Anxiety / depression

[Wombatfeatures]

Hi all

(I normally post under another name, but I set up a new one to post this question.)

I think I possibly suffer a bit from the above. Not mentioned it to the docs as such for fear of losing my certificates. (Though I did admit to feeling a bit depressed during COVID - this cropped up at my renewal but FEO was understanding and no problems - I never had any medication). My wife thinks I should go to the docs again and maybe get some medication and see if it helps. I'm not totally against the idea. I presume it would be wise to tell my FEO if I do so, and that he or she might then request I put my guns in storage? Though I might get some brownie points for mentioning it, rather than if the doctor tells them?

Be interested to hear anyone's experience of anxiety / depression and FAC / SGCs

Thanks.

 

WF

[Scully]

If you haven’t been diagnosed with either depression or anxiety, then there was no need to mention it to your FEO.  
See what your GP says regarding either and take it from there. 
Honesty is the best policy but I wouldn’t worry too much about your tickets currently; you won’t be the only firearms owner with issues, especially following the pandemic. 

[Red696]

As someone who has been diagnosed in the past I highly recommend you visit your doctor, ask about CBT as an alternative to medication.  Although I’m only a new SGC holder my previous issues have not been a barrier to being issued one.  They showed more interest in my Chemo…

 

Happy to talk if it helps

[Bigbob]

A bit ago i used to go out ferreting with a guy then he wanted to do more like me , He got a shotgun , then a rifle . Now this guy when you went for him was never up after knocking him up his wife would come down in her dressing gown to make him something to eat and i was muttering Oh for fluck sake . She said he has to take something to eat before he takes his tablets .He had chronic depression  Never stopped him did it for a few years them moved on to fishing 

[HantsRob]

Morning WF

I think it's really important to be careful of advice, especially anecdotal historical cases. It is also difficult if no-one is an FEO as it is at best just advice. I do wish you well, and avoiding treatment is not the cure. Mental ill health is so prevalent in society, and there is support and help available to you.

My personal opinion, take as you will....

Firstly, a diagnosed and treated illness should not preclude you from either a new grant or a continuance of a grant. No-one will know the severity based on "I have depression", it could just be the old fashioned 'I have blue days', through to 'the voices sometimes overwhelm me'. 
No gun is worth ill mental health. Go get treatment. If you feel the need then put your guns into storage and generate an audit trail of good reasoned behaviour. If you just feel low and anxious, it doesn't mean you're a risk to yourself from your guns. 
Do you have indicators of self harm? If not, the risk is even lower. However, if you do, then you need to speak to your GP, to a crisis team, to the samaritans or Mind. You can use the samaritans and MIND any time and it's not recordable. 

With regards to "protection", if on renewal your GP deems you to be under treatment and there is no risk to yourself and others, and if they say no risk or mitigated risk, then this shouldn't stop your renewal. But, you need to appreciate that your shooting life may end if the GP says you have a risk factor, and whilst that may seem wrong if shooting is one of the few things that grounds you, that you may have your licence revoked.

The best of luck.

This weblink may be of use for some advice:
https://www.medicalprotection.org/uk/articles/key-considerations-in-the-new-firearms-licensing-guidance

 

[The Mighty Prawn]

I’ve got a diagnosed anxiety disorder and on medication for it, told my FEO straight away and he was really supportive and happy that I’d followed good practice letting him know. The potential risk of losing guns was worth it for the diagnosis and the support I’ve had that has got me back to a good place

look after yourself first and your hobbies second is my opinion

[Wombatfeatures]

Hi folks

Thanks for the replies, offers of help and the PMs. Sorry for the delay in responding, I forgot my new login! 🤪

It's not too bad really, I can be anxious about various things, some silly some not, and have the odd blue / down day. No inclination to harm myself or others, and no voices. I didn't tell my FEO, it came from the doctor's report, but it wasn't a problem at that stage.

I think I'll go to my GP and see how things go from there. 

Thank you again. 

[Lloyd90]

7 hours ago, Wombatfeatures said:

Hi folks

Thanks for the replies, offers of help and the PMs. Sorry for the delay in responding, I forgot my new login! 🤪

It's not too bad really, I can be anxious about various things, some silly some not, and have the odd blue / down day. No inclination to harm myself or others, and no voices. I didn't tell my FEO, it came from the doctor's report, but it wasn't a problem at that stage.

I think I'll go to my GP and see how things go from there. 

Thank you again. 

What symptoms do you have? 
 

It’s sad that shooters are out off asking for help for fear that it might affect their licence. 
 

There will be many people in your position and I know people with anxiety and depression on their GP notes who hold tickets. 
 

Best of luck, speak to your GP and let your FEO know based off what they say. 

[Wombatfeatures]

Thanks Lloyd. PM sent

[team tractor]

Just seen this . 
I had a nasty divorce and was on antidepressants. Although I’d lost my guns due to a false allegation I soon had them back . 
now what depression can do hit me  last week . 
I was  walking with the kids picking up chestnuts . We came across a guy in the woods of my shoot . He’d just tried hanging himself . We sat and talked for an hour before I rang the police . The paramedics told us he had bruises around his neck . 
I burst into tears after he had gone . It destroyed me know I’d been in his position with depression too. 
 

get help please 

Edited October 20, 2023 by team tractor

[Agriv8]

This 

12 hours ago, team tractor said:

Just seen this . 
I had a nasty divorce and was on antidepressants. Although I’d lost my guns due to a false allegation I soon had them back . 
now what depression can do hit me  last week . 
I was  walking with the kids picking up chestnuts . We came across a guy in the woods of my shoot . He’d just tried hanging himself . We sat and talked for an hour before I rang the police . The paramedics told us he had bruises around his neck . 
I burst into tears after he had gone . It destroyed me know I’d been in his position with depression too. 
 

get help please 

and this

On 13/10/2023 at 15:03, The Mighty Prawn said:

I’ve got a diagnosed anxiety disorder and on medication for it, told my FEO straight away and he was really supportive and happy that I’d followed good practice letting him know. The potential risk of losing guns was worth it for the diagnosis and the support I’ve had that has got me back to a good place

look after yourself first and your hobbies second is my 

[HantsRob]

On 20/10/2023 at 21:03, team tractor said:

I burst into tears after he had gone . It destroyed me know I’d been in his position with depression too. 

There's no shame in that, and thankyou for helping reduce stigma and stereotype by feeling you can share that. 

Admitting a problem is genuinely the first step to getting help. I see a lot of horrid things with work, if you want to offload and need to talk to a stranger to offload, feel free to reach out. It's ok to not be ok. 

 

General advice to everyone:

Samaritans - 116 123 (language line 7pm-11pm - 0808 164 0123)
Suicide prevention helpline - 0800 689 5652 (6pm-midnight)
SHOUT - text based support for immediate crisis support - 85258
NHS - 111 and 999
MIND - 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm, Monday to Friday)
 

Remember that you could call any of those if you are struggling supporting someone else, and consider resources like SANEline and other free resources.

[Wombatfeatures]

Thanks for the further comments and suggestions, all. 👍

Feeling a bit better at the mo - trying to look on the bright side, CBT etc. Also had some other health news (good eventually i hope, but inconvenient in the short term) which has taken my mind off it quite nicely, in fact! 

Keep your chin up. And again, i appreciate all the comments here. You're a good bunch. 🤗

[team tractor]

21 hours ago, Wombatfeatures said:

Thanks for the further comments and suggestions, all. 👍

Feeling a bit better at the mo - trying to look on the bright side, CBT etc. Also had some other health news (good eventually i hope, but inconvenient in the short term) which has taken my mind off it quite nicely, in fact! 

Keep your chin up. And again, i appreciate all the comments here. You're a good bunch. 🤗

Keep moving forward 

I watched this while drugged up on antidepressants as they couldn’t take me in to a mental health ward due to covid . I had a mental breakdown. My life was a total mess . This video actually made me sit up and think . It’s 100% correct . 
I hope it helps . 
 

[Wombatfeatures]

👍 Cheers.