Adult Diagnosed ADD. Should I stay civ? *Story Inbound*

[NavySheets]

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Hello been a lurker for awhile now and wondering if I should try for HPSP or even a commission period.

I'm a veteran and was honorably discharged from the Navy.

About to start applying to med schools this June (DO) and I'm pretty positive that I will get in somewhere.

As such I've reached out to a Navy recruiter via their online site and told them my situation:

I was never diagnosed with ADD before the Navy or while I was in. When I got out, I went to the VA and talked to my NP about having focus issues with school. My grades were bad before I joined the Navy, but I have had straight A's to this point. My only issue was that things seemed a bit harder than they should be. Needless to say, went through testing and was diagnosed with ADD and was prescribed Methylphenidate.

My prescription states it would be twice - three times daily, but my provider said I only needed to take it when I'm in school or studying. I was not on it to function just merely to study sometimes. My provider will document this for me.

My grades stayed the same, still got A's and B's, but I noticed I was able to focus a lot better. Yay go me!

The recruiter that I reached out to specifically said "Adult diagnosed ADD is automatic disqual and there is no waiver"

I then asked for the instruction. He provided it to me and I meet all the conditions except for one according to him.

"Applicant must be not have had more than a single dosage and have not been prescribed medication for greater than 24 cumulative months after the 14th birthday"

He did not provide the actual instruction number, however I decided to do my own homework.

http://www.med.navy.mil/directives/...rporates Changes 128, 130, 135-140 below).pdf

I am not sure what he found but what I read in this instruction is that

Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (314), or Perceptual/Learning Disorder(s) (315) is disqualifying, unless applicant can demonstrate passing academic performance and there has been no use of medication(s) in the previous 12 months.

This is the instruction that I found. By the time I actually apply for HPSP I would have had 12 months of no medication and my last two semesters I did not seek my provider for more medication (have documentation).

Is this online recruiter (went through the Navy website) completely wrong or he knows i'm going to be a lot of paperwork?
Is this an old instruction and he said a new one? (part of MY instruction is 2012 and 2005, I found a similar 2007 Army instruction)
Should I try to speak to a different recruiter?

Anyone have insight on this? Thanks.

 

[NavySheets]

http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/613003p.pdf

I believe this is where he got his information. This does state what he says.

However, it doesn't state anywhere about "Adult diagnosed ADHD"

This is the only part I am worried, because I wasn't on ADHD medication for more than 24 cumulative months after the age of 14...

(3) The applicant has never taken more than
a single daily dosage
of medication or has
not been prescribed medication for this condition
for more than 24 cumulative months after the
age of 14.

 

[Shikima]

All you can really do it submit your packet and let the higher ups make the decision.

 

[TurtleDO2012]

For the Army the guidelines for joining the military are listed in AR40-501. Chapter 2 specifically addresses physical standards for enlistement, appointment, and induction.
info for ADHD from that-
2–27. Learning, psychiatric and behavioral disorders
a. Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (314), or Perceptual/Learning Disorder(s)
(315) does not meet the standard, unless applicant can demonstrate passing academic performance and there has been no use of medication(s) in the previous 12 months.

That appears consistent with the two Navy sources you listed other than the 24 month cumulative thing. I would say the info the recruiter from the Navy is likely more accurate for the Navy since it's dated 2011 and your first link is from 2005 and hasn't been updated.

End of the day there are regulations and then there is the ability to apply for a waiver for most everything.

Based on your provided information of taking the medication less than cumulative 24 months, also be 12 months free from medication when applying, and able to function without it all satisfies the requirments and wouldn't require a waiver.

You get a MEPs physical, see a doc that is not associated with the military. He reviews the documentation you provided. Then puts down qualified or not. Depending on the doc who might be 70 plus years old he may just say disqualified for his own comfort level. Numerous people have taken ADHD meds prior to joining and we eventually welcome with open arms, if we didn't we would be in trouble with our numbers.

If you're not qualified that is not the end of the road. You have to pursue the process of getting evaluated so that a waiver could be pursued. Once that is done your physical, supporting documentation, and additional evaluation go to a military physical board and they approve or deny the waiver. The success of getting waivers approved varies based on their goal of getting people in at the present time. For a person going HPSP likely you'll be granted a waiver for most everything assuming you can still deploy.

If you don't like your current recruiter then find a new one or maybe go with a different branch.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Seriously, don't do it. I have ADHD, Inattentive Type. All of the incessant and pointless administrative crap you have to deal with on a daily basis is absolute torture. Stay a civilian, where you at least would have more control over things and can utilize ways to cope and accomodate.

 

[Monkitty]

Apologies for as slight derail, but I have a related situation.

I have not been formally diagnosed, but I have OCD, and plan on seeking treatment (finally) when I return to the US this summer (the same time I will be applying to med school and possibly HPSP).

The link above, for OCD, simply states...

o. History of obsessive-compulsive disorder (300.3) or post-traumatic stress disorder(309.81)

without any further subcategories. Am I correct in assuming it does not have the same caveats as the ADHD diagnosis (usage of medication 24 months cumulative, etc)? Or just how should that be interpreted? "History of..." is rather vague. Does it simply mean that if you have had OCD or PTSD, then tough luck, you're disqualifed?

 

[deleted480308]

Apologies for as slight derail, but I have a related situation.

I have not been formally diagnosed, but I have OCD, and plan on seeking treatment (finally) when I return to the US this summer (the same time I will be applying to med school and possibly HPSP).

The link above, for OCD, simply states...



without any further subcategories. Am I correct in assuming it does not have the same caveats as the ADHD diagnosis (usage of medication 24 months cumulative, etc)? Or just how should that be interpreted? "History of..." is rather vague. Does it simply mean that if you have had OCD or PTSD, then tough luck, you're disqualifed?

I think it means you have to choose if you are a soldier with ocd you can handle on your own, or you are a civilian with formally treated ocd

 

[Monkitty]

So basically seek treatment and no HPSP, or tough it out and HPSP?

What a lovely message the military is sending about their acceptance and integration of mental illness... actually the reason I want to do milmed psychiatry... irony!

 

[deleted480308]

So basically seek treatment and no HPSP, or tough it out and HPSP?

What a lovely message the military is sending about their acceptance and integration of mental illness... actually the reason I want to do milmed psychiatry... irony!

The military is not accepting of illness. They are in the business of finding healthy people. They only have medicine because we damage those healthy people

 

[TurtleDO2012]

It would be a disqualifier and a waiver would have to be pursued. If people fail to disclose something that is a disqualifier the military can separate you from the program and ask for any previous funds to be completely returned. Say worst case situation you are in the 3rd or 4th year of medical school and they separate you, good luck trying to get loans to cover everything.

If you have OCD I would recommend getting treatment and definately have a plan in place for when medical school starts. Symptoms may get worse with the amount of associated stress.

Could you pursue HPSP? Yes, but you would require a waiver and you may or may not get it approved. Waivers being approved really depends on an invidiual's specific situation and current need to accept people.

We are in the business of seeking healthy people for joining for numerous obvious reasons.

 

[Monkitty]

I plan on seeking treatment, HPSP or not. My health is worth more to me than the HPSP.

I understand the need for healthy individuals (especially physcians). I am just surprised that, from the wording, it appears something like ADHD that has been successfully treated and is in "remission" is not a roadblock, yet OCD is a binary classification; doesn't matter how long ago it was, if you've had it, you're disqualified.

Oh well, good to know this now.

 

[jabreal00]

So basically seek treatment and no HPSP, or tough it out and HPSP?

What a lovely message the military is sending about their acceptance and integration of mental illness... actually the reason I want to do milmed psychiatry... irony!

What do you expect? It's an organization that recruits primarily young healthy people to go to war. Have you been ever deployed? I have. Some places where people deploy are austere. A deployed setting can exacerbate someone's underlying mental health condition even if were previously well controlled. If one discovers they have a condition while they are in the military that is one thing. However, I have zero sympathy if the military wants to screen out those. Being in the military is not an entitlement.

 

[deleted480308]

I plan on seeking treatment, HPSP or not. My health is worth more to me than the HPSP.
.

I think that is the right call

 

[Monkitty]

What do you expect? It's an organization that recruits primarily young healthy people to go to war. Have you been ever deployed? I have. Some places where people deploy are austere. A deployed setting can exacerbate someone's underlying mental health condition even if were previously well controlled. If one discovers they have a condition while they are in the military that is one thing. However, I have zero sympathy if the military wants to screen out those. Being in the military is not an entitlement.

Well, now. I never said or thought it was an entitlement (that's a new one for me: military as an entitlement).

My main "gripe" (which I'll admit I didn't really spell out) is that in some situations ADD is not disqualifying (haven't taken medication for more than 24 months, etc), yet there were no qualifiers like that for OCD, which seems to indicate that OCD "breaks" you for life (at least in regard to serving).

That's the underlying aspect I dislike. It's a perpetuation of the stigmatation of mental illness (assuming there are no caveats like with ADD), something the military is notorious for.

To be fair, I understand the need for healthy individuals to serve, I just don't like that OCD (especially since I have it and am interested in serving) is apparently a complete and utter disqualifier.

 

[notdeadyet]

I understand the need for healthy individuals (especially physcians). I am just surprised that, from the wording, it appears something like ADHD that has been successfully treated and is in "remission" is not a roadblock, yet OCD is a binary classification; doesn't matter how long ago it was, if you've had it, you're disqualified.

There are likely a couple of reasons for this.

ADHD is typically underdiagnosed in individuals of lower socioeconomic status and overdiagnosed in individuals of higher socioeconomic status. There are a flood of individuals who are "cured" of ADHD after they finish college and no longer feel the need for stimulants. This is why the military likely takes the opinion of 2 years without needing treatment and you're fine.

OCD is not a diagnosis handed out lightly because the criteria is fairly specific and the consequences are fairly severe. OCD is pretty responsive to treatment, but the treatment can be fairly intense and flair ups during time of stress are not unusual. So the military's policy is to disqualify folks for this diagnosis. You can still apply, get rejected, and apply for a waiver. How likely this is depends on the recruiting goals of the military at a particular time. It's not an "utter disqualifier," it's just a disqualifier. One of many. And even as a psychiatrist, I agree with OCD being a DQ more than some of the other ones (hyperlipidemia? really?).