If I were to take an anti-depressant hypothetical.

[pcgizzmo]

I've had ADD for a while and don't really take anything for it right now. I make a good living and I'm happy but there is part of me that thinks I can do more. I'm also thinking about going back to school at the age of 42 so I'm more than likely going to need to increase my focus, motivation, drive etc..

In the past I've used ADD meds but as I get older I don't know if I want to take them as they can have some side effects like heart palpitations etc. I do love them when I can take them though.

That being said I'm thinking about talking to my Dr. about a trial of Wellbutrin. It's known as a anti-depressant but can have other benefits as well a couple of which are focus and drive. My concern is with my CHL. I don't have any psychiatric issues and have never been depressed. I'm a pretty happy person. In the off chance I had to use a weapon do any of you here think that if it were to come to light I was on an anti-depressant that could it be used against me in a shooting even though it might have been justified?

Would the State have reason to take away my CHL if they somehow came to the knowledge I was on an anti-depressant even though I am mentally stable?

Thanks...

[steve817]

I'm sure someone will come along and correct me if I'm wrong. With that said I believe the only time your CHL status would come into question is if Psychiatric treatment was ordered by the court.

[seamusTX]

That is not quite right.

Being "committed" by a court or other legal authority is the most serious step which would disqualify a person from even possessing a firearm.

The state of Texas looks at diagnoses. Being diagnosed with certain mental disorders or substance abuse is a disqualification for a CHL.

However, simply taking antidepressants or being depressed is not.

Please see viewtopic.php?f=7&t=35118&hilit=+antidepressants" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=26423&hilit=+antidepressants" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[MoJo]

A depressed person is more likely to harm themselves than others.

[Kythas]

Several anti-depressants have beneficial effects other than the main anti-depressant one. If your doctor prescribes you the anti-depressant for one of the beneficial side effects, you're not being diagnosed with a mental disorder, so it shouldn't be a problem.

[Divided Attention]

Talk with your doc. There are SEVERAL new ADD meds that are not antidepressant and do not have all the side effects of some of the traditional ADD meds. A GP might not be your answer, you might want to do some research and look for a psychiatrist that is experienced in treating adult ADD. There are some PCP's that do treat, it is just hard to find them, some are even under the idea that you "outgrow" ADD, despite all the evidence to the contrary.

As an aside, I am researching some food based nutritional supplements that are prescribed by a nutritionist to help with attention, as I am not a fan of taking ADD meds again either. JMPHO - and congratulations on the decision to go back to school!

[glbedd53]

Welbutrin is used as a quit smoking drug also. I think it's the same as Zyban. I took it for a while for anxiety/depression but it didn't really work for me. Prozac has worked best but there are sexual side effects if I take a larger dose.

[CC Italian]

Welbutrin is used as a quit smoking drug also. I think it's the same as Zyban. I took it for a while for anxiety/depression but it didn't really work for me.

I took this about 10 years ago to help me quit smoking. I was on it three days an quit! It made me hyper and yes it is the same as Zyban. The reason I quit taking it! Let's just say a 20 year old male should not have problems taking care of business in the bedroom! I quit smoking cold turkey and never looked back!

[CC Italian]

Exercise and eating healthy are the best for you regardless or not if you have ADD. I do cardio 4-5 times a week and lift weights 3 times a week and eat healthy! Sound body sound mind!

[WildBill]

That is not quite right.

Being "committed" by a court or other legal authority is the most serious step which would disqualify a person from even possessing a firearm.

The state of Texas looks at diagnoses. Being diagnosed with certain mental disorders or substance abuse is a disqualification for a CHL.

However, simply taking antidepressants or being depressed is not.

Please see viewtopic.php?f=7&t=35118&hilit=+antidepressants" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=26423&hilit=+antidepressants" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[Lambda Force]

Exercise and eating healthy are the best for you regardless or not if you have ADD.

That's also true for the flu, allergies, broken bones, cancer and old age. Exercise and eating healthy are good for eveyone but they don't cure and prevent everything.

For the OP, like a bunch of people said, depression and ADD/ADHD are not themselves disqualifiers.

[CC Italian]

Lamda- Eating and exercise was just a general health term that many over look that I was addressing. I didn't mean to convey that it was the cure to all but many people have low energy, depression, health problems etc because they don't cover the basic essentials. Any good doctor will tell you that a proper diet and exercise are essential to mental and physical health and general quality of life.

As for the ADD part I think it is more important when it is addressed as an adult then a child. Why? Over diagnoses is what I have witnessed in school age children. They are just rambunctious boys who grow up and settle down in many cases. It is a male dominated diagnosis by far!

As someone who was diagnosed with it as a teenager I laugh. I never had a problem focusing but they insisted I take meds to calm me down. They all had the opposite effect and made me hyper and I was off of them within 6 months after several different meds. After finally going to another doctor they told me I was not ADD but just hyper (14 go figure) and by the time I was 17 I calmed down.

I am not saying he shouldn’t take meds I am just saying he should go to a physiatrist first and get a full check up. Not just a general practitioner.

As for the original question. No I don't think they can use it against you. ADD is not being depressed. As long as your not on Klonopin, xanax or valium you should be fine.

[pcgizzmo]

Lamda- Eating and exercise was just a general health term that many over look that I was addressing. I didn't mean to convey that it was the cure to all but many people have low energy, depression, health problems etc because they don't cover the basic essentials. Any good doctor will tell you that a proper diet and exercise are essential to mental and physical health and general quality of life.

As for the ADD part I think it is more important when it is addressed as an adult then a child. Why? Over diagnoses is what I have witnessed in school age children. They are just rambunctious boys who grow up and settle down in many cases. It is a male dominated diagnosis by far!

As someone who was diagnosed with it as a teenager I laugh. I never had a problem focusing but they insisted I take meds to calm me down. They all had the opposite effect and made me hyper and I was off of them within 6 months after several different meds. After finally going to another doctor they told me I was not ADD but just hyper (14 go figure) and by the time I was 17 I calmed down.

I am not saying he shouldn’t take meds I am just saying he should go to a physiatrist first and get a full check up. Not just a general practitioner.

As for the original question. No I don't think they can use it against you. ADD is not being depressed. As long as your not on Klonopin, xanax or valium you should be fine.

I agree eating right and exercise are good for starters. I work out 4-5 times per week so I've got the exercise part covered. Food is a struggle. I've read quite about food and ADD. Low carb and fish oil seem to help some and like I said I have done OK for myself w/out ADD meds but took them for a while about 10 years ago when I went to a psychiatrist to get tested. He said I had it pretty bad. As a reference I'm 42 now.

My issue is I have a very short attention span. I used to be hyper and like you said I calmed down but my attention/focus is lacking. This is one place that the ADD meds REALLY helped. I could read the most boring thing and find it interesting when I took Adderall. If I have to I will take it again but I would like to investigate every avenue before I do. I will also try just going to class w/out anything to see how I do but I somehow know that I will need it for some of the classes that I find less interesting.

I'm quite lucky to have found my current job in IT as it's ever changing and has kept my interest. My boss this year in my review rather firmly insisted that I would need to further my education to continue to get raises and advance in my career hence my need to go back to school. It's for the better as I never finished my degree and should have a long time ago.

[CC Italian]

it is just hard to find them, some are even under the idea that you "outgrow" ADD, despite all the evidence to the contrary.

Hey, Divided I know what you mean by not outgrowing but I think that many boys are misdiagnosed starting between 5-7 grade. This was particularly bad in the 80s and 90s during the Ritalin boom. Even our school nurse who has been around for years said in the 90s they had so many more kids on meds then now. If the child had a learning disability they were labeled ADD in general. I didn't even find out till college that I had a mild case of dyslexia. My college lit. professor made us turn in our papers hand written because so many cheated and she noticed how I misspelled and used the wrong words on a constant basis.

I went to the college diagnostician and sure enough she said I had a mild case of dyslexia even though I did not have a reading problem. I further confirmed this by going back to my old child physiatrist who then ran more tests. He said they just missed it! It must have been overlooked by school diagnosticians and the two physiatrists I saw for 6 months when I was in junior high. I think every other kid I knew was on ADD meds and a lot of them stopped taking them when they grew up. Like you said if they are truly ADD it doesn't go away but I think there are a lot of people who are now 30-40 year olds who where misdiagnosed. This is why I think it is important to make sure you have a physiatrist run a full evaluation as an adult.

Sorry to draw this out and I know we discussed this a few months ago in another post but I just hate it when someone says “my ADDs kicking in” and most have never been diagnosed with it! It is way overused!

[CC Italian]

This is what I am talking about pcgizzmo you were diagnosed. It just makes it hard for people like you who are seriously ADD when everybody says "I have ADD" and they have never been diagnosed. People use it as an excuse!