LILAC

"Live in Lincoln ADHD Conference"

Will Someone Recognise Me!

Lea

I am Lea (Leanne) I am 19 years old and live in Leeds.

I am the one responsible for having the mad idea to hold a conference on AD/HD and similar neurological conditions.

I had the idea because I thought it would be fun to hold and even more fun to arrange!

Let me give you a brief bit of history on myself.

I have been diagnosed with ADD, SPD, HPD and SELF INJURY. Yeah that's right I am female and got t diagnosis of ADD! I bet its not very often you hear that!

School for me was hell; friends were few and far between as a result of being bullied on a daily basis. I detested school, wishing I could be anywhere but in the lessons. I managed to get myself banned from maths GCSE classes for telling the teacher my rights when I was 15.

For my GCSE exams i had to sit them in the head teachers office with a learning support present. I was provided with breaks as required and extra time, this helped enormously.

I eventually gained 5 GCSE's at grade C or above including a grade A for religious studies.

Over the last 4 1/2 yrs I have been on various medications. These include Ritalin, Seroxat, Clonazepam, Buspar, Zispin, Sodium Valporate and a lot more. I am now taking Rispiridol to assist with my mood swings, impulsivity and ADD. I have been fairly content on this drug since November 2001.

Back in February 2000, I was skipping a college lesson and bored.

I had the mad idea to think that if I could allow myself to concentrate for short lengths of time I would be able to produce a website on AD/HD and co morbid conditions. I had for the previous few years searched the net in search of a site like the one I wanted to set up. A site, which would provide, information for young AD/HDers perspective on the condition, that would provide an insight into the world of AD/HD from that viewpoint. And so on the 10th of February 2000 YADHDPM was born.

YADHDPM stands for YOUNG ADD AND ADHD PEOPLE MATTER. The site can be found on www.yadhdpm.co.uk Please visit it and sign the guest book!

So what else is there to know about me?

Well I have spent 4 separate admissions to psychiatric units. The first when I was just 17 years old as the result of a suicide attempt.

Included in these 4, I spent 6 months at a therapeutic community, which specialises in self-injury based in London.

Well, I am hoping to restart college in September and complete a 2 yr course in health and social care so that one day I can become a youth worker.

If you would like to know more about me, then please visit the LILAC (Live In Lincoln AD/HD Conference) where I shall be speaking.

Thanks for reading

Lea
xxx