Reply To: Therapist does not believe in ADHD

[hum4n]

I don’t have any sources to offer. I only wanted to comment to acknowledge what you are doing is good, in my view.

Anyone working as a therapist or anything in mental health industry who “doesn’t believe” in ADHD is unfit to practice on any level with people.

For them to arrive at a conclusion of, “I don’t believe in” something without looking at scientific evidence, studies, research….. this persons approach to constructing a lens which they “believe” things through; is moronic… and it is damaging to other peoples lives.

I wrote back to a therapist who saw me for about 6 months after I dropped out of university, after repeating the first year twice and unable to do with course work (undiagnosed ADHD)….. And I was desperate to study, but couldn’t do it…. and it was so disappointing and depressing to drop out. I went to see this therapist for 6 months….. and even though my ADHD symptoms are glaringly obvious…. this therapist never said a thing about ADHD.

I wrote back to this therapist 5 years later, after I got diagnosed. Really polite… and just asked this person to confirm that they know what ADHD is, and they can identify it in clients. As it was a great struggle for me, to have spent another 5 years without that diagnosis and the treatment that is now changing my life.

This therapist wrote back, “Unfortunately I cannot get into email discussion with anyone who is not a client”. Pretty much just that, and “good to hear you feel you are making progress in life. Good luck”.

urrgh….

I wrote back to my university…. I was in and out of the learning support department, getting assistance writing essays and course work… they tested me for dyslexia and all sorts… couldn’t find out what was the issue was.

To me…. this is unacceptable for this still to be like this (this is around 2007 kind of time)…… that cost me around $30,000 USD to drop out of that course….. can I not expect a learning support department in a major UK City to know about ADHD ?

Again, I wrote really friendly email….. and was essentially treated as though I had walked into their building… and asked a question…. then after waiting a couple of hours… someone comes down stairs smiling at me, “Hi, nice to meet you. Yes.. yes…”… smiling at me and placing a hand behind my back and walking me in a direction, smiling, “yes, yes, ok, that’s nice.. yes”… then pushing me out of the door, “Ok, bye bye!”….

So…. I thought a little bit.

Then I wrote back 🙂

And I said something along the lines of, “Hi, I didn’t like the way I was treated when I last wrote to you. I feel offended that you have marginalised me in such a discriminative way, due to my minority group human variation in cognitive function. I asked some very simple and polite questions, which were met with dismissal and unreasonable responses. My initial intentions were to just know that other students do not have the same unnecessary challenges which I faced. I had not intended to make statements to media publications, take any legal action or inform representatives of anti-discrimination groups in universities. Mostly because I assumed my requests were simple and there was no need to create something time consuming that could potentially last for months. However: 1. You have now offended me, and made me feel bullied and marginalised. 2. I feel passionate enough about wanting to know that your learning support department can identify ADHD symptoms in students, to save a lot of unnessassry suffering in peoples lives; that if you do not give me answers to this simple request, I will gladly take on the task of giving you and your department a lot of extra work over the next few months, including what negative press I can get you, and I will also explore what legal action is possible to reclaim damages I incur.”

Then they wrote back and assured me that they now knew what ADHD is… and that they are able to identify it and where appropriate, recommend seeing a doctor for an assessment.

That’s better 🙂

Before it was just, “Unfortunately we are not doctors and cannot diagnose students.”…. And I said, “I am not asking you to diagnose students……”… and went back and forth with them…. but they were just smiling and pushing me towards the door, to get rid of me.

Urrgh…. anyways….

I think what you are doing is good. Many people told me, “get your own oxygen mask on before being concerned about others!”…… Well, maybe that’s the correct way for some. But in some situations for me…. I will always be “putting my oxygen mask on”… and if this journey can’t involve looking out for others too…. and working towards being a support and help for someone else some day too….. then I that takes a lot of drive away from me… in making changes I need to make.

Sorry…. long comment… I can’t stop when I ought to. Nice one ! 🙂

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