Obligations

This is a statement regarding a student needing to take a class rather than take an internship. In this case the student who agreed to permit this post will remain anonymous.  

30^th November 2010

As clearly there has been some breakdown in communication or misunderstanding in this matter I will re-cap the full situation for the benefit of both the department chair and the psychology counseling office.

I was originally told my present job could count as an internship, but now I’m told that is not true. That is why I’m addressing this now. I was told by Dr. Blackman that a petition for an alternative to PSYC 495 was possible on economic grounds. I have once again been told that is not true, but my reasoning is that I need to look after my mentally ill brother. He becomes agitated easily and I need time to attend him.

Moreover, my brother’s condition has deteriorated some this semester, and his risk of suicide has increased making an internship more difficult.

My brother’s early diagnosis was Paranoid Schizophrenia but that is a common misdiagnoses. He reported three distinct voices all telling him to commit acts of violence. He has had four suicide attempts and has been known to become violent.

There have been times he was unable to feed, and wash himself but now he has the level of function of an eleven or twelve year old. 

He can’t clean up after himself so that is my primary time consuming duty. When he has an episode I need to talk him through exercises to calm him down. He needs to be supervised when handling the dog or young children. It’s been a few years since physical restraint was necessary, but I have been called by neighbors to come get him when he’s lost it.

I generally attend classes when he is in group and work when he sleeps.

If further information is required I’m available the full day of the first, assuming my brother has no problems that day, for an appointment in the counseling office.