Bipolar and University

strawberry11 · 06-08-2011, 02:52 AM

So I've been in school for it feels like forever but its been 5 years. Finally just recently diagnosed with bipolar and am now going through disability services with my school. I just wasn't sure what others were doing for help with school or had any suggestions of things that helped them. I have the option of taking my tests in a quiet room and I can record the lectures. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks.

ironholly · 06-08-2011, 04:43 AM

Make sure you teachers are aware, i had problems where i would need to leave the room if i got to overwelmed and to go somewhere safe, maby they could have that in place if you needed it. I have dyslixa too so i found it really helpfull to take exames on my own. If needs be ask for a teaching assistan in lessons to help you with note taking and keeping your attention. I dont know about anything ese though sorry

strawberry11 · 06-08-2011, 11:14 PM

my biggest thing is trying to keep focused and not wonder off...I have learned recently about the livescribe pen which I think I am going to look into getting. It records while you take notes but when you go back in your notes all you have to do is touch the word and that part of the lecture starts playing.

Teacher assistan? I didn't even know that was possible. Does it really help you from wondering off?

RiverSong · 07-08-2011, 10:13 PM

My lecturers would allow me to leave the room. And i did a few times, packed up all my stuff and walked out but they knew why.
Just make sure all the staff know, cause one i missed out and my poor maths lecturer thought i was bunking off....i never did reveal why but i got my C even though i had to stop attending class for other reasons.

It's also good to have access to a first aid room/quiet office/room you can be offered. It should be something that your tutor can help you arrange if you get into difficulty at school. Even if it means having a lie down after meds/waiting to be taken home; in a first aid room. Another thing i was allowed.

Teaching assistants can help. Please don't think they're only there for Dyslexic people an physical disabilities. They can and are supposed to help with mental health disability too.

Depending what your medication does to you, you can have your exams defferred to the afternoon if for example your meds were quite sedating. Or the other way round.

Your disability services over there, probably should have something like we do in the UK. A whole thick book with every exam consideration for the exam boards in, what can be offered, what the criteria is etc

One last point. My notes were posted home to me, you could request that if you are going to be off for a few days.

Ah before i forget, really try to keep in a routine for going to school/col. It's hard to get back into one if you keep missing lots of days out so take it a week at a time.

strawberry11 · 07-08-2011, 11:15 PM

I have actually gone to class dropped my stuff off in the room and left. I sat in the hall way for about 45 min before I got the nerve to go back into the class room to get my stuff so I could leave. I guess my biggest thing is that I don't want to get used to being able to do that. However that was just not a good day.

How would an assistant help me with a mental disability. Like what kind of things would they do?

All of this is all new to me. Thanks for the replies.

RiverSong · 07-08-2011, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strawberry11

I have actually gone to class dropped my stuff off in the room and left. I sat in the hall way for about 45 min before I got the nerve to go back into the class room to get my stuff so I could leave. I guess my biggest thing is that I don't want to get used to being able to do that. However that was just not a good day.

How would an assistant help me with a mental disability. Like what kind of things would they do?

All of this is all new to me. Thanks for the replies.

No worries :)
Believe it or not an assistant at that time could go and get your bags for you and take you to where you'd feel comfortable/or sit with you till you felt ok enough to go back into class.

They can:
Take notes - I know if you're feeling really cack, you may not feel up to taking notes/or being able to do the task. Or may not be able to concentrate/sit there for the alloted time etc

Encouragement Sometimes, having a person there you've got to know well can make a good difference mentally. I know it did with me, it encouraged me to get into class and think "I want to try today, i want to see [insert name here]" <--- that gets you one step further, then it could be "I want to try some work" etc

1-1 support ie, class is big, you need quiet, but help, you've got that support there and can go to a different room.

Routine and organisation Big factor in mental health, if they go flipped, feeling like ***** goes even worse, or at least i have experienced.

Structured lesson/time Perhaps some days you can only be in the class for 30 mins and need the rest in a quieter room. Or perhaps it's a case of taking little breaks every 15 mins for example. If you need to take breaks they can go with you to the canteen - of course you being with them, means that you won't be mistaken for bunking off lol

Email You should be able to have their school/col/uni email address so you can quickly let them know if you are going to be in that day.
It means you've managed to communicate and explain why you cannot attend, something which is vital but very hard when things go wrong to call in/speak to anyone in staff. It is very respectable to do this and shows you are willing to help yourself as much as you can despite your problems.
Your tutor can also help here.
Work can be emailed to you.

Drop in Got a prob in the class, not up to speaking to the lecturer about it, speak to the learning support people - In our college I had a few different people over the terms, they can speak on your behalf. Or even really if you just want a talk, and then they suggest what can be done best for you :)

I know that looks very "physical" but from personal experience the above, really helps because when that lumps on top of being ill already, it increases the stress, increases the instability of the bipolar etc.

There's probably lots more, i don't know exactly how your system runs over there, mine's UK.

Also alot of the above can tie in with your personal tutor.

Does that help, have I clarified that a little easier for you? :)

roiben · 08-08-2011, 01:54 PM

I had a note-taker at Uni, and exams in a quiet room with extended time allowance.

At College I had the above, plus an hour with a Communication Support Worker to go through 121 and ensure I knew what was expected of me, and to help with anything I didn't understand. They were also great at encouragement and helping with revision.

I agree with others, letting your Tutors, Seminar leaders and other lecturers know that you may need to leave/eat et al is a great help as it shows you are doing all you can to learn, and may just need to step out (note-takers can keep on writing if you need to leave the room).

The more you speak to and get to know them, the easier it gets to ask if you need help with anything.

Roiben x

not_so_insig · 08-08-2011, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiverSong

They can:
Take notes - I know if you're feeling really cack, you may not feel up to taking notes/or being able to do the task. Or may not be able to concentrate/sit there for the alloted time etc

If you are on medication which is very sedating, such as antipsychotics (which is highly probable with a diagnosis of bipolar), then concentrating in the morning may be near impossible due to the sedation. Having someone to take notes means that you wont miss out on vital lectures just because you cant function properly in the mornings.

RiverSong · 08-08-2011, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by insignificant_one

If you are on medication which is very sedating, such as antipsychotics (which is highly probable with a diagnosis of bipolar), then concentrating in the morning may be near impossible due to the sedation. Having someone to take notes means that you wont miss out on vital lectures just because you cant function properly in the mornings.

Oh of course! I missed that bit, how I managed to when i had the same problem.
Nicely spotted IO x

Ah i'd stuck it in my previous post instead of the list :p

strawberry11 · 08-08-2011, 06:26 PM

Thanks everyone and yes riversong it made it a lot more clear. I signed up to go through what they call disability student services here at my college. I had never heard of having an assistant and am not sure if that is even possible here in the US. I am however allowed a quiet room for testing and to record the lecture. As of now that is all I have but I'm thinking about getting the extended time for testing but that would require another letter from my doctor requesting that. I will see my doctor in about a week and a half and hope to get it added before the end of the first week of classes. This is all really new to me and my meds are constantly changing so yes the sedation thing is a huge part right now. I just really wanted to make sure these semesters go a lot better than it has for me in the past. I am also not quite sure how everything is effecting me school wise as I'm still learning that. Every semester I seem to find something new out about being bipolar but now its to the point where I will go through the school for help.

I just wanted to thank everyone for the posts and have helped me a lot about what is even available or could be available to help me. Thank you so much!!

RiverSong · 08-08-2011, 07:23 PM

That's quite alright :)
You'll have to let us know what happens over there. It's easy to forget or not realise that we're entitled more help than we thought there were available.

Good luck! x