The fast-approaching exam season tends to be the time of year when stress and fatigue peak for students. With heaps of information to memorize, review, and understand, many students face challenges and performing below their full potential. Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may find this period even more challenging.
Dr. Annick Vincent, a psychiatrist at Quebec City’s Focus Clinic at the Centre Medical l’Hetrier, and clinical professor at Laval University, said that experts are still unsure about the causes of ADHD.
“We don’t know why ADHD happens, but we find that in 80 per cent of the cases, family genetics have some correlation,” she said. “ADHD is thankfully controllable in most cases, but those with severe symptoms still lack resources from [the] government, especially in Quebec.”
Vincent described the disorder as having two sets of symptoms—attention symptoms and hyperactive symptoms.
“[For attention symptoms] you have difficulty paying attention, maintain[ing] attention, and seeing the errors you may commit,” she said. “You may be more forgetful, lose your things more often, and it may be more difficult to organize your life [and] your tasks. For the hyperactive symptoms, you are unable to stand still while you wait, and you talk when you want to talk. You may interrupt others, like your teacher, and read too fast.”
Of course, not everyone with these symptoms has ADHD. Depending on the duration, severity, and scope of the symptoms, psychologists and other experts diagnose symptoms based on a set of criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM).
“Knowing whether or not one has ADHD is very important not only because treatment will be delayed, but also since individuals’ symptoms may cause many problems in the people’s lives,” Vincent said. “Having difficulties in sleeping and studying can be detrimental to a student who does not receive help.”
U2 arts student Leah Brainerd says her ADHD makes it difficult to concentrate, especially during exams.
“The noise and movement can distract me really easily, and writing down ideas and structuring them can be pretty challenging too,” she said. “It is much better when I write exams in quiet, isolated rooms because I don’t think about other things as much and can concentrate on the questions.”
Fortunately for those who have ADHD, there are resources both on and off campus that can help. At McGill, students with ADHD can seek help from the Office for Students with Disabilities both before and during exams. Services range from academic planning and professional support to special arrangements for exam situations, like providing a distraction-free room.
These special accommodations require a certified written diagnosis, but the office will also provide assistance or advice for students who are unsure or have recently discovered a disability.
Outside McGill, students can seek help from various clinics and hospitals within Montreal. There is virtually no cost for students who seek minimal assistance from professionals due to government subsidies. However, for students who require intensive private treatment, the costs can be quite steep, usually running from $50 to $150 per session depending on the therapist’s background and experience.
Vincent used glasses as an analogy to understanding the treatment of ADHD.
“Glasses help you read, but [don’t] teach you how to read,” she said. “Treating ADHD is very much the same. We help you to adapt to the environment and adapt to yourself with mental strategies and medications, but it’s still up to yourself to make it work.”
For more information, students should refer to the online website http://www.mcgill.ca/osd/, or contact specialists directly at the McGill Office for Students with Disabilites.
