Medical and Self Harm

[woki1986 1]

Hello,

This is perhaps my first or second post here. My fiance and I have been applying for my visa to the US, and I got my letter from the US Embassy in London last week.

I have been looking up details on the medical and have been looking through the sheet that I have to fill in and take with me. I have a concern with one or two of the questions: 4 and 11. (Have you used tobacco and have you deliberately harmed yourself or others.)

Tobacco wise, I tried smoking some 5 years ago at the age of 18 and I didn't like it. I haven't used it since then.

As for question 11... Around the same time while I was at college, a friend of mine died. I was in a very dark place and as a result I self harmed. I actually used a sharpener blade on my right arm. They weren't very large, a few centimetres across. I can't remember how many times I actually did it... Once or twice. So I have a row of very faint, small scars on my arm just at where my arm bends.

I pulled myself out of that. I'm now 23 and I'm mentally a very different person to who I am now. I didn't have a mental problem, I just mean that I've changed in the in between time. Does that make sense to anyone? I've changed myself and become a different person.

I haven't self harmed at all since that time, I haven't harmed anyone else and I'm perfectly fine. What's worrying me is that I have to declare this at my medical. I am not going to hide the fact. I know that they'll look at my arms and while they are hard to see, they could be seen under the right light. I'm worried that they will deny my application for a visa because of all of this. It was 5 years ago and I have changed and matured in that time. I also didn't intend to lie about it.

Has anyone else had this worry? I'd really appreciate some advice.

[Ban Hammer 13,282]

moved from K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures to US Embassy and Consulate Discussion

Topics relating to I-134's, packets sent from consulate and medical & police certificates should be posted here.

[woki1986 1]

moved from K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures to US Embassy and Consulate Discussion

Topics relating to I-134's, packets sent from consulate and medical & police certificates should be posted here.

It's that and the interview itself, but, ok. Sorry for posting in the wrong place.

[Simon and Janet 6]

The question about using tobacco would be about whether you were a smoker for any period of time rather just a once off try.

For the self harm question...were you ever hospitalized or did you receive treatment? Obviously no one is going to tell you to lie...and you shouldn't. Explaining that to the doctor might be the best case.

[woki1986 1]

The question about using tobacco would be about whether you were a smoker for any period of time rather just a once off try.

For the self harm question...were you ever hospitalized or did you receive treatment? Obviously no one is going to tell you to lie...and you shouldn't. Explaining that to the doctor might be the best case.

No, I never went into a hospital and didn't need treatment. The marks themselves were cuts but they weren't like some that you see. Think of larger paper cuts and that's what they were.

Mm. I know that no-one is going to tell me to lie. I'm just worried that that one period of my life is going to stop me from being happy and being with who I want to be with.

Thank you for your reply.

[Damian&Kelly 16]

The smoking question is no big deal at all, seeing as my husband is a full time smoker and answered truthfully and had no problems at all.

As for the self harm, I wouldn't ever lie, but if you didn't have treatment, they have no proof that you self harmed at all. Unless they see the scars and question it. Honesty is the best policy tho, I've seen a few people have to go to further doctors after the medical to double check they won't self harm again.

I wish you the best of luck!

[woki1986 1]

The smoking question is no big deal at all, seeing as my husband is a full time smoker and answered truthfully and had no problems at all.

As for the self harm, I wouldn't ever lie, but if you didn't have treatment, they have no proof that you self harmed at all. Unless they see the scars and question it. Honesty is the best policy tho, I've seen a few people have to go to further doctors after the medical to double check they won't self harm again.

I wish you the best of luck!

It's on my medical record, I went to see my doctor about it to talk about it. I wasn't referred anywhere else but it was noted that I went to see him. I'd rather be honest about my past. If I lie and it's found out it's worse than telling them the truth, at least that's how I think about it. If I have to go to another doctor that's fair enough. I've never felt the way that I did at that time. I used to have a really really short fuse and it didn't take a lot for me to feel uncomfortable or upset. Now I have a lot of patience and I think about things and everything. Even if I do get frustrated or angry or upset at things, I don't think about self harm. It doesn't even enter my mind. It's a part of my life that isn't in my life any more.