So I have a mood/thought disorder which means I have elated, high moods aswell as low moods. I sadly also experience hallucinations and delusional beliefs at times but I now take medication to prevent these from worsening.
I understand about flying, but what else am I possibly limited too?
Are you actually a cadet already? Itās not clear if youāre asking because youāre thinking about joining, or because youāre already a cadet and have just had a diagnosis.
Iām already a cadet, I was sectioned last year but was discharged in January, I was in a squadron, left and transferred, got sectioned two weeks later and the old squadron kicked me out. Thankfully my old squadron have took me back and they have supported me fully.
This is one of those things that just needs to be discussed between you and your OC. Other than flying, thereās no set rules on āif you have X you canāt do Yā. And your OC may well not know the answer either, but we have a HQAC medical advisor of sorts who your OC might be able to reach out to.
It sounds like your doctor has got your medication perfected, which is fantastic to hear! From my point of view, if your medication removes all your symptoms, then thereās no problem. Other than flying anyway.
Ok, it is very hard to give specific advice without having access to all of the details. I have had a cadet turned staff member with bipolar disorder before and with the right support it can be managed, but you should be prepared for people who donāt understand it to not be as supportive and for some activities (usually those with a risk to life element) not being available to you I would suspect.
Thatās probably the hardest (& most unusual) question on this site for as long as I can remember.
We arenāt medical experts & I canāt (off the top of my head) think of any references that might help - although there might be some hidden away.
I also wouldnāt discuss your condition / circumstances here as it could make you easily identifiable.
All your medical aspects should have been listed by your parents / guardians on your joining paperwork with any necessary discussion with squadron staff. This would include (if relevant) any SEN details & report(s). If the condition has materialised since you joined, then this needs to be formally notified to your squadron staff. Notification is for the protection of everyone.
Stressing that I am certainly not a medical expert, itās likely that your squadron OC has to be guided by you & your parents / guardians / medical team. We try to be all-inclusive but dependant of the severity of your condition / control by medication, there could be a wide range of activities where I might see potential difficulties, such as shooting, adventure training or even Duke of Edinburghās scheme. On the other hand, your medical specialist(s) might say that you should be able to participate across all activities without restriction.
The only issue that affects me severely is just sleeping issues, I have other problems that arenāt to be discussed online that impact me severely. Iām very fortunate that I have access to the correct medications, I used to be in sea cadets but had to leave due to discrimination (when my mental health went ass backwards )
Iāve done my gold DofE already, Achieved my gold first aid because I did my MOI and Master cadet training while in hospital. This is where my squadron absolutely fought my corner and got me a lot of support.
I know of instances where the organisation has asked for a fit note of sorts from a doctor. To the effect of āMr Bloggs has X disorder and is currently on Y medication. So long as Mr Bloggs takes Y medication as described, they are symptom free and will not have any problems taking part in an activity that anyone else their age would.ā
The real question would be if your doctor would be happy writing such a note.
Thereās obviously a scale here. And it would be for your doctor to decide where you are on that scale. Possibly in discussion with the HQAC medical person too.
This wonāt be, or shouldnāt be a blanker yes or no either way.
For some people with bipolar, meds can make them completely symptom free and like a ānormal lifeā. (I hate using the term normal, but you know what I mean!)