ADD

I've just turned 31 and I've decided to go back to university with interests in the medical field. And then I realized that it's a lot of hard work and it takes about 8 years, including meeting prerequisites and such, to pursue this .. I've never finished anything in my life and I'm banned from getting student loans. I've pretty much failed everything I've tried to study. I think I have the symptoms but I don't like talking about it to friends(I don't have many and they often come and go) so I asked my older sister, who is willing to help pay a portion of my tuition, and she responded negatively and told me not to make excuses for being a failure. I really don't like talking to doctors or shrinks because they make me angry and I usually lie to them just to get rid of them. Also, I can't really afford to see either of those right now but I think it's about time I made an effort. Does anyone have some sort of learning disability and have finished uni? I know there are many that have but I'm planning my education with little confidence ... Any advice would be nice ... like which professional to talk to, tests and exercises, how to overcome it, etc .. Am I just making excuses? Will I be way out of my league? I'm really tired of being broke, being stupid, and being the black sheep in my family.

what sort of learning disability do you have? most universities are pretty damn accommodating. for example, persons with dyslexia are given more time to complete their exams, and so forth. and do not be daunted or intimidated by the university setting! trust me if you have an interest then you can learn what you need to learn. of course, not everyone can be a neurosurgeon, but neurosurgeons need nurses that are skilled and who understand a great deal about that field and who fulfill vital roles. you have made a decision and it is a good one. all the best

I think you need to talk to someone about whatever the problem is - your post doesn't make it clear what the problems are? The Uni will have staff counsellors, and someone who specialises in careers guidance - why not talk to them? You don't sound very motivated to me, and I get the impression that you are not particularly interested in the kind of work you are training for? I get the feeling from your post that you feel you should be doing something, and that your family are pushing you to do something constructive with your life. But what do you want to do? Doctors are well paid, and it's a job that comes with some status, but I doubt that such rewards will carry you through eight years of head-down work. If you are not interested in the work itself, then you are probably wasting everyone's time, including your own. The difference between counselling and 'advice giving' is that counselling helps you to find answers from within you, rather than from other people. If you discover that you are heading in the wrong direction it won't be about failure, it will be a step nearer to finding a road you want to travel. It sounds as if your sister wants what is best for you, and maybe her remark about making excuses for failing was made in the spirit of 'tough love'? But if she's trying to push you in a direction that isn't right for you, then her loving aspirations for you coud be misguided. She might want to carry you over the hurdles, but eight years is a long time, and if your heart isn't in it, then it won't work because the fight in you will be facing in the wrong direction, i.e. you will be rebelling rather than fighting a battle that you want to win. Try googling with: "Transactional Analysis", it's a useful framework for working out what's going on inside your head, and also around you, i.e. within your family and social contacts. It's your life, and ultimately you will have to take responsibility for the decisions you make, but if you make and "own the decisions", then it's much easier to live with the consequences, whatever they might be. Personally, I think the best idea is to find something you like doing, and then find a way of getting paid for it. If you can find a career that gives you job satisfaction and a decent wage, then in my book you've cracked it, even if it doesn't meet someone else's idea of what was best for you.