make the game inclusive, supportive, and enjoyable for everyone. Those spaces have given me understanding and belonging in ways that formal education never did.  

In my career, I’ve often found myself shut out of opportunities that many of my peers could access with ease. Not having that one missing grade meant I couldn’t go to university to study the subjects I loved, and it’s closed the door on a lot of the stable progression routes available in my industry.

Even so, it hasn’t dimmed my passion for graphic design or social media management. If anything, it’s pushed me to look deeper into accessibility—across digital design, social platforms, and even within my own hobbies. That curiosity has become a driving force, shaping how I approach creativity and how I think about making online spaces more inclusive for everyone.

I may not be able to read and write music, or produce my own songs, but I love to analyse them with my own knowledge of how something is produced.  

I can do many things that so many without Dyscalculia can accomplish, yet the roadblocks for those less academically inclined are still there. It’s a shame because I know so many other people with learning difficulties who are capable of achieving so much, much like myself, but are cut-off. 

At what age or stage did you first notice challenges with maths, and what experiences or signs led you to suspect you might have dyscalculia or maths learning difficulties? 

It mainly began in year six, when SATs were being completed. I had difficulty understanding my times tables even when I would practice consistently. I could retain the information for a short-period of time, and then the knowledge would simply be gone the next time I attempted it. I came out of my SATs with an "N/A" or "Not Applicable". I essentially had no grade, yet for something as more creative and subjective such as English – I was top-set. 

Have you had a formal diagnosis or assessment? If so, how did this change your understanding of yourself or the support you received? 

I have unfortunately never gone for a formal assessment, as wait times are incredibly strenuous. Perhaps one day, I'll have the patience to go through the NHS system entirely. However, once I learned about Dyscalculia and when I finally met someone else with it, I knew that suddenly it all made sense and I didn't feel so down about it. 

What kinds of support, strategies, or adjustments have been helpful for you (such as teaching approaches, tools, technology, or workplace adjustments)?

I've found that using a lot of coloured paper, or transparent "rulers" much in the same way as Dyslexia have helped. For a lot of games that require tracking health or other varied stats, I specifically look for apps that allow me to change colours. In games such as Fallout or The Elder Scrolls, I tend to change the HUD transparency and colour to suit my needs, which tends to be a pink HEX (such a magenta). Most of the time with my table-top games, I tend to simply ask for help as I feel comfortable with that process enough.

Have you experienced misunderstandings or a lack of awareness from others about your maths difficulties? How did this affect you emotionally or practically?

Throughout most of my entire life. Most people can identify and acknowledge Dyslexia, but the idea of not being able to read numbers or understand them simply seems to perplex them. It has affected me negatively throughout my life, believing I'm not a smart person or I'm incapable of doing things. It had led to bullying in my younger years, and great misunderstanding in my career. It leaves people frustrated or impatient with me regularly. 

Can you share a specific moment, breakthrough, or achievement that felt significant in your maths learning journey?

In 2024 I entered my first ever tournament of any kind, at the United Kingdom Games Expo (UKGE) in Birmingham. I did it just to have the experience, and I recall it being for the deck-building game "Star Realms". I managed to rank in the Top 10 and then finally the Top 8, obtaining a limited play-mat with "Top 8" printed on it. It sounds so trivial, but that's the first time I'd won anything.