Posted by Solstice on October 3, 2011, at 0:00:22
In reply to I'm going to contact DARS tommorow BUT read, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on October 2, 2011, at 22:14:14
Matt -
Just do it one step at a time. Call them and tell them that you are disabled, and would like to find out how to get help with independent living and getting a job. The intake person will probably ask about your disabilities. It might be helpful if you can get your doctor on the phone first, and tell her what you are doing, because you will need her help. Ask her about the diagnosis' she has for you that would be considered disabling. I'm guessing your MDD would be first on the list. If you have ever had IQ testing (including when you were in school) that documents the slow processing speed you've mentioned, then it would help to get that.
If you want to talk to them first, when they ask about your disabling conditions, tell them "mental health" and that you'll have to talk to your doctor to get the specifics. If you are worried about your mom, you need to know that all you have to do is say "Dr., I want to talk to you alone," and the doctor will have no choice but to tell your mom to wait in the waiting room. It would be unethical, and probably illegal, for your doctor to discuss anything about your treatment with your mom, unless you are okay with it. If she walks into your appointments with you and you don't object, then it's reasonable for the doctor to believe that you are okay with it. But if you say "Hey - I want to go in by myself this time," then your mom will not be allowed to go into that room with you.
Anyway, you need to get your doctor - the one you have right now - in your corner. To get involved with DARS, you will have to have a doctor's diagnosis of a disabling condition/s that interfere with you being self-supporting. You will also have to sign releases allowing DARS to get treatment summaries from any recent medical professionals. Because of that, you won't be able to hide the addiction issues - but that's okay, because DARS does include addiction in its list of things they deal with.
Your best bet, Matt, is to be open and honest during the process. You don't have to tell *every*thing to the intake person - but if you start trying to hide things in an attempt to pursue access to stimulants - they will spot it right off the bat. Your history of addiction and mismanagement of medications isn't going to stop them from helping you - but deceit and manipulation about your history of addiction very well might.
Let us know how it goes!
Solstice
poster:Solstice
thread:998606
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110925/msgs/998612.html