Do you own a gun?

[Jeepergeo]

I'm not sure of their reasoning for asking this question. My brother is a doctor and hates firearms, mostly because he has seen so many gunshot victims in the ER (used to work in SF). Some of his friends though don't even flinch. I got into a two hour debate with one of his coworkers over whether Colt or SA was a better 1911 manufacturer (SA is, you damn heathens!). All I can tell you is that from what I have seen, there is no official government policy to ask you this question, either at the state or federal level (unless 20+ doctors all lied to me). It seems to be internal policies for whoever is running the hospital/your healthcare insurance.

A Doctor in San Francisco has no doubt seen things much more disgusting than gun**** wounds. I would bet dollars to donuts he uses that excuse to justify his pre-existing bias.

[Doheny]

It sure seems like we get these threads every other week.

[Twiki357]

The automatic answer has to be NO! Any other response will result in a yes being entered into the central medical data base. You know, that central data base that is supposedly so emergency responders can access to help you. The one that’s also accessible by the HHS, CDC and who knows what other agencies (Or hackers).

[jkody]

I just skip the crap and say no.

[The War Wagon]

I picked up a pointy stick once.

[Ford8N]

My Dr. uses an AR to shoot coyotes on his horse ranch.

[adamjay]

None of your God **** business, doc!

[bounty1]

None of your God **** business, doc!

Yes!

[M1NM]

Our Dr has a prefer not to answer square. Which probably means to them yes. They also ask if you are depressed. Answer yes to both and I bet the suicide prevention cops show up to your door and impound your guns.

[forgiven]

Was asked said no.

[jeremiah12]

I would say as soon as you are prescribed something you aren't fit to possess firearms. That goes for prosac too. I feel we are already an over-medicated society in regards to psychiatric care. Talking to a psychologist, no, keep the same rules of danger to self/others. I think we've seen enough evidence regarding increased suicide risk, and the common thread between mass shooters taking prescription psychiatric meds though to draw the line there.

Read this article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4318286/

Other tidbits from the article, the number of mental illnesses has drastically increased since the 80s. This is partially due to expanding health insurance to cover more than just accidents but regular doctor's visits and then mental health. Insurance will not cover something if it does not have a medical code. So the DSM, the handbook of mental disorders keeps growing. I believe under the current one 25% of the current population of the US is suffering from a mental disorder.

The article also notes that psychiatrists have a very poor track record of predicting who might become violent and who is harmless. Often times the first sign of potential trouble is when the person goes off the deep end.

The overwhelming majority of depressive people never go on to commit a gun crime or suicide.

In the 60's the government used psychiatry to classify the leaders of the black power movement as schizophrenic to make them sound scary to the general public. It was used to sell the GCA of 1968. It was used to get Reagan to sign the law ban LOC in CA.

Then after Viet Nam it was the psycho Viet Nam vets with PTSD when before that time vets with PTSD were not characterized as violent.

Now, the media is using the image of loner, angry, white males to sell control. The author says they might be able to be classified as paranoid but overall as a group they have been shown to commit much lower gun crimes that the general population. The problem is the inner-city ghettos.

He also gives some of the tired statistics of how more gun control would lower gun crimes but admits it will not stop it.

The link between psychotropic drugs and the recent mass shooters is also a mass media creation. Most started as rumors on blogs and then were quoted as facts by MSNBC and Huffington Post. Of course we all trust those sources.

Now, you can opt out of having your medical records stored electronically. Some medical practices are not capable of doing that but others do. There are still enough old school doctors around that do not keep records on the computer and others will store them the old fashioned way if you ask.

My psychiatrist does not store patient information on computers and neither do any of the others in his practice. Patient privacy is very important to them.

Yes, I have been taking meds for depression for many years. I have worked through my issue with PTSD. When I have an episode most would never know. I am in no danger of committing suicide or hurting others.

BTW, the statistics do show alcohol and guns definitely do not mix and neither do illegal drugs and guns. The same people who are for medical MJ and believe it should not be a reason to lose one's 2A rights are so willing to through those under the bus who are getting help for mental health issues and have been shown to be statistical less likely to commit crimes that most in the population.