psychologist and getting your ltc

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hey guys i was wondering, if you go to see a therapist or anything like that, would that effect wether or not you get your ltc? keep in mind that i am in mass so i wouldnt put it past them.
 
IIRC, the application asks if you've ever been institutionalized against your will. Doesn't say anything about going to therapy.

I can say that from discussions I've had with other LTC holders, seeing a therapist had nothing to do with it and never came up.

ETA: I agree with Lord 1234 about suitability. However, I stand by my first comment which is, it's not on the application and don't mention the subject.
 
While it could definitely affect suitability(in MA anything can affect suitability), unless it was court ordered, you are not prohibited from owning a firearm/getting a license. You also have no reason to disclose this fact (unless it was court ordered) to a licensing officer.
 
I think that so long as you weren't committed to an institution you should be OK. My wife had seen a psychologist to help her deal with the loss of her grandparents (they were very close) and she got her LTC without any problems. Just because you talk to someone about your feelings doesn't make you a psycho. That would be like getting rejected for an LTC because you go to marriage counseling. Just because you don't get along with your spouse doesn't mean you aren't a responsible gun owner. [wink]

Then again...this is M-ASS-ACHUSETTS...
 
I might argue that seeing a psychologist to work out any nagging emotional distress is a plus. It shows someone willing to seek out professional help and wants to workout their emotional state in a positive manner. Talking is a good thing.

I'm thinking this type of person is way less likely to use firearms in an inappropriate manner, and is far more suitable.

Rich
 
As others have said, it should not be a problem.

Of course, if the licensing officer asks why you want an LTC I wouldn't reply "Well, my therapist told me I should take up a new hobby..." [laugh]
 
As others have said, it should not be a problem.

Of course, if the licensing officer asks why you want an LTC I wouldn't reply "Well, my therapist told me I should take up a new hobby..." [laugh]

unless its a physical therapist bitching at you for tearing every ligament in your knee from playing soccer!
 
Like everything else in this state...don't ask, don't tell. The application asks about being "instituionalized against your will" (pretty much white jackets taking you away or worse men with badges) other than that...shhhhhhhhhh! [wink]
 
When the stress builds, I just head to the range for some solitude inside the hearing protectors and some nice soothing recoil-therapy.
 
My friends claims his mother has a pistol and LTC. She had a bad divorce with my friends father and she swallows a hand full of anti-depressants in the morning just to get up....

Not only does this scare me, but I think people with disorders like depression should never be able to carry a gun....
 
Not only does this scare me, but I think people with disorders like depression should never be able to carry a gun....

I know people like you. Unless you are a fellow sufferer, you will never understand. Please don't make generalizations. Not everyone with depression is a suicidal or homicidal train wreck ready to snap at any moment.
 
What happens when Obama's medical database is up and running, and he proposes one of his "common-sense" gun laws that requires a query against that database?

Previously diagnosed? No guns for you.
Newly diagnosed? Turn over your guns here before picking up your drugs there.
 
My friends claims his mother has a pistol and LTC. She had a bad divorce with my friends father and she swallows a hand full of anti-depressants in the morning just to get up....

Not only does this scare me, but I think people with disorders like depression should never be able to carry a gun....


So if your cat dies, and you are bummed out for a couple of weeks, does that mean we should take your gun away..........I mean you are depressed at that point, and since it is a disorder, you will be again when something else like that happens, so you are a danger. Also, if you have never gone thru a divorce, then you have no idea how stressful, painful, and emotional the toll will be. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Don't go labeling people, because they take this pill or see that doctor, it is unfair, unless you have the whole story.


Hats off to the OP for taking the lead, manning up and getting assistance when you needed it. Their is no shame in asking for help or guidence.
 
My friends claims his mother has a pistol and LTC. She had a bad divorce with my friends father and she swallows a hand full of anti-depressants in the morning just to get up....

Not only does this scare me, but I think people with disorders like depression should never be able to carry a gun....

Dude,

You're willing to deny the right of self-protections to someone with a chemical imbalance on the very remote chance that they MIGHT do something?

Hmm, ban something on the remote chance someone might use it improperly. Sound familiar?

So the poor woman's depressed. Sounds like she's got a right to be. It also sounds like she's doing something to overcome it. You can't punish someone for something they MIGHT do - especially if they've given you NO indication that they've any plans to do it.
 
What happens when Obama's medical database is up and running, and he proposes one of his "common-sense" gun laws that requires a query against that database?

Previously diagnosed? No guns for you.
Newly diagnosed? Turn over your guns here before picking up your drugs there.

order them from Canada. Or, stock up on one of my family visits overseas. Duh.
 
I know people like you. Unless you are a fellow sufferer, you will never understand. Please don't make generalizations. Not everyone with depression is a suicidal or homicidal train wreck ready to snap at any moment.

First off I like to look at worst case scenarios...she is a bus driver, what you gonna do when she stops taking her pills and shoots your children? Is that what we do...Wait until it happens..then reform the laws?

Bro my bad, but what happens when your Rx runs out? People like me? You can't speak for all depressed people either...and I'm not into this whole theory of taking pills to solve your problems...its only been done in the last century and I don't think God intended it to be that way, thats why he gave us Cannabis [wink]. But guys seriously I'm sorry about your depression, I just feel like theres spiritual ways to get out of depression rather then popping a synthetic pill that make these pharmies super rich and powerful....

p.s. don't label me as a pot head hippie, although I do think marijuana should be legal. Hell my dad grew up in the reefer madness era..he thinks the shit should be legalized..unless people on the forum here still thinks it makes you wanna murder your family..lets be honest marijuana is illegal because blacks smoked it and God forbit a black man with a white women....


brave%20new%20world.jpg
 
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my bad, but what happens when your Rx runs out? I'm not into the whole this whole theory of taking pills to solve problems...its only been done in the last century and I don't think God intended it to be that way, thats why he gave us Cannabis [wink].

Think of antidepressants as a cast for your mind. You break your arm, you get a cast. When your arm is healed, you take the cast off.

Go ahead and give Cannabis to someone with an anxiety disorder... someone should stay sober for the trip to the emergency room as they experience their first induced panic attack.
 
Go ahead and give Cannabis to someone with an anxiety disorder... someone should stay sober for the trip to the emergency room as they experience their first induced panic attack.

Where did you come up with that? I have a friend with an anxiety disorder and none of the meds he ever took worked. Cannabis does.
 
Not only does this scare me, but I think people with disorders like depression should never be able to carry a gun....

I wonder what percentage of LEO suffer from this disease? If your advice was followed I suspect we'd see a HUGE decline in the ranks of LE's able to defend themselves. IIRC depression among LEO's is much higher than the averages, based upon the crap they have to deal with everyday.

And if we take away an LE's ability to carry a gun if depressed, where do you stop? Should surgeons be prevented from operating if depressed? What about truck drivers moving hazardous waste or fuel? How about soldiers in wartime situations... do you also take away their weapons because they are feeling blue?

Of course, should you make that decision you will drive the suffering person further away from help. Would a person seek help knowing that they might lose their firearms, or worse their jobs?

Think this one through a bit before suggesting such a radical idea.

Rich
 
Where did you come up with that? I have a friend with an anxiety disorder and none of the meds he ever took worked. Cannabis does.

I probably should have specified panic disorder rather than generalizing. I can see how it may be helpful for people with generalized anxiety or social anxiety disorder.
 
First off I like to look at worst case scenarios...she is a bus driver, what you gonna do when she stops taking her pills and shoots your children? Is that what we do...Wait until it happens..then reform the laws?

Bro my bad, but what happens when your Rx runs out? People like me? You can't speak for all depressed people either...and I'm not into this whole theory of taking pills to solve your problems...its only been done in the last century and I don't think God intended it to be that way, thats why he gave us Cannabis [wink]. But guys seriously I'm sorry about your depression, I just feel like theres spiritual ways to get out of depression rather then popping a synthetic pill that make these pharmies super rich and powerful....

p.s. don't label me as a pot head hippie, although I do think marijuana should be legal.


brave%20new%20world.jpg


Wow, it must be nice to be 23 and have all of the answers. [rolleyes]

Depression is a biological condition (no, I'm not depressed myself).

Are meds over-pescribed? Sure. Does that mean they don't work or aren't necessary in some cases? No. Does it work alone? No, it needs to be done in conjunction with therapy.

And please don't give us that 'cannibis is natural because it's a plant' shit. Foxglove is a plant too but it'll kill you.

Pot CAN help mild depression as it boosts seratonin - which is the same thing SSI's do - only they do it more efficently and in a more controlable manner.


What happens when your Rx runs out? You get a blazing headache, nausea and you run your ass to CVS to refill your script. You don't turn into a raving lunatic.

Should some majorly depressed people not have a gun? Absolutely. Should all depressed people be barred from having a gun. No fing way.
 
My friends claims his mother has a pistol and LTC. She had a bad divorce with my friends father and she swallows a hand full of anti-depressants in the morning just to get up....

Not only does this scare me, but I think people with disorders like depression should never be able to carry a gun....

How is that any different from someone that drinks themselves into a comma? Oh, because she is responsible enough to recognize that she is having issues dealing with a traumatic moment in her life that she sought the help of a medical professional, she now should not be allowed to carry a gun?

you really need to grow the hell up and learn that life is not all f***in kittens and roses out there.

some people go through some pretty traumatic shit in their lives and depending on how you grew up, your personallity and how you are mentally "wired" as well as what is going on in your life atm, everyone deals differently.

Personally, I grew up and always felt that therapy and needing scrips in order to deal with life was for pussies.

but you know what, with out giving you my lives details, i grew up in a really f***ed up and shitty situation. by most statisitcal accounts I should have been holding up the local liquor stores by at 14 and dealing crack by 20. but i managed to keep my shit together.

Now that Im older, a lot of those old demons tend to creep up now and then.

So after years of dealing with stress to the point where it effected me medically with stomach and other physical issues, i sought help.

I am not ashamed to admit it either. personally i think that finally having the balls to admit that i was 'in over my head' was the best thing i ever did.

now im a hell of a lot happier then i ever was and enjoy life a hell of a lot more then ever and the little shit just doesnt bother me any more.

does that mean i shouldnt have a gun?

grow up and learn that life is not all nice and neat, and yes, anyone that self medicates is a f***ing retard and definately taking the wrong path.
 
I had lunch with a friend recently who is a priest and is also a psychologist and one of the things I asked him about was people who are depressed and depression. And what I got out of the conversation is they are 2 distinctly different things. You may be depressed, sad, down in the dumps about something that has happened. But that is different from clinical depression. So please lets realize that they are very different. And from this conversation I am not sure that I would want someone who is suffering from depression to have access to weapons. But I am not a mental heath professional so this is just my own personal feelings.
 
unless its a physical therapist bitching at you for tearing every ligament in your knee from playing soccer!

[laugh2] True enough!

This is a good example of how the licensing system in the PRM is FUBAR, and why everyone should be supporting GOAL in their attempt to correct the situation.

What do you think the attitude of most licensing authorities would be if it became known to them that an applicant was seeking some form of psychological help? I would wager that the applicant would be deemed unsuitable for an LTC. Everybody today is playing "cover your ass," when years ago people would have used common sense. That's why we have kids being suspended from schools for possessing an empty cartridge case, why airline passengers all have to take off their shoes, and why 13 year old kids are strip-searched for ibuprofen. Zero tolerance + cover your ass = these kinds of stupidity.

How many people decide not to seek psychological help because it may result in the loss of some of your rights? All I know is that I would have to be drooling, batshit crazy before I would ever seek psychological help...at least in the PRM.

Of course, my wife tells me I'm pretty close to that condition now...[laugh]
 
I had lunch with a friend recently who is a priest and is also a psychologist and one of the things I asked him about was people who are depressed and depression. And what I got out of the conversation is they are 2 distinctly different things. You may be depressed, sad, down in the dumps about something that has happened. But that is different from clinical depression. So please lets realize that they are very different. And from this conversation I am not sure that I would want someone who is suffering from depression to have access to weapons. But I am not a mental heath professional so this is just my own personal feelings.

Why?

You've just admitted you know very little about the disease yet your willing to deprive someone suffering it of their natural and Constitutional right of self-defense. Now justify your position.
 
You guys all make good points, I really don't know how I feel after all the good points you guys made. Sometimes I just like to take the other side to see how a discussion unfolds, but yeah I'm 23, just assume I don't know how the world works..except its people my age who get drafted and fight wars..so yea send the dumb young ones to die they don't know the answers.

grow up and learn that life is not all nice and neat, and yes, anyone that self medicates is a f***ing retard and definately taking the wrong path.


hmmm something that grows in nature vs something thats made in a lab....prescribed by college elitists who are all in it together for the money..hmm yea I'm not going to continue.

And please don't give us that 'cannibis is natural because it's a plant' shit. Foxglove is a plant too but it'll kill you.

Wow isn't that amazing how nature defends itself so animals won't eat it? I know awesome right.....okay look at heroin and cocaine...they both are natural occurring plants but they didn't get bad until man changed the composition and made them potent as hell.

My grandmother after my grandfather passed away was nutty...everyday she wished she was dead and that the Lord would take her..I'm not gonna lie the meds helped her, my problem is that meds should be the last resort to consider if anything else hasn't be tried.
 
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You guys all make good points, I really don't know how I feel after all the good points you guys made. Sometimes I just like to take the other side to see how a discussion unfolds, but yeah I'm 23, just assume I don't know how the world works..except its people my age who get drafted and fight wars..so yea send the dumb young ones to die they don't know the answers.

That's PRECISELY why they draft 18 year olds and require you to be 35 before you can run for POTUS.
 
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