Possible ADHD Diagnosis

A

Alex874

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Dec 29, 2020
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Hello! I am attending USNA as part of the class of 2026 and had a quick medical question. I have not been diagnosed with ADHD, but believe that it is something that I have and have started the process of possibly getting a diagnosis. I was surprised to find that this is potentially disqualifying for candidates. I think my preformance would only increase with help related to this problem, but am afraid to pursue this route as I do not want to have it negatively affect my USNA experience and goals. Does anyone have any expierence or advice in this regard? Thank you!
 
Experience no, but I'll take a stab at advice.

NOTE. . . MY OPINION:
Basically I recommend not going looking for trouble. Although we do not know your specific stats/qualifications, it can be
expected that if USNA has offered you an appointment that you've done fairly well in both grades and testing. If you are
actually on the spectrum then clearly you've been able to deal with it to an acceptable level and can probably perform at
an acceptable level at USNA without medical intervention. If you do have some level of impairment then perhaps some sort of
treatment/meds might help you perform at a higher level but you must balance this with the possibility that this will end up
pushing you out of your spot in "26" and perhaps permanently.
 
^ Agree with OldRetSWO. I don't know enough about ADHD to render advice, but unless you feel that you are at risk of hurting yourself or making some condition worse, I wouldn't go looking for problems.
 
Any change in your medical history and diagnosed conditions will have to be reported to DoDMERB and USNA Admissions before reporting. That starts a sequence of decision-making that will grind on relentlessly.

Medical accession standards for the military are set to a high bar because military members can serve in high-pressure, harsh, remote operating conditions, often far from advanced medical help, which might worsen or re-start conditions that are not impacted by a “normal” civilian life or were previously under good control. Unit readiness and safety, that is the ability of unit members to perform reliably in all kinds of situations, is paramount in military service. The military wants incoming members, both officers and enlisted, to be the least vulnerable to medical issues they can find. The Navy, similar to other branches, often makes decisions in a utilitarian mode, the good of the many outweighing the good of the individual.

I can’t tell you what to do here. Your health, of course, is paramount. If this is something you feel will be beneficial to you in terms of everyday quality of life, and will benefit you for the rest of your life, you should recognize it may be incompatible with military service.

@MullenLE I’m paging Mr. Mullen, Deputy Director, DoDMERB, as our resident contributor who is the source of authentic insight.

This is not a “quick medical question.” It is a diagnosis, if made, that can impact choices available to you. This can be attested to by the many, many threads here over the years from candidates with this diagnosis at an earlier age having to jump through complicated hoops to prove they can perform without medication or accommodations and get professional opinions on their status, over months, hoping for a waiver.
 
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CAPT MJ, as always, is 100% technically correct.

I have 30+ years of experience.

The fact that this hits you ... after high school is over ... should cause you some reflection. Thinking you "may" have ADHD ... when you are not undergoing academics right now, would be puzzling at best.
 
By in large HS kids who have a Dx and are under Rx are going off their Rx as far as an attempt to attend a SA. Not going on Rx,

You will not be able to continue Rx at a SA or be given special test times.

If it’s really a problem and you feel you need Rx then IMO a SA is not for you.

I know of one at a SA now who would benefit and do better with Rx. They are learning to get by without. So far anyway.
 
Please stop "researching" all those internet and social media "experts" who expound on their own genius regarding ADHD and adjustment disorder. Will someone, after looking up the definition of these conditions, tell me if they know any "normal" kids.
 
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There’s always something wrong with something so someone can make some money …

… some new diagnosis or some new government regulation.
.
 
ADHD is a recognized cognitive disorder and that person's brain operates/fires differently than others. If you (or someone in your family) had it, it would be fairly obvious. The way our second youngest is on and off his medication is night and day. So much so that we can tell immediately when he either forgot to take it, or forgot to remind us to re-order. I do not know if there are "mild" cases of it. And it is not something that shows up later in life out of the blue. It is something that would have been there throughout your entire life. It is often diagnosed later, as it is difficult to diagnose at a young age (although there are some markers). Usually, by elementary school, it is fairly apparent and can be diagnosed/treated.
 
Yes, there really are people who need treatment for ADHD. But 40 years of medical experience has assured me that there is a wide difference in the number who are on treatment and the number who need treatment.
 
Don't disagree. But my perception is that the thread seemed to be starting to head down the rabbit hole of perhaps ADHD is not a real thing and I wanted to provide a little bit of a sanity check.
 
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