# Should i even bother applying to the C.F?



## Bliss (25 Nov 2013)

When i was about 6 i was diagnosed with a.d.d and put  on ritalin, from about 6- to 10 i was on ritalin,adderal,dexedrine (not all at the same time) until i was old enough to realize how much  agonizing problems these drugs were causing me and told to take me off.

I also was diagnosed as a child with asthma, although it was always very mild and i never needed medication, i havn't even been persribed medication since i was about 11. I'm now 23 and i havn't even had mild signs of asthma since i was 12 and have not even mad medication on me, as i only used said medication about once when i was younger, when i did have some mild symptoms.

And theirs more.... unfortunately

Around the age of 17 i started using opiates and obtained a nice habit of using oxycontin and other strong opiates, at the age of 20 i went on a methadone program and now i am almost off the program and have been clean from everything for 2 years ( i don't even drink). Ontop of all that i used to be a heavy user of Cannabis from around the age of 12 to 20. I have used cannabis rarely in the passed 3 years.

From hearing all the stories on how harsh the Canadian Forces can be on people who were drug users in the past im sort of worried and thinking i might as well not even waste their time with all these issues.

I believe i no longer have a.d.d or was mis-diagnosed as i don't have any symptoms and i believe its hard to diagnose someone at that young of an age. I don't have problems concentrating i just didn't want to when i was young and immature.

With everything listed it seems like i have a long list of reasons why they wouldn't want me and i think they'd only look at the good and not the bad.

I know being a solider is what i want do normal jobs have never seemed "right" for me and i think i acted out in the worst kind of ways because of this, i like being very active and enjoy hard challenges and want to do more then the normal 9 to 5. I've always been fascinated in WW1 and WW2 history, counter-insurgency tacticts, special operations units, and love shooting my guns at the range.

I have also studying how modern era weapons work, aka direct gas impingement, gas piston driven systems.

I also am near-sighted but i don't wear glasses anymore and i passed my drivers eye test without wearing anything and would likely not wear glasses if i didn't have to in the army.


Should i wait a little longer to apply or just try right away?

If the Canadian army wont accept me then i was thinking about trying the Israeli army as i am half jewish so i can serve their, But i would rather serve the country i was born in.

(btw i do not have a criminal record)


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## Bluebulldog (25 Nov 2013)

So you're drug free for 24 plus months?

You're not medicated for any existing known condition?

Go into a CFRC and start the conversation. Also speak with your physician and determine if you would be considered as having any existing condition that would preclude you from being employed.

Past mis-deeds are not necessarily a factor. But your honesty about them is.....


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## ModlrMike (25 Nov 2013)

Bliss said:
			
		

> Around the age of 17 i started using opiates and obtained a nice habit of using oxycontin and other strong opiates, at the age of 20 i went on a methadone program and now i am almost off the program and have been clean from everything for 2 years ( i don't even drink).



You would likely need to be off the Methadone for at least a year as well. As much as it is a legal drug, the methadone programme is an addiction treatment and is incompatible with service.


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## Bliss (25 Nov 2013)

Yep I know, i've just been worried about reading how people have been turned down for minor things like having ADD. Which i'm going to go ask for a re-test because i don't believe i do have it, as i don't have any symptoms of it, and i believe diagnosing kids as young as 6 is wrong, i havn't met a 6 year old yet that DOESN'T act like they have ADD.

And yes i havn't taken any medication for anything in 10 years, EXCEPT the methadone which i am almost off, so i don't know how they would consider that as it is prescribed but ive been clean off all the other stuff for 2 years.


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## medicineman (25 Nov 2013)

Still being on methadone will likely be a show stopper.  Even though it's prescribed, it's part of an addiction treatment program, so you'll have to stay with that program and be drug free for some time after completion of it.  I've not met many CF medical officers or civilians hired by them that have their methadone licenses, and treatment is definetely incompatible with Service in the CF (as mentioned by the other MM), especially during the early pahses of training.  BTW, true ADD/ADHD isn't really a "minor" thing, especially where there are a lot of impulse control issues involved -I've seen the end results of too much of that in the Service.

MM


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## ModlrMike (25 Nov 2013)

Bliss said:
			
		

> Yep I know, i've just been worried about reading how people have been turned down for minor things like having ADD. Which i'm going to go ask for a re-test because i don't believe i do have it, as i don't have any symptoms of it, and i believe diagnosing kids as young as 6 is wrong, i havn't met a 6 year old yet that DOESN'T act like they have ADD.
> 
> And yes i havn't taken any medication for anything in 10 years, EXCEPT the methadone which i am almost off, so i don't know how they would consider that as it is prescribed but ive been clean off all the other stuff for 2 years.




Prescribed: issued under medical licence

Proscribed: forbidden

Methadone is both.


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## Nudibranch (25 Nov 2013)

Should you bother applying now? No, you will need to be off methadone and stabilized (hence the 1-year mark).

Should you bother applying in the future? Why not, provided you do well. I have seen people with admitted histories of ADD, drug abuse, etc on their recruit medicals, and they got it. Obviously all of these are handled on a case by case basis and I did not see what supporting documentation they had to give, but fact is, some people with these histories get it. Some undoubtedly do not. Get fully clean (including off your legal substitute opioid), wait a while, and try. Worst they can say is no.


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