Hi all, I desperately want to study at KGU and after getting to the medical form section, I’m not sure if I should disclose my ADHD and depression? I want to be as truthful as possible but I also don’t want my controlled and treated mental health issues to be a consideration for them in my applicant form.
I am afraid to ask my college study abroad advisor since I think he’s a mandated reporter and might be required to tell me to disclose it to them.
Particularly for ADHD, I am being treated with Adderall and since Adderall is illegal in Japan and I won’t be able to take it with me, I’m worried it will be a deciding factor in refusing my application.
Since mental health is more stigmatized in Japan, I’m so worried that they will make it a deciding factor in not letting me study abroad. I’m very confident that I will be emotionally stable in Japan and I have a great support system and really stable medication that is authorized for use in Japan for my depression. If my depression gets unmanageable there I am willing to go home.
Would it be better to go to my new primary care doctor (who doesn’t know of my mental health history) and ask her to fill out the form instead of my psychiatrist?
Does anyone have any experience disclosing mental health issues to Kansai Gaidai or tips on managing ADHD with medication that is authorized for use in Japan? Thank you so much.
9 comments
Don’t disclose this on your application. In general, study abroad admins want people that are strong enough to stand on their own two feet, as study abroad is a stressful experience where you are expected to be resilient and act independently in a new environment, very far from your traditional support system. In the best case, disclosing wont strengthen your application, while in the worst case it will actively harm it.
More importantly, be honest with yourself about your abilities and goals. I am not here to judge, but are you in a state where you can have a good experience traveling by yourself abroad? If you have an emergency do you know where you can get help and find good psychiatric resources while in Japan? As you know already, Japan can be a lonely and isolating place for foreigners. Its wise to not underestimate these factors. Make sure you have contingencies and backup plans.
If you think you can do it, then by all means go and kudos to you for fighting to reach your goals. But if not, it might be more prudent to get yourself in a good headspace and revisiting this again when you feel stronger. This is coming from someone that also suffers from anxiety and depression but didnt give up on moving to Japan.
my school accepted me with my ADHD diagnosis. The only thing they wanted was a note from my doctor that I was fit to attend school and that my symptoms were managed by medication. You could also try switching to concerta (methylphenidate) which is legal up to 18mg or strattera which I’m pretty sure is also legal. Just know if you are considering taking concerta you will have to apply for permission from [narcotics control](https://www.ncd.mhlw.go.jp/en/application.html)
I’d suggest being straightforward with them. They may be able to line you up a place to get support for both of those things, whereas if you get in and anyone finds out you lied about that, you might get booted out on a moment’s notice. You really want to spend your entire school life looking over your shoulder, worrying about someone finding out?
The topic of ADHD meds comes up fairly frequently in Japanlife.
You can probably find some info relevant to your situation there (I saw something about ADHD meds in the Osaka area within the last week):
[https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/search/?q=ADHD&restrict_sr=1&sr_nsfw=](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/search/?q=ADHD&restrict_sr=1&sr_nsfw=)
TL:DR: it is possible to get a various ADHD meds in Japan, optimally, get your current doctor to switch your prescription to something that is legal & commonly supplied in Japan, it should be relatively easy to get a psychiatrist within Japan to oversee the continuance of your prescription.
Just wanted to let you know about a fantastic English-speaking Mental health clinic that I attend in Osaka. The doctor is Japanese and studied in Switzerland, and his wife is a pharmacist and grew up in the states so her English is native level. They are extremely kind and have a good number of foreign patients. They have a Japanese and English web page so I’d suggest getting in touch before you come to Japan and explaining your situation and what kind of meds you’d need. They will be able to let you know what is and isn’t available here and maybe get a first appointment set up. Would ease the stress of trying to find a doctor when you first arrive and knowing that you can get prescriptions filled easily.
Ikegami Mental Health Clinic, right next to Higashimikuni subway station on the Midosuji line.
just remember that there are certain ADHD meds that are illegal in japan, and if you say that you take those they might deny you since it’s hard to predict if you’d faithfully do your own research and would not have any affects even if you switched meds. japan usually cuts liabilities even if it doesn’t make sense. 10/10 i would specify that you are listing physical illnesses and only do that
Kansai Gaidai’s Asian Studies Program is primarily instructors who at least studied in the U.S. So mental illness isn’t considered as fringe.
I didn’t disclose anything like that, but I also wasn’t taken any meds at that time. There’s a special form you need to fill out for medications but I’m sure you know that already.
I faintly recall the university asking exchange students a second time if they needed mental health accommodations during the first week orientation.
I don’t think “mandated reporter” status has anything to do with leaking your medical situations to KGU.
In any event I disclosed my ADHD (but not my intermittent depression) when applying to KGU but was still accepted for the year term.
I know you posted this about a month ago so I hope you found the answer you were looking for but I wouldn’t put it on the form. Also your advisor cannot inform them of your medical information. I’m also planning to go to KGU for the upcoming year so I hope to see you there!