Expert: Sharon Crandall - 2/13/2010

Question
I have recently been doing some research to find some answers on what has been happening to me and I came across your website.  I've heard about PTSD and I thought maybe I might be suffering from this since the past few years I've gone through severely stressful situations.
Maybe it's an eye-hand disorder?  Maybe it's ADD?

Searching the web has not been very successful and  I didn't come across my problem, but was wondering if you've heard of what was going on with me and maybe point me in the proper direction.

My dilemma, which I noticed started a few months ago, has been where I see one object I want and I pick up another.    As an example - at work - I have two paychecks I need to give out.  One for Austin and one for Ray.   I see Austin's envelope and I want to pick it up - I think I have it and give it to him.  I find out later, I gave him Ray's envelope.    Another example - I have several can's of vegetables on my shelf at home -  I see the can of corn and the carrots.  I want them both.  I think I have them both only to find I've picked up 2 cans of corn and NOT the carrots.   
Another example - I have to fax something to a customer at work - I see the paper I need to fax - I've picked up another and faxed that!!!     Another example - I have to file something - I know I want to file THAT particular form and I pick up the other form and put that in the folder.
These are the things that I am catching now as I am becoming more aware that I am doing it.  It's happening more often!  I know there has to be a name for what I have and hopefully a solution.  It's affecting my job and I've tried to be very caution about what I am doing, but
even with caution I find I'm doing it!!  I want to pick up one thing and I pick up something else!!!  What is this?    Can you help me with this?  

Thanks,
Beth in Woodbury Heights, NJ

Answer
Dear Beth,

I am not a doctor, of course, but I have found that people who are using the wrong hand often have a problem with eye/hand coordination. Their creativity is also hampered and sometimes there are speech difficulties, as well. If you are born to be left handed and then using your right hand, for instance, the thought originates in the right side of the brain and instructs your left hand to do whatever you are going to do, then your left hand says, "No, I am right handed and so the impulse has to go back up to the brain and switch to the left side of the brain and instruct the right hand to do the job.

There are a few things you can do to determine if you are using the wrong hand. It would work better if someone else was giving you the little test and you didn't know what was happening so that you wouldn't influence the outcome so try to do what is natural as possible.

Put a hole about the size of a dime in a 3X5 card or piece of paper. Hold the card out in front of you with both arms straight.  Have someone stand about ten feet away from you and cover one eye with one of their hands. Then raise the card up so you can sight through it to look at the uncovered eye of the person standing there.  Have him look to see which eye of yours that he sees. Then lower the card and have him cover the other eye and then repeat the same thing and have him look to see which eye he sees.

If you are right handed he should see your right eye. If you are left handed he will see your left eye.

Now, which side of your body is bigger?  Stand barefooted where you can see your whole with bare shoulders.  If your right side is larger your right shoulder will be slightly higher than your left. When you buy shoes, one foot will be slightly larger and when you wear a ring one hand/finger will be larger than the other. One breast will also be slightly larger than the other.

Sometimes the difference is very slight and difficult to tell. The larger side will be dominant, ordinarily, so if your right side is larger then you should be right handed and vice versa.  

Now, do this and write me back for more interchange and we can go from there.

Sharon Crandall
www.personalityconsultant.com