Jodi
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Jodi is in her 30s and has attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
‘My family made it out like it’s a disease that doesn’t exist,’ Jodi told the Royal Commission. ‘I’m actually very intelligent and my family have always told me that I’m nothing.’
When Jodie was in her late teens, a psychiatrist diagnosed ADHD and prescribed medication, which helped her ‘learn for the first time in [her] life’.
‘I was always a kind girl at school. I was nice, but I wasn’t really smart, you know … When you start to learn, you start to realise that, “Oh wow, this is what it’s like to be alive.”’
Jodi started her own business, married and had a son, who also has ADHD.
‘He doesn’t want to learn … he’s always tired, his brain doesn’t focus unless, you know, it’s video games or something that he can hyper focus on.’
Jodi was determined to intervene early with tutoring.
‘I had [him] twice a week going to occupational therapy and I really pushed him hard and that year he got an award from the school.’
Jodi is estranged from her father, who she said still doesn’t believe she has a disorder. Jodi said recently he told her psychiatrist she was overusing her medication. Her prescriptions stopped.
‘My life was on a path that, you know, we were just cruising along and just because my father didn’t believe me, yeah, everything has fallen apart.’
Jodi said without medication she’s struggling with anxiety and the ability to focus on work and personal tasks.
‘It is a massive setback for someone who was doing so well.’
Jodi recently separated from her husband. She said her family is now trying to prevent her son from receiving medication.
‘I’m going up against my family, and my family have said they’ll take me to court if I try and put him on medication.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.