Question about university

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I am wondering as to how much support I can expect from Cambridge or UCL (depending on what my a-level results are when they come out on 14/08/08 ). I have Asperger's syndrome and I have also recently been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. What support can I expect from university? My doctor has already sent a letter to my university about my conditions.

Last edited by SteelMaiden on 05 Aug 2008, 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

there is support and an expectation for your employer and educational establishment to provide reasonable assistance and adjustments for your needs.
thats it......there is no legal definition of resonable adjustments...problem is you will be legally an adult and you will find in the UK that when people with AS turn 18 they are cured of AS and there is very little support or intervention.
The NAS has support groups and adult social groupd set up at most universities all over the UK.

Fair enough with the AS problem. Any ideas what universities and employers genuinely think about schizophrenia? Will they automatically turn me down?

ok i cant speak for others, but i wouldnt employ you if i were an employer and you stated you where schizophrenic.
sad?
yeah it , is.
but it is also true.
i would be sympathetic to mental anomalies as well.
you going to have to get used to this.

I think most people don't understand what schizophrenia is. To most people it is an extremely disturbing condition which murderers often have. I don't agree with this and if the person had schizophrenia I would treat them like anyone else and see what they are like in an interview. Unfortunately schizophrenics are one of the most discriminated against groups in the world even though they are less likely to commit a murder than a so-called mentally well person.

I would imagine that there will be counselors and psychiatrists available to help you in both those universities. I went to Trinity College Dublin and I had a lot of support from the Health Centre there and the Student Counseling service. I'm sure Cambridge and UCL will have equivalent or better services. You will probably need a lot of support as university can be difficult for anyone.

I don't have schizophrenia but I am autistic so I can emphasize greatly with how you must be feeling about this daunting change.

I have been police sectioned as well, so I suppose that this would go on records and all my employers would see it? I know that I can't buy a gun because of my record (which is sad because I wanted to take up rifle shooting as a hobby, as I'm very good at it).
I suppose this means end of a chance and beginning of discrimination stress.
I hope that Cambridge will help me if I go there. They haven't refused me so I suppose I am doing well.

Thanks.

I assume you are taking medication of some kind as you seem extremely lucid. I think the fact that you are receiving treatment of some sort indicates a more positive prognosis in your case. Also beginning treatment early in schizophrenia is best way of dealing with the condition in the long term. I would imagine most schizophrenics are sectioned before they are first diagnosed. I would also imagine that potential employers would be legally obligated to treat you as they would any other applicant. I don't think they can discriminate against you because of a chronic illness like schizophrenia. You will probably be discriminated against by people who are scared of the condition but I would try not to let this bother you. There may be support groups for sufferers in the Cambridge and London areas and this could provide another support system that would be helpful in your case.

I used to fear that I was schizophrenic so I researched it a lot and decided it was unlikely, autism fitted better.

I hope all this makes you feel a little better. I have first hand experience of being mentally ill in college. I have suffered from very bad depression since I was 15 and the university did everything they could to help me complete my degree. My tutor was very helpful, I had a counsellor and a psychiatrist to prescribe me medication. I wouldn't have finished university without these supports.

The following links could be useful if you go to Cambridge:

http://www.cam.ac.uk/disability/

And

http://www.cam.ac.uk/staffstudents/studenthandbook/welfare/healthcare/problems.html

http://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/welfare/menta ... tacts.html
http://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/welfare/menta ... tacts.html
http://www.cam.ac.uk/disability/support ... lties.html

These websites may be helpful.

I am doing a lot better than four weeks ago. I am on 15mg olanzapine - a high dose for my age and weight.
I am still struggling with voices, hallucinations and distressing/intrusive thoughts, but I am fighting the illness.
I appear lucid because I am typing and I always appear lucid when typing but you won't believe that inside I'm screaming.
Thank you very much for the advice and links. I will have a look.
I hope that employers wil be as level-headed as you are in the future.
Thank you.

Thank you very much, I will have a look at these.