Published on 12, July, 2020
I'm Saskia. I currently live in South Wales but I'm orginally from Scotland / London (yeah I totally missed the middle of the UK growing up).
I recently quit a PhD and am in the process of starting work in the Civil Service. However, the security clearance has been very upsetting for me as they require a lot of personal information and have now requested to see my medical records I believe this is because I reported having mental health issues.I was excited to start a new job but I am now concerned that I'm going to start off on the wrong foot as I have been so upset by the process. I am in a low income household and the extreme delay (at least 4 months) has put a lot of pressure on my partner to financially support us.
Other than that I find it difficult to get on with people and I tend to be a bit of a hermit despite enjoying being around people. Last year I attended a weekly art class which allowed me to be around with people without the pressure of conversation and I found it very rewarding. I love doing art and I believe I have some talent but I find it hard to actually get up and do it. I also enjoy reading academic textbooks on social science / psychology research methods and statistics (this was the area of my PhD).
I am excited to join this forum as I feel it is somewhere I can be myself.
As far as I am aware, Being autistic, even very severely autistic like my son is not a mental illness, In fact when he was 12 25 years ago I had to establish in a Medical Appeal Tribunal that autism is a physical handicap, in order to be able to get a disabled Badge and mobility allowance at the higher rate and then disability allowance. Then as now presumably you were unable to get cannot get if you are mentally handicapped..
Join your Civil Servants Union if you are actually working , Ask their advice.
Ask your Doctors Advice and get him/her to write about your diagnoses especially to say you are not mentally ill as such..
It may be that your medical records request may be pension related.
If you have mental health problems ,Your Doctor will know.
Simply write to the security department and say you were mistaken about your autism being classed as a mental illness. which it is not, or whatever you have and enclose your doctors records You may have to pay of course.
When I did My National Service 60 years ago for special security reasons I had to give my Parents details and step Parents Details.
Don't worry.