Which state issued his permit?

Find a new job?



That's a tough call. I don't know that a Zoloft prescription is an automatic dis-qualifier for concealed carry.

Clinical depression is not the same as mental (or whatever it is called) depression. Still i wouldn't worry about it. Unless he is found mentally adjuct by the state, he should renew. The state will contact him if they find him a danger. The doc would have to report him for that to happen.

Even with that said, i would never take depression meds from a doc.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think seeing a shrink confirms or even acknowledges the existence of mental illness. A prescription might, but I don't think weekly visits to a psychiatrist or psychologist would.

doctor patient confidentiality and all,

unless he tells the shrink I am horribly depressed and i want to kill myself with this concealed weapon i have right here the shrink doesn't report anything.

Nobody can answer that question without knowing what state law applies. If your friend is in a shall-issue state, the criteria should be fairly clear-cut since the whole idea of shall-issue is to have objective criteria that you either meet or you don't.

For example, Texas handles it this way:



You need to find the equivalent statute in your state's CHL law; but I would be surprised if Zoloft for depression or anxiety was disqualifying.

How bout you tell him not to worry about. There is next no way for the data to be shared.

Think off it the way, his doctor should have no way of differentiate between your friend a CCP holder from any other patient. So the doctor would have to flag everyone . Doctors are just as lazy as the rest of us so that is not very likely. The is also HIPPA, which more or less prevents the Dr from sharing your buddies information unless he is a danger to himself or others

Things like this are why I don't go to the doctor...

Has he been held against his will to prevent him from hurting himself? No, no problems then.

You have to be commited to have a record.

I actually happen to have a Maine permit application and info book within arms reach

In the application packet, there is an authorization form which allows the Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center and the Riverview Psychiatric Center to release to the issuing authority "any record of whether (the applicant) has ever been committed" to the specified facilities. The form goes on to specify that in the event of an affirmative response, the issuing authority MAY request additional information to determine eligibility.

25 MRSA 2003 specifies the eligibility criteria and questions that are supposed to appear on the permit application. I sawseveral items that relate to mental health:

25 MRSA 2003(1)(D)(5)(k) Have you ever been convicted of commiting or found not criminally responsible by reason of mental disease or defect of commititng a crime described in division (b), (c), (f), or (g)? [
25 MRSA 2003(1)(D)(5)(l) [Same as above except Division (d)]
[Division (m) then clarifies Division (l) regarding whether the charge related to a state misdomeanor punishable by <2 years imprisonment. ]
25 MRSA 2003(1)(D)(5)(s) Do you have a mental disorder that causes you to be potentially dangerous to yourself or others?
25 MRSA 2003(1)(D)(5)(t) Have you been adjudicated to be an incapacitated person pursuant to title 18-A, Article 5 [Probate Code; Protection of Persons Under Disability and their Property], parts 3 and 4 and have not had that designation removed by order under Title 18-A, Section 5-307, subsection (b) [Termination of INcapacitation]

Based on my review of the application, the last two items can result in refusal. I didn't see the first two items specifically on the application, though I may not have read it close enough. Additionally, the certification lists a number of additional entities from whom information can be obtained (or wherefrom the applicant may be asked to supply information from. That includes the Maine Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (limited to records relating to committment to Augusta Mental Health Institute or Bangor Mental Health Institute.

18-A MRSA 5-101(1) defines an incapacitated person as somebody impaired by "reason of mental illness, mental definiency, physical illness or disability, chronic use of drugs, chronic intoxication, or other cause except minority to te extent that (the person) lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make or communicate responsible decisions concerning his (or her) person.

(There are also prohibitions to general possession (per 15 MRSA 393) for persons not guilty/guilty/not responsible by reason of mental disease/ defect "without a permit under this section." (The specifics for that permit are detailed later in that section).



Your friend needs to do his own research and talk to a lawyer if he is concerned. However, if he is truly experiencing difficulties, he shouldn't let fears about potential status or stigma keep him from seeking the help that he needs.

I will keep that in mind. I did help him get into shooting. He did not own a gun before he met me. We have gone out shooting several times and he has purchased a handgun, shotgun and AR15 over the past year.

Just trying to help him out....but I will keep my distance.

it's those words "potentially" and "depression" and "or" that can be the catchers,

In a lot of places the term "depression" is often morphed into "bi-polar" and if you note on both the above you don't need to be adjuticated if you have been diagnosed as bi-polar.

Advise your friend to talk to somebody that works in the field, I expect that many Psychiatrists or Psychologists concern themselves with patients and CCW unless the patient is close to psychotic. And a GP who might properly diagnose depression is almost certainly not familiar with the ramifications You could have had several deaths in the family and job issues and have a GP rightly determine you are depressed. Who wouldn't be? but that shouldn't be enough to dq you.

You're welcome. Please see the little addition that I added in as I read more (It;s not really relevant to your friend, but it makes my reply more complete.)