Withdrawl: An escape without other options

What would you do if you were forced into an activity that caused you a lot of emotional pain and trauma? Does the working world expect you to stay at a job where people tell you that you're lousy for 13 to 17 years of your life? Of course not. An adult has the option to say, "I quit," and find an alternative, healthier work environment. Children, teens, and young adults in college do not have this luxury, or in truth ANY options. They are simply expected to tough it out or maybe find better classes (most of which are set up exactly the same way). Alternative learning methods/systems are usually prohibitively expensive - and these are placed on the parents' shoulders to recognize and find.

How would you survive this emotional onslaught, especially if you were fairly sure what was going to happen when all was said and done (i.e. inevitably fail your papers, tests, etc.)? More often than not, students just quit; before having any alternatives offered by the system. This doesn't even scratch the surface of our appalling high school dropout rates: 33% nationally - that is, 1 in 3 students. I don't know how bad it is for college students, though I read once that of a group of ADHD students polled who even tried college (20% of those surveyed), only a quarter of them graduated with a degree (1 in 20; or 5%).

If they don't outright drop out, they often give up mentally and accept their fate as underachievers (i.e., lazy good-for-nothings). The lucky ones will be stubborn enough to succeed in spite of problems - and seek out working survival solutions (what this blog is intended to help with). The way these achievement problems are labeled, and consequently handled, can make or break a student - both mentally and grade-wise. Even though I suspect that the information on graduation rates of ADHD students in college is outdated, I wouldn't be surprised if it still severely lags the overall graduation rate.

That *may* be changing as more colleges respond to the needs of these students (it would be about time), but unfortunately, students still need to be their own best advocates to ensure their survival in the academic wilderness. Most classes still use teaching methods that hit ADHD weak zones (like lecturing and long projects). To get a reprieve, get involved in extracurriculars.

With all the odds stacked against them, it's difficult to see the upside of getting through schooling - but it is worth it. I hope and envision that someday soon, having an LD like ADD/HD will be completely irrelevant to someone's ability to get through school and college. Until then, don't give up! There is an end to the frustration. Knowing this was one of the only things that pulled me through, and I wish you all a better academic experience.