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Faking extenuating circumstances

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
This is a bit of a rant, but there are 2 people opposite me in the computer room and one is saying that if his tutor follows up his threat to kick him off the course he'll fake depression to get extenuating circumstances. :mad:

Oh, that will piss me off all day now. No wonder I worry that I'll not be taken seriously.
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know, and our disability service are fab but they do ask for a lot of proof before they back you up so I know in this case it probably would go nowhere but it pisses me off. I know one person who claimed his uncle had died to get an extension once.... Grrr. People.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There was a case of a University of London student faking it in the past and then writting in 'London Student' about it.

    Tbh it's not exactly hard to fake depression even if you go to a doctor they will base it on what the patient says about their 'symptons' and it's really easy to lie.

    They didn't do anything mildly supportive or useful for me when I was depressed at university anyway though so hopefully the said student won't get help either.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Does 'I can't be arsed' count as mitigating circumstances?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bit shit but unfortunately it happens. Depression is stupidly easy to fake. When I went the doctor telling him how I felt, he just diagnosed with depression (after only talking to me for 5 minutes, he didn't really know anything about me) and put me on ADs.

    I found it VERY EASY getting a doctors note confirming that I suffer from panic attacks and he happened to mention that he had treated me for depression (although I didn't actually ask him for this). I had only mentioned my panic attacks once previously (as originally, rather than going for depression, I went to the doctor for help with my anxiety). I thought it would be harder getting a doctors note than it actually was. Although it was in my medical record, its not something that was talked about often when I visited him.

    I've found my University to be very helpful. I don't get extenuating cicumstances as such (as my marks are not affected whatsoever) but they sort me out my own examination room (so I'm away from everyone else and it helps me stay calm) and I have 25% more time than all of the other students.

    One of my tutors manages all of the coursework extension forms and the stuff people make up is ridiculous. Its really annoying but its just one of those things.
    I'd get really pissed off if someone faked what I suffer from to get what I get but unfortunately, there probably is many people out there who do.

    Don't let it get to you :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    They normally need some sort of proof, but if you get a "helpful" doctor they'll get it.

    I was chatting a while ago to a department secretary who was saying that people will do anything to get extensions for deadlines. Apparently the best she heard was someone claiming that a chipped nail is a "hand injury" :lol:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You may not like me now but fuck it, I'd make something up to get an extension!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kermit wrote:
    I was chatting a while ago to a department secretary who was saying that people will do anything to get extensions for deadlines. Apparently the best she heard was someone claiming that a chipped nail is a "hand injury" :lol:

    Of course, a chipped nail really stops you from doing stuff, doesn't it?:rolleyes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    surely though, you cannot fake depression or a medical condition. i mean you'd have to have medical proof you'd suffered with it for a while, that you are undertaking treatment like being on antidepressant drugs etc - enough for it to have a significant effect on your studies. otherwise anyone could say 'well...i've been feeling a bit down...so all my work has been effected... i'm depressed' - it doesn't work imo. unless you had a crap doctor who was willing to make an untrue diagnosis knowing it was such and sign it as such on an extenuating circumstances form.
    that would actually really piss me off. i mean i've filled out one of those forms in the past when i've been going through absolute hell in my life and my studies have been significantly affected as a result. but if people can get away so easily with faking a form like that... well... its just not fair...putting it mildly... f**k those people!
    i suppose the only good thing is they will have it stuck on their medical records for good, which never looks very good - mental health problems - i probably shouldn't say that but thats the truth of it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    All Unis are different. I had a friend in first year who was suffering from depression. She was a self harmer, alcoholic and liked to dabble in a few drugs too. She was really clever and would have been an asset to the university - as in she'd probably have got a 2:1 or a 1st if they'd sorted out her problems. The doctor diagnosed her problems BUT the university still kicked her off the course and out of the Uni residence that she was staying in because she wasn't attending lectures and had missed deadlines. If you're lucky, maybe this will be what happens with the knobheads that you heard in the computer room.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Loopi wrote:
    All Unis are different. I had a friend in first year who was suffering from depression. She was a self harmer, alcoholic and liked to dabble in a few drugs too. She was really clever and would have been an asset to the university - as in she'd probably have got a 2:1 or a 1st if they'd sorted out her problems. The doctor diagnosed her problems BUT the university still kicked her off the course and out of the Uni residence that she was staying in because she wasn't attending lectures and had missed deadlines. If you're lucky, maybe this will be what happens with the knobheads that you heard in the computer room.
    are they allowed to do that? Surely if she's got proof from the doctor then they should have given her more time/offered help etc?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    it probably sounds a bit heartless, but university education isnt exactly a required thing by law. They shouldnt be expected to provide help for peoples personal issues, its probably not much concern of theres really.

    depression is easily faked, i know of someone who went to their doctors said they were upset all the time because they had split up with their partner, the doctor just wrote it off as depression. bang, prescription drugs and sick note as required. its easy.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    koe_182 wrote:
    it probably sounds a bit heartless, but university education isnt exactly a required thing by law. They shouldnt be expected to provide help for peoples personal issues, its probably not much concern of theres really.

    So you think that it's better for the person to be kicked out of uni if they have a serious problem instead of being stuck there and not doing the work? I think this is fair enough
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sofie wrote:
    So you think that it's better for the person to be kicked out of uni if they have a serious problem instead of being stuck there and not doing the work? I think this is fair enough

    theres no point them being there if they aint doing the work....just my view...same way as if you are a pisshead and dont make it to lectures through being hungover, kick em out.

    i just dont think just because they have personal issues they should be allowed special measures thats all.

    same goes for employers, fair enough give them time off to sort themselves out, but the employer shouldnt be expected to offer them extra support. then probably if they didnt get better/return to work, they would probably part ways.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote:
    are they allowed to do that? Surely if she's got proof from the doctor then they should have given her more time/offered help etc?
    Well, when she hanged herself a couple of months later in a a Salvation Army hostel they didn't get in trouble over it, so yes, I imagine that is something that they can do. They did offer some help initially but after a couple of weeks, when she was showing very little improvement, they were less than sympathetic. They were then stuck with a houseful of very depressed, pissed off students whom they had to help though.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    koe_182 wrote:
    same goes for employers, fair enough give them time off to sort themselves out, but the employer shouldnt be expected to offer them extra support.
    What about when it's the job itself that is causing the problem? Should employers just ignore it and say 'What the hell? It's not causing me any problems so why should I help?'
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Loopi wrote:
    What about when it's the job itself that is causing the problem? Should employers just ignore it and say 'What the hell? It's not causing me any problems so why should I help?'

    maybe thats a bit different but still, give them chance to get over it, if they dont, bag them off. if they cant handle the job, they are in the wrong job.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    One of my tutors manages all of the coursework extension forms and the stuff people make up is ridiculous. Its really annoying but its just one of those things.

    Don't let it get to you :)

    It was unbelievable how many people on my course suddenly acquired extenuating circumstances exactly a week before our dissertations were due in. Everyone i spoke to suddenly had 'family issues' or 'depression' or 'acute fatigue' or something else which gave them an extra week :rolleyes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fair point koe but it's not always that simple. We're going off topic though so I'll leave it for now.
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