Does a brain disorder qualify for extenuating circumstances?

I find it odd that you're only just about tell your GP. 2 years go, I started having really sensitive hearing. I left it for a few weeks thinking it would go down. It didn't. I saw my GP who said it was blocked ear and was given some ear drops and got told to see the nurse in a few weeks.

I did that and was pre wanred that my hearing would get worse, which it did. (I was having to walk around my parents house wearing ear plugs...)

This didn't settle down much and my hearing was still very sensitive. I went to my GP and was seen by Audiology and ENT. I was given a hearing test and was told that I have Hyperacusis.

It really does sound as though you're using this as an excuse to get higher marks.

It doesn't matter that it's not widely known. I've got 4 rare diseases and all have been diagnosed.

It would be best to get it officially diagnosed (otherwise you could just be making it up. I know you aren't but you have to look at it from the point of view of a university/exam board). Once it has been officially diagnosed I would definitely try to get help during the exam, either do the exam in a separate room or use some sort of ear plugs. Exam boards are really not generous with the extra percentage they give for various things (I believe it is 5% for the death of a family member...which considering how much it would affect someone, it really isn't that much). It would be far better for you to be in a silent room on your own and be able to concentrate and get a good amount of extra marks than do the exam normally and ask for 2 or 3 more marks due to struggling in the exam due to the conditions.

Also, sorry about some of the people on here. This is a condition not really heard about and misunderstood so to some people it would come across as you're just trying to get extra marks but I understand it must be horrible and to cope with it is very hard. Good luck in the future

I have misophonia (diagnosed myself, no doctor involved).

In every exam there is some stupid ****** who coughs or clicks their pen or moves too much in their chair or something like that. Those things drive me absolutely CRAZY! I lose my concentration, I get so angry that I just visualise ripping their hearts out of their chests.

Would I qualify for extenuating circumstances if I now went to a doctor and officially got diagnosed for it?

Yeah, I will get it officially diagnosed before I retake my exams. I don't care about the extra marks anymore, I just want them to make sure that I take my exam in a room alone/very few people or get given headphones when I resit.

Poor excuse.

I have misophonia, but I wouldn't regard it as an "extenuating circumstance". Deal with it, GOSH.

You won't get headphones if you do exams.

I find it odd that you're only just about tell your GP. 2 years go, I started having really sensitive hearing. I left it for a few weeks thinking it would go down. It didn't. I saw my GP who said it was blocked ear and was given some ear drops and got told to see the nurse in a few weeks.

I did that and was pre wanred that my hearing would get worse, which it did. (I was having to walk around my parents house wearing ear plugs...)

This didn't settle down much and my hearing was still very sensitive. I went to my GP and was seen by Audiology and ENT. I was given a hearing test and was told that I have Hyperacusis.

It really does sound as though you're using this as an excuse to get higher marks.

It doesn't matter that it's not widely known. I've got 4 rare diseases and all have been diagnosed.

Poor excuse.

I have misophonia, but I wouldn't regard it as an "extenuating circumstance". Deal with it, GOSH.

I have misophonia (diagnosed myself, no doctor involved).

In every exam there is some stupid ****** who coughs or clicks their pen or moves too much in their chair or something like that. Those things drive me absolutely CRAZY! I lose my concentration, I get so angry that I just visualise ripping their hearts out of their chests.

Would I qualify for extenuating circumstances if I now went to a doctor and officially got diagnosed for it?

Looooooool I have that too! What about those people who are sat near you and keep putting their hand up and the invigilators go to them, and they "whisper" too loudly!
Or those cocky little ****s who finish half an hour early, and make you feel as though you're time keeping is awful, and that their intelligence is on another level. .

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Misophonia is not really like hyperacusis. It's an extreme emotional reaction to certain groups or types of sounds; as such as it could be described as more like a psychological condition. I believe the reason people often just live with the condition is exactly because it's not well known about: often they don't know that there is a definition for their extreme reaction to sounds. Plus, people who experience this often receive uninformed and negative responses from the people they tell about this - probably partly because it must be difficult (or at least irritating) to be told that you're making sounds which are so unbearable that they actually hurt the sufferer.

Misophonia is not really the same as a so-called "rare disease"; yes it may not be a widely-known phenomenon but there is also a significant amount of debate about whether the phenomenon actually constitutes a disorder, and if so, what kind of a disorder it is.

I could have gotten higher marks for my GCSEs because of this condition but I didn't tell anyone .

Sorry for the bullying posts of other people.

It might be a good idea to ask for a separate exam room but usually it's a case of adjustments (separate room, ear plugs, break) rather than extenuating circumstances for conditions like this.

As someone above has said, this is probably not the case. The maximum available adjustment is 5% for the death of a close relative. In your case, an extra 1-3% per paper would be very unlikely to have bumped you up even a single grade.

You need to stop beating yourself up about the past. You did the best you could under the circumstances you found yourself in. Your condition is unlikely to have been a factor. What you need to do now is move on. Get a formal diagnosis so that you can access all of the help you need. That way you can move forward with confidence and work at your maximum potential.

Don't assume that you will be disbelieved or misdiagnosed. That will just prevent you getting help. GPs can be much better informed than you think. Backing from a member of the medical community may be vital in order to get help from your uni or to apply for DSA.

Good luck!