Re: England doesn't Care

[Patte Rosebank]

Ah, the delays of socialized medicine! Here in Canada, we have similar problems, so we know your frustration, because we have it too!

I can understand the state you’re in. You’ve just learned you have a bone disorder, AND that you probably have ADHD. That’s TWO major medical problems, hitting you at the same time. On top of that, you have the pressure of a course that you need to pass in order to get into university, AND the prospect of starting university (which is a huge life-change). That’s a lot to deal with, and to be told, “Yes, you need help, and we can give it to you, but you’ll have to wait almost a year. In the meantime, keep struggling,” would push ANYONE to the point of tears! It makes you feel so helpless.

But you’re NOT helpless!

There are things you can do while you’re waiting. First of all, go to your school’s Student Services department, explain your situation, and ask for help. They may be able to refer you to a specialist for medical/psychological help—thus shortening the wait time.

You should also ask them for academic help. ADHD has been a recognized medical condition for over 50 years, albeit not by that name, so all universities and colleges, and all schools will be familiar with students who are struggling because of their ADHD. Common (and very helpful) ADHD supports include allowing you to record lectures, or giving you a note-taker. That way, you can concentrate on absorbing and understanding the content of the lecture, instead of trying to transcribe it into notes.

You’ll also need help with deadlines. People with ADHD are masters at procrastination, because we just can’t face the overwhelming task ahead. But if that task is broken into smaller chunks, each with a firm deadline, it makes it easier for us to complete them. We get a little bit of gratification as we complete each little task, instead of trying to avoid the frustration of having to leave the big task incomplete and come back to it later.

I recall hearing that the UK university structure is different from ours. As I understand it, in the UK, you spend most of your years at university, just attending lectures and studying on your own. Then, at the end of the course, you write a super-intensive exam and/or project, and all of your marks are based on that. (Am I right about that?) This is a huge amount of pressure to place on a student, particularly one with the concentration and time-management issues which plague those with ADHD. You will definitely need to ask for concessions with this. Maybe you could write the exam in several shorter sessions, instead of the standard one massive session, or write tests throughout your course of study, instead of one big exam at the end. Perhaps you could do an alternative test or project, which would better allow you to demonstrate your knowledge, so the prof could accurately measure it. This is why it’s so important to discuss your ADHD with your profs and with Student Services, when you start university, and throughout your studies there.

Remember, having ADHD does NOT mean you’re stupid or lazy or crazy. It just means that your brain functions differently. People without ADHD tend to think in a linear fashion (A to B to C, etc.), so they get things done quickly and efficiently. But those with ADHD think in more of a web-like fashion (A to B to R to S to J to Q), so we take longer, and mess up more, but we find out much more interesting things. Or, to explain it more simply, “normals” are cassette-tapes. They have a limited amount of information, but it’s all there, in sequence. We are the internet. We have so much information, about so many things…if only we could find it.

There may be one other way to shorten the wait for you to see a specialist, but it won’t be pleasant. In fact, it will be downright frightening. If you were to experience a mental health crisis, you could go to a mental hospital’s emergency ward. There, you could see a specialist within a few hours. However, you would encounter very seriously disturbed fellow patients in the waiting area, and that waiting area (and initial assessment rooms) will be rather prison-like, with fencing over the windows, furniture bolted to the floor, and doors that lock from the outside. If you’re going to go this route, I strongly recommend bringing a family member or close friend with you, for support.

But before you decide to try this, talk to your new GP. Tell her of your frustration, and your feelings that you are having a crisis and that you need help NOW. Ask if there’s anything she can do to speed things along. Since ADHD is genetic, and it appears that your mother also has ADHD, the evidence is quite strong that you do have it. So maybe your GP can prescribe you a course of Ritalin (the usual first drug of choice for ADHD) in the meantime, and monitor your progress on it. That way, you’re at least getting some treatment while you wait for an appointment with a specialist. (Many of us in Canada have had to do this.) Ritalin has been around since the 1930s, so it is proven to be effective and generally safe. However, with mental conditions, there is no one-size-fits-all medication or dosage. It takes trial-and-error to find the right combination for each patient. So Ritalin may or may not work for you, but at least it’s a start.

You should also explore this website. You’ll learn a lot, make some new webby friends, and find things to laugh at. Especially in the Videos section.

You might also want to get the documentary “ADD and Loving It?” on DVD, in the website’s Store. This documentary has the most up-to-date information, and is very well presented. It’s probably the best way to explain ADHD to yourself and to the other people in your life. I’m not sure if the DVD is region-coded, but if you find it won’t play on your DVD player, there’s software you can get to unlock the region-coding on your computer’s DVD drive, so you can watch it there. I have a lot of comedy DVDs from the UK, and that’s how I watch them.

Just remember, you’re not helpless. You can do a lot to help yourself, while you’re waiting for the healthcare system to help you. And just knowing that, is a real comfort.

Good luck!

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