ADD

Is there a place on campus to get tested for mental health disorders? Will my student insurance cover it?

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Is there a place on campus to get tested for mental health disorders? Will my student insurance cover it?

Most of the time when people ask us about testing for mental health disorders, they’re talking about Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD.  (It’s called ADHD if there is an element of Hyperactivity in addition to attention problems.)  And yes, there is a place to get tested on campus.

This type of testing is performed by a neuropsychologists and psychologists, and we are lucky to have some of them here at Ohio State.  You will need a referral from a primary health care provider in order to schedule an appointment for this testing, which we are happy to provide. 

We usually refer students to Dr. Robert Bornstein, Dr. Douglas Kramer, or Dr. Elizabeth Cook at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.  Dr. Bornstein does the testing at the first appointment and it takes about 4 hours to complete.  Dr. Kramer and Dr. Cook will bring you in for a consultation first to determine what testing they want to do and then have you return for the testing itself.

Once the testing has been completed, the doctor will analyze the results and send a formal report back to you and the referring health care provider.  At that point, you would schedule a follow-up appointment with your referring provider to go over the results and determine the appropriate course of action.

OSU Aetna Student Health Insurance does cover ADD/ADHD testing. We can’t quote you an exact cost, but you can contact the Student Health Insurance office at 614-688-7979 to get more information about your benefits.

Whether or not you do formal neuropsychiatric testing, Counseling and Consultative Service offers individual and group counseling services for students with ADHD and The Office of Disability Services can assist students with ADHD in obtaining necessary accommodations for academic work.  However, it’s important to note that neither of these offices offers testing.

There are certainly other mental health issues besides ADD/ADHD that affect college and grad/professional students, but there aren’t specific tests to make or confirm the diagnosis.  These require a comprehensive evaluation by a health professional – sometimes multiple evaluations with multiple professionals – and luckily there are many resources here on campus (and beyond) that we connect you with if needed.

If you have any questions about the diagnosis and management of any mental health issues you are experiencing, you’re always welcome to call or make an appointment to speak with us about it.

Alison Sauers
Student Health Services
The Ohio State University

John A. Vaughn, MD
Student Health Services
The Ohio State University

Is it OK to share my ADD medicines?

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Don't end up like this guy!

ADD medicine

Q:  Is it OK to give my friend one of my ADD pills to help him study for a test?

A:  Before we answer that question, let me ask you another one.  Would you sell that pill to a stranger for $50?  I’m guessing – hoping – your answer is an emphatic “NO.”  Well, from a legal point of view, these two questions are identical.

Most ADD medications (such as Concerta, Ritalin, Adderall, Focalin, Metadate, Methylin, and Daytrana) are Schedule II controlled substances because of their serious side effects and potential for addiction.  They are monitored very closely by doctors, pharmacists, and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).  We’re not lawyers here at Student Health, but we do know that… 

It is a violation of Section 2925.03 of the Ohio Revised Code (Ohio law) to sell another person a controlled substance.  The important thing to remember here is that the legal definition of “sell” includes “delivery, barter, exchange, transfer, or gift…”  

So even if you are just trying to help out your friend – and getting nothing in exchange for it – you are breaking the law.  And we’re not talking about a speeding ticket here.  You are committing a 4th degree felony, which is punishable by 6-18 months in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.  And assuming you are anywhere on or near campus, the felony gets bumped up to 3rd degree and you’re looking at 1-5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.  Not to mention the fact that you could lose your financial aid and/or get kicked out of school.  

Now granted, the odds of someone busting into your dorm room and catching you in the act are very slim.  And unless you really don’t get along with your roommates or neighbors, odds are no one is going to turn you in.  But forget about the legal stuff for a minute.

  1. These medications are addictive and there’s a real chance your friend could get hooked on this stuff.  You don’t want to risk sending someone down that dark road.
  2. While these medications have a calming effect on people with ADD, they are actually central nervous system stimulants so in addition to things like headache, insomnia, anorexia, agitation, anxiety, tremors, vertigo, depression, and nervousness, they can cause life-threatening problems like heart attacks, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and heart arrhythmias.  Doctors evaluate people for these conditions prior to starting these medications and monitor them closely while they’re taking them.  Without knowing your friend’s health history, you could literally be putting his life at risk – and no test is worth that much. 

Managing your health is a serious responsibility and that’s especially true if you have ADD.  If you’re taking one of these medications, the best thing to do is keep it to yourself – if no one knows you have the pills, they won’t be able to ask you for one.  And if you have a friend who is taking these medicines, don’t pressure them into giving you one.  It’s more likely to hurt you than help you, and it’ll just put everyone at risk for serious trouble. 

If you have any questions about these or other medications you may be taking, the staff of Student Health Services pharmacy is always available to help!

Jason Goodman, PharmD, RPh (OSU SHS)

Can I get treated for ADD at the Student Health Center?

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ADD medicine

Q: Does Student Health Services provide evaluation and treatment for ADD/ADHD, and if not, can you refer me to a reliable provider in the Columbus area?

A:  As we mentioned in a previous post, the management of Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder – ADD or ADHD – is tricky because of the dangerous nature of the medications involved, so Student Health Services has to follow very strict guidelines.  Here’s the deal: 

The primary care physicians at Student Health Services can treat you for ADHD if the following are in place:

  • You have documentation of neuropsychological testing on file with us that establishes the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD and includes the name and specialty of the tester as well as the results of the specific tests performed.
  • You do not have other mental health diagnoses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or psychotic disorders.
  • You sign a medication contract with us.

Does a letter from my doctor back home count as documentation?  No. 

Does a copy of my medical records from back home count?  No.   

But my doctor never sent me for all of those tests.  She just diagnosed me in her office, started prescribing the medicines and I’ve always done fine on them. 

In that case, you’ve got two options: keep seeing your doctor back home for your ADHD or get formal testing done to confirm the diagnosis.

So where do I get this neuropsychological testing done?

Unfortunately, Student Health Services does not offer neuropsychological testing at this time.  Counseling and Consultative Service offers individual and group counseling services for students with ADHD and The Office of Disability Services can assist students with ADHD in obtaining necessary accommodations for academic work, but neither of them offer testing either.

If your doctor can’t refer you to someone back home, we usually refer students to Dr. Robert Bornstein or Dr. Elizabeth Cook at the Medical Center.  The testing usually takes around half a day to complete and costs around $300 out of pocket (be sure to check with your health insurance plan for exact coverage info).

We know this is a huge hassle.  We know that it’s a lot of time and money – two things that most students don’t have a lot of.  And most of all, we know that it sucks to be made to feel like a criminal when all you’re doing is seeking care for a medical condition.  And we are sorry.  But unfortunately, there are people out there who are abusing the system and we only make you jump through all of these hoops to ensure your safety and the safety of the other students on campus.

If you have any further questions about ADHD management at Student Health Services, you’re always welcome to call or make an appointment to speak with us about it.   

John A. Vaughn, MD (Ohio State University Student Health Services)

Is it OK to share ADD medicine?

by

Don't end up like this guy!

ADD medicine

Q:  Is it OK to give my friend one of my ADD pills to help him study for a test?

A:  Before we answer that question, let me ask you another one.  Would you sell that pill to a stranger for $50?  I’m guessing – hoping – your answer is an emphatic “NO.”  Well, from a legal point of view, these two questions are identical.

Most ADD medications (such as Concerta, Ritalin, Adderall, Focalin, Metadate, Methylin, and Daytrana) are Schedule II controlled substances because of their serious side effects and potential for addiction.  They are monitored very closely by doctors, pharmacists, and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).  We’re not lawyers here at Student Health, but we do know that… 

It is a violation of Section 2925.03 of the Ohio Revised Code (Ohio law) to sell another person a controlled substance.  The important thing to remember here is that the legal definition of “sell” includes “delivery, barter, exchange, transfer, or gift…”  

So even if you are just trying to help out your friend – and getting nothing in exchange for it – you are breaking the law.  And we’re not talking about a speeding ticket here.  You are committing a 4th degree felony, which is punishable by 6-18 months in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.  And assuming you are anywhere on or near campus, the felony gets bumped up to 3rd degree and you’re looking at 1-5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.  Not to mention the fact that you could lose your financial aid and/or get kicked out of school.  

Now granted, the odds of someone busting into your dorm room and catching you in the act are very slim.  And unless you really don’t get along with your roommates or neighbors, odds are no one is going to turn you in.  But forget about the legal stuff for a minute.

  1. These medications are addictive and there’s a real chance your friend could get hooked on this stuff.  You don’t want to risk sending someone down that dark road.
  2. While these medications have a calming effect on people with ADD, they are actually central nervous system stimulants so in addition to things like headache, insomnia, anorexia, agitation, anxiety, tremors, vertigo, depression, and nervousness, they can cause life-threatening problems like heart attacks, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and heart arrhythmias.  Doctors evaluate people for these conditions prior to starting these medications and monitor them closely while they’re taking them.  Without knowing your friend’s health history, you could literally be putting his life at risk – and no test is worth that much. 

Managing your health is a serious responsibility and that’s especially true if you have ADD.  If you’re taking one of these medications, the best thing to do is keep it to yourself – if no one knows you have the pills, they won’t be able to ask you for one.  And if you have a friend who is taking these medicines, don’t pressure them into giving you one.  It’s more likely to hurt you than help you, and it’ll just put everyone at risk for serious trouble. 

If you have any questions about these or other medications you may be taking, the staff of Student Health Services pharmacy is always available to help!

Jason Goodman, PharmD, RPh (OSU SHS)