Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 10/15/2009

Question
Dear Mark,

Im am currently in Iraq. Before joining the Army i was diagnosed with ADHD and Bi-polar disorder. I stopped taking the medication about 3 months before i decided to join the Army. I stopped taking 1 of the medications, trileptal, because of an allergic reaction. I told me recruiter that i was diagnosed with these conditions but he told me not to tell anyone and i would be fine. Don't get me wrong, i wanted to join the Army and ive been successful since. But it has definatley brought out my symptoms to me and others around me. I've told a couple of my friends about me being diagnosed, theyve even said that they could tell. I'm tryin to figure out what i should do in order to get back on the medications. I'm afraid that if i talk to someone about this at the TMC i will get in trouble for lying initially to sign up. Im aware that i might get discharged because of my situation because people with ADHD are denied entry into the Army. Im sure i can can get the paperwork from the Dr. that prescribed me the medication's. So how should i go about getting re diagnosed with as little red tape as possible.

Answer
Patrick,
You're between a rock and a hard place right now.

You'll have to face the fact that you're most likely going to be discharged regardless of what you do.  The Army has a way of raising a person's stress level like no civilian job can.

Most importantly, you want to get well.  Since you run the risk of prosecution for falsifying government documents I wouldn't go that route.  If I were you I would go see a doctor and tell him the symptoms you've been experiencing lately.  Tell him your friends say you remind them of someone who has ADHD.  Don't admit to ever having been diagnosed with it before now.  See if he thinks you may have it.  It's possible that you may NOT have it.  Lots of folks in Iraq have PTSD or other neurological conditions that resemble ADHD, so you're not really lying.  They may just remove you from the stressful situation that triggers the symptoms.  You said you've been successful since, so maybe Iraq brought it on and they'll just return you stateside.  War does funny things to a person.

Thanks for serving.
Let me know what's decided.
Colonel H