ADD

Questions and Answers about obtaining an Option 40 Contract and other routes to serving as a Ranger in the US Army.
User avatar
bostonian23
Embryo
Posts: 16
Joined: September 30th, 2009, 7:59 am

ADD

Post by bostonian23 »

Rangers,
I have searched the forums and have found that it looks like you have to be off medication for ADD for at least one year for service. I will not lie, that I was diagnosed with a mild case of ADD in 8th grade and have been on medication since, but only for the actual school day. My main question is should I stop using them completely now when I have two years of college left? Its mainly used to help me concentrate with school but since doing research on ADD with the Army, I stopped taking the medications this semester and doing fine (test grades, and papers scoring well), just have to concentrate a bit more but nothing unmanageable. Thank you for your input.

Ryan
I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. ~Thomas Jefferson
User avatar
another damn texan
Ranger
Posts: 831
Joined: December 22nd, 2004, 12:01 am

Re: ADD

Post by another damn texan »

You should work hard at getting off of them period. Do you feel you need them?
Bco 3/75 1993-1996
RS 1-95
User avatar
bostonian23
Embryo
Posts: 16
Joined: September 30th, 2009, 7:59 am

Re: ADD

Post by bostonian23 »

Ranger another damn texan,

I feel that I am motivated enough to cut them off permanently. I didn't really have a choice in 8th grade but I sure as hell do now. Since off them for a few weeks now, although having to concentrate that extra bit more, my grades in classes have been basically the same. Especially since finding out about ADD with the Army, I want to cut them out completely so I do not ruin my chances of enlisting and becoming a Ranger. I have a doctors appointment in the upcoming months, and plan to tell the doctor my decision so I can have it put on my medical record that I am off them so I do not run into anything that wont be able to get a waiver.

Ryan
I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. ~Thomas Jefferson
User avatar
Rabbit
Tadpole
Posts: 108
Joined: March 9th, 2009, 4:00 pm

Re: ADD

Post by Rabbit »

There were three waivers I had to get. ADD being one of them. I believe the question was if you had to take medication relating to ADD within the past four years. Within that you had to get a waiver. (Lucky for me I cut off my adderal subscription in ninth grade, so they didn't view it as serious.)
Good luck.
User avatar
Silverback
Ranger
Posts: 20118
Joined: March 7th, 2004, 11:06 pm
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: ADD

Post by Silverback »

Before you stop ANY medication you need to consult a PHYSICIAN, not an internet message board!
RC 2-87
3-75 84/85, 95/97
"thnks 4 pratn merku!"
User avatar
Silverback
Ranger
Posts: 20118
Joined: March 7th, 2004, 11:06 pm
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: ADD

Post by Silverback »

Rabbit wrote:There were three waivers I had to get. ADD being one of them. I believe the question was if you had to take medication relating to ADD within the past four years. Within that you had to get a waiver. (Lucky for me I cut off my adderal subscription in ninth grade, so they didn't view it as serious.)
Good luck.

I assume that since you are listed as a Cadet you were subjected to a DODMERB physical and not an Enlistment physical. They are two distinctly different examinations with a world of difference between how your medical history is reviewed.
RC 2-87
3-75 84/85, 95/97
"thnks 4 pratn merku!"
User avatar
rgrokelley
Triple Canopy
Posts: 2860
Joined: February 5th, 2008, 5:57 pm

Re: ADD

Post by rgrokelley »

There is no such thing as ADD and ADHD. This is not just my opinion, but a huge debate in the pyschological community. My wife is a psychological counselor, in a school, and also believes the whole thing is B.S. Personally I think it was a made up "disease" just so the drug companies could get a huge amount of the population hooked on drugs at an early age, or to get them thinking all can be solved by copious amounts of drugs. When we were kids they didn't have ADD. They did have a name for it though. Its called "being a kid".

Now, I know a whole mess of folks will tell me that there is such a thing,and when little Johnny gets put on his drugs he is a totally different person. Well... duh! If I pump any of you up with drugs you will, amazingly enough, be another person too.

I have two tests to prove that ADD doesn't exist. The theory behind it (and it is just theory... there has yet to be a proven symptom of ADD) is that kids with ADD cannot concentrate well on things and are easily distracted. They also can't do well on tests because of all the easy distractions in life.

Horse shit!

Test one: Put any kid with ADD in front of their favorite computer game. They will have a laser beam focus on that thing like you would not believe. No "easily distracted" there.

Test two: Show me any ADD kid with a driver's license, and I'll show you a kid who can concentrate, and pass, a test if they really want to.

I don't blame the military for not wanting to take a bunch of drug users who need the drugs to alter their personality.
A & C Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion 1984-1986
2/325, 82nd Airborne 1979-1984
F Company, 51st LRSU 1986-1988
5th Special Forces Group 1989-1995
3rd Special Forces Group 1997-1999
RS - DHG 5-85
snafu
Ranger
Posts: 274
Joined: July 2nd, 2007, 9:43 am

Re: ADD

Post by snafu »

My wife is a former director of a daycare so she has seen her share of these cases. She says the same thing about ADD/ADHD and how it's BS. It's called parenting and interacting with your kids, not plopping them in front of the TV for the day. Like JLTW said, kids have ENERGY...let them burn some of those McNuggets and fries off at least huh??? Play catch with your son, do SOMETHING besides video games and Barney.

I'm pretty old fashioned when it comes to meds. If plenty of orange juice and a banana doesn't fix it, then you might need a Tylenol.
RSD, HHC 75th RHQ Dec 04-Oct 07
RCC, RSTB 75th Rgr Rgt. Oct 07-Feb 09
1/3 SFG (A) SigDet, Dec 09-May 12
RS 02-06

team 3 best team.
RRDTm3
Ranger
Posts: 5698
Joined: November 20th, 2003, 5:45 pm

Re: ADD

Post by RRDTm3 »

I can cure your ADD in about a week.
A co 3/75
RRD
RIP/PRC
Ranger Instructor 4th RTB
H co LRS
WTC
MUTC
#8-91

http://www.myspace.com/forcedentryrocks" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"I will never out rank stupid people"

Mentor to Myself
Oto-Man
Ranger
Posts: 3076
Joined: May 29th, 2006, 3:24 pm

Re: ADD

Post by Oto-Man »

RRDTm3 wrote:I can cure your ADD in about a week.
BAWHAHAHA. Roger that Ranger RRDTm3!!!!
B Co 2/75 (WEBCO)
1988-1990
RS Class 1-90
Baseplate
Ranger
Posts: 1865
Joined: September 3rd, 2004, 3:01 pm
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: ADD

Post by Baseplate »

ADHD is misdiagnosed 90% of the time. It is real just not as common as everyone thinks. I could go on but I have a hangover
HHC 1/75 mtrs Apr 2000- dec 2003
hang it, FIRE!!!!

"I feel sorry for anyone who is not an alcoholic---How would you like to wake up every moring & know that is the best you will feel all day?" W.C. Fields

1st Ranger Bn...We may not go down in history but we will go down on your sister
panthersix
Ranger
Posts: 2888
Joined: June 14th, 2008, 4:27 pm

Re: ADD

Post by panthersix »

RRDTm3 wrote:I can cure your ADD in about a week.
An M-16 cleaning rod does wonders for the concentration on the range......... :mrgreen:
Doc Mac
Ranger Class 11-80
C.Co. WPNS 1/75 79-81
3rd Plt/498th Medevac 81-82
104th LRSD 92-93
422d CA BN (A) 94-97
118th ASOS 02-08
Post Reply

Return to “Recruitment Process”