Bipolar

[Joetb9552]

I'm a twentysix year old male wanting to get my who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was ten. Here in lies the problem. I want to get my chl obviously bipolar disorder hinders that. My problem with that is I have been on my medication for 16 years if you do the math that means I've been on it since I was diagnosed. I have been stable for 16 years. Is there any way to get around this. Is there a way for a psychiatrist to rule in favor for me.

[jmra]

Welcome to the forum. IMHO, you came across a little too strong in your first post on the forum. Hopefully that is not an indicator of the norm.

[nightmare69]

You need to delete your last sentence otherwise your time spent here will be short.

[mojo84]

First time posters with touchy scenarios such as this and that make such comments as "Btw if your ignorant and don't know jack crap about bipolar disorder please don't even post on here." are always suspicious to me. Makes me wonder if it's an attempt to create fodder for the anti-gun nuts.

[Unicorn Rancher]

Hopefully that is not an indicator of the norm.

Well, he says he's bipolar, so...

[TomV]

(d) For purposes of Subsection (a)(7), a person is incapable of exercising sound judgment with respect to the proper use and storage of a handgun if the person:
(1) has been diagnosed by a licensed physician as suffering from a psychiatric disorder or condition that causes or is likely to cause substantial impairment in judgment, mood, perception, impulse control, or intellectual ability;
(2) suffers from a psychiatric disorder or condition described by Subdivision (1) that:
(A) is in remission but is reasonably likely to redevelop at a future time; or
(B) requires continuous medical treatment to avoid redevelopment;


Welcome to the forums first off. While you requested our opinions, they are nothing more than that unless the rules change.

It seems that (2)(B) applies to you and DPS will deny your application. Case by case does seem a more idea way to deal with things, a flat prohibition is definitely easier. Case by case gets into opinions and what makes one person's opinion more valid than another? Mental illness and firearms is a major hot button issue. I don't see anyone will to make any effort to RELAX the rules regarding diagnosed mental illness and possessing a firearm.

You got delt a tough hand. I wish you well.

[Keith B]

I am VERY familiar with bi-polar disorder and have dealt with it numerous times with friends, family and employees who worked for or with me. The problem is even if you are being treated the medications can be missed by accident or on purpose, or over time be less and less effective in treatment. The person may feel they are fine, but are either manic or depressed.

In your case your post shows a tendency of bipolar disorder. You start off pleasant in your question and then move to an aggressive comment and attacking the members here. Your post reflects one reason I voted no one.

Additionally, if you want to stay as a member of this forum, the tone toward members better change as we do not allow personal attacks.

[RPBrown]

First, welcome to the forum.

I am also very familiar with bipolar disorder and like Kieth, voted no one. I also have to agree with him on the fact that even in your post, you show bipolar tendencies.

For a first post you came across as very harsh with your last sentence and that will need to change if you plan on staying on this forum. The folks here are very helpful and remain courteous in being so. That is why so many of us have stayed as long as we heave.

[Abraham]

Joetb9552,

Please keep posting and prove you're an O.K. guy.

Your first post, last sentence will be overlooked as time passes.

[Jumping Frog]

Get a Florida non-resident license.

[cb1000rider]

I can tell you that you'd be disqualified if you were seeking a pilot's license. Your condition is considered to be something that can't be cured.
It's also a condition, that even when treated, will likely manifest itself over your lifetime. Generally that manifestation is via "overt acts" - acts directly related to the condition that you wouldn't have otherwise taken.

It seems like you're asking to "get around" a condition that you're still being treated for. You're not claiming that you're not bi-polar, you're just claiming that you're stable. That's not enough (in Texas).

Apparently in the context of a CHL license:

A person is incapable of exercising sound judgment with respect to the proper use and storage of a handgun if:
The person has been diagnosed by a licensed physician as suffering from a psychiatric disorder or condition that causes or is likely to cause substantial impairment in judgment, mood, perception, impulse control, or intellectual ability;
The person suffers from a psychiatric disorder or condition described by Paragraph (A) of this subdivision that:
Is in remission but is reasonably likely to redevelop at a future time; or
Requires continuous medical treatment to avoid redevelopment; <----- HERE
The person has been diagnosed by a licensed physician or declared by a court to be incompetent to manage the person's own affairs; or
The person has entered, in any criminal proceeding, a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

I know that as a pilot, if you were misdiagnosed, you'd have a shot at it. And there are some specific things around proving you were misdiagnosed, but it's very expensive, and requires that you be medication free for years.

And in the context of owning a firearm - in the last 16 years have you ever had your medication adjusted? Were any of those circumstances dangerous to you or other people....


I feel for you - and understand that if you were essentially symptom free for 16 years that you should be treated like everyone else, but chances are that you'll have some "overt actions" in your lifetime if you're bipolar...

[JSThane]

Wow. All kinds of things wrong with this post.

A) ALL teenagers are "bipolar." It's part of puberty. Diagnosing someone with bipolar disorder while that person is in the middle of the -natural- hormonal imbalance that is puberty is an act of medical malpractice.

B) If you diagnose a teen or younger child with "bipolar," and put them on mood- and mind-altering drugs to "stabilize" them, you can seriously screw up their brain chemistry.

C) Bipolar drugs in someone who is NOT bipolar can do very, very bad things. Aggression, depression, suicidal tendencies, and more. Mis-diagnosing puberty as bipolar can emphasize some very dangerous traits in people. I've seen "bipolar drugs" actually cause bipolar symptoms. On the flip side, if you stuff a kid full of mood-regulating drugs, you can make them reliant upon them.

D) A person with true bipolar (and I have known some) is not inherently dangerous, even off their meds. A person who is stable, with no "mood disorders," is not inherently safe either. There are people with bipolar who don't take medication, because they have learned how to manage, how to control, their emotions. There are people who are "stable" who have no self-control.

E) Bipolar is not schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, or any other mood or mental disorder where a person's very perception of reality is distorted. It is where a person's internal emotional control is on the fritz, and they go through mania/depression cycles. While the mania and depression can emphasize darker sides of the person, they don't make the person do a single thing. A person suffering through mania or depression CAN control themselves, and a great many people do.

F) If the OP isn't trolling us, then whatever psychiatrist diagnosed him as bipolar at 10 did him a great disservice. At this point, there is no way of knowing how much damage the bipolar drugs have done. Frankly, if he's telling the truth, then there is a "doctor" out there who belongs in jail for medical child abuse.

For the record, I ran all this past a family member who WAS diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and they agreed with every point.

[Jim Beaux]

Wow. All kinds of things wrong with this post.

A) ALL teenagers are "bipolar." It's part of puberty. Diagnosing someone with bipolar disorder while that person is in the middle of the -natural- hormonal imbalance that is puberty is an act of medical malpractice.

B) If you diagnose a teen or younger child with "bipolar," and put them on mood- and mind-altering drugs to "stabilize" them, you can seriously screw up their brain chemistry.

C) Bipolar drugs in someone who is NOT bipolar can do very, very bad things. Aggression, depression, suicidal tendencies, and more. Mis-diagnosing puberty as bipolar can emphasize some very dangerous traits in people. I've seen "bipolar drugs" actually cause bipolar symptoms. On the flip side, if you stuff a kid full of mood-regulating drugs, you can make them reliant upon them.

D) A person with true bipolar (and I have known some) is not inherently dangerous, even off their meds. A person who is stable, with no "mood disorders," is not inherently safe either. There are people with bipolar who don't take medication, because they have learned how to manage, how to control, their emotions. There are people who are "stable" who have no self-control.

E) Bipolar is not schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, or any other mood or mental disorder where a person's very perception of reality is distorted. It is where a person's internal emotional control is on the fritz, and they go through mania/depression cycles. While the mania and depression can emphasize darker sides of the person, they don't make the person do a single thing. A person suffering through mania or depression CAN control themselves, and a great many people do.

F) If the OP isn't trolling us, then whatever psychiatrist diagnosed him as bipolar at 10 did him a great disservice. At this point, there is no way of knowing how much damage the bipolar drugs have done. Frankly, if he's telling the truth, then there is a "doctor" out there who belongs in jail for medical child abuse.

For the record, I ran all this past a family member who WAS diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and they agreed with every point.

Good post.

I think the OP is frustrated and his post is not a symptom of being BP.

A BP person poses more of a threat to himself than to others. The disorder allows one to hyper-focus and as a result many famous and accomplished people are BP. I wouldnt object to a BP person having a CHL.

It is often suggested that genius (or, at least, creative talent) and mental disorder (specifically, the mania and hypomania of bipolar disorder)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_p ... r_disorder

[The Annoyed Man]

My former employer was bipolar. He was diagnosed in high school. He graduated high school, graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he was an All-American long distance swimmer. He was married, had two kids, and owned the business I worked for. We attended the same church and the same adult Sunday School class. His business was successful, and he was a bright guy. You could say that he was about as "balanced" and successful in life as a person with a bipolar diagnosis could ever hope to be.

He was 47 when he hung himself.

I make no comment on whether or not you should have a CHL, but I just hope that you never start fooling around with your medication dosage, and do everything that your doctors tell you to do.

[Wodathunkit]

I didn't vote until I read your post. You are making the "other sides" argument for them.