Forums » Smalltalk » Mirror Movement

Hey everyone!

I have been thinking a lot about my disability lately, and I haven't actually met anyone else who has it! (Much like how I haven't met anyone with my name, either O_o )I was wondering if anyone on this site happens to have the disability called Mirror Movement.

For those of you who don't know what that is-- Look at your right hand. Flex your fingers in and out of a fist. Your left hand didn't move at all right? For me, every movement I make with the fingers on one hand, the other hand mimics. So I can be wiggling my left fingers to play with my cat, but he gets distracted because my right hand is also wiggling its fingers on its own! This is involuntary, and I have no control over it. However, my toes do not have this issue, so I feel very uncomfortable when wiggling the toes on one foot but the other does not mimic. Now, for me personally I believe it is a minor case. While it is mostly my finger movements that are mimicked, some of my hand movements are mimicked as well.

I think the way it effects me most is how I write/draw. I am right handed, so when I draw/write, my left hand must be in a fist to keep it under control. When I was younger I needed to tightly clench my fist in order to do anything which caused me pain but over time I have gotten more control over it. I also have difficulty carrying heavy things. If I lift a heavy bucket by its handle, my other hand is stuck in the same position and is uncomfortable and makes me feel embarrassed. I am also not able to play most instruments because of this issue. I cannot play guitar because my fingers cannot change cord and strum the strings at the same time. Which is really upsetting because I'd love to play the violin and the piano but it is just not physically possible. I can only type with my index fingers so taking typing class in school was a challenge since they wanted me to use home row.

I often feel like its "like" an invisible disability. I know a lot of people probably think I am faking when I show them. I've had people grab my hand and try to force my fingers not to move. I've had people tell me when I draw or write with a pencil in both hands that my left hand should exactly replicate what my right hand does, just have it be backwards (Thats not how that works) and I had someone in university straight up burst out laughing at me because I was brushing my hair and my other hand was doing weird brushing movements (And up until that day I hadn't realized I was doing it now I always grip something like a table when I brush my hair in public). I absolutely dreaded writing on chalkboards/whiteboards because even today, I cannot write on them easily. I can't even explain why, its probably because I don't have a table to have my left hand rest on.

I also get very irritated when I explain my disability and people say "That's so cool!" I know they mean no harm by it, but I wouldn't wish this upon anyone. Although I am lucky, (Some people have a much more powerful version of mirror movement. I'd say mine is a minor case) It effects my life daily and there are things I wish I could do that wont be obtainable for me.

Anyways, rant over. I just wanted to know if anyone has something like this or any other disability they have and would like to share their experience.