Guns and depression. Family/Friends responseibility.

[MrsGungho]

Just wanted to post a follow up. If anything maybe this can help anyone who runs into this situation in the future.

I ended up just having a heart to heart with him. Went out hiking together and I just opened up to him. It was awkward and at first he didn't say a word. I thought for a moment he was peeved off at me and that was the end of it. Then it was like a wall just broke, he started opening up in a way that in 10+ years I've never seen from him.

He agreed to let me hold the gun for a couple months until he is a little more stable. And now that I know what is really the core of his depression, I can begin to help him.

Thanks INGO for giving me the spunk to do this. I know I haven't contributed much on here but I've been a member for a few years and can honestly say this is a great community.

I'm glad you were able to do this for him. I hope he heals and is able to see life as the gift it is meant to be

 

[88E30M50]

The presence of a gun in the home will not drive someone to suicide and the absence will not protect them from it. If an adult really makes the choice for ending their life, there are many, many ways to go about it that are much less violent than using a gun. We had a neighbor commit suicide last fall by putting a pillow case over his head, then a plastic bag over that. I had a friend commit suicide by closing his garage door and sitting in his running car.

My point is that taking a gun from someone does not take away their ability to end their own life. Taking a gun away might actually trigger it. I think the best way to do that is to help them understand what they have to live for. Maybe let them know that they are needed and have a place in the family. Depression is a bastard. It masks all that is good in life and only allows a person to see what is bad in their life. All they have accomplished disappears to them and is replaced by every failure they've had in life.

I think you took the right approach by letting him make the decision to have you hold the gun. If it's his decision, he keeps his self esteem. Now he needs to find a way to fight the rotten whore of depression. It can be tough.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Just wanted to post a follow up. If anything maybe this can help anyone who runs into this situation in the future.

I ended up just having a heart to heart with him. Went out hiking together and I just opened up to him. It was awkward and at first he didn't say a word. I thought for a moment he was peeved off at me and that was the end of it. Then it was like a wall just broke, he started opening up in a way that in 10+ years I've never seen from him.

He agreed to let me hold the gun for a couple months until he is a little more stable. And now that I know what is really the core of his depression, I can begin to help him.

Thanks INGO for giving me the spunk to do this. I know I haven't contributed much on here but I've been a member for a few years and can honestly say this is a great community.

Wow! That's great. Good for you and him.

 

[jgreiner]

You could talk to him...man to man. And let him know you are worried. Offered to hold onto the gun for him until he gets it back under control.

 

[jgreiner]

Just wanted to post a follow up. If anything maybe this can help anyone who runs into this situation in the future.

I ended up just having a heart to heart with him. Went out hiking together and I just opened up to him. It was awkward and at first he didn't say a word. I thought for a moment he was peeved off at me and that was the end of it. Then it was like a wall just broke, he started opening up in a way that in 10+ years I've never seen from him.

He agreed to let me hold the gun for a couple months until he is a little more stable. And now that I know what is really the core of his depression, I can begin to help him.

Thanks INGO for giving me the spunk to do this. I know I haven't contributed much on here but I've been a member for a few years and can honestly say this is a great community.

Well, disregard my previous post then. Good to hear!!!

 

[funeralweb]

 

[redgreenrider]

Way to go man! It's not easy to do what you did, but it shows how much you care about him! Keep up the talks with him. He's gonna need continued support to help him cope. Sometimes depression is not something people can get over, they must learn ways to cope with ugly thoughts and situations as they arise.

 

[TEK]

Well, I guess this is my forte. I am a mental health professional working in a psychiatric hospital intake office.

First, I'd say that my first concern is his ability to complete 4473, since he was being treated for mental illness. This should disqualify him from owning/carrying a weapon.

......

the language parallels 922 of the US code "are you adjudicated mentall defective or committed."

NEITHER of those has been described. the one thing refers to guardianship and the other refers to involuntary committment. both of those are specific legal findings of incompetence that give rise to a legal disability under federal law.

merely seeking mental health treatment or taking SSRIs does not NOT constitute either condition under that question on the 4473

 

[TEK]

Sorry for the length just a lot of information I thought was important.

..........
her dad has been dealing with severe depression the last couple months. He has been seeing a counselor and has been subscribed some anti depression medication. From what she told me the last week or so he has stopped taking his medication and last night made the comment (which he says was just giving his wife a hard time) that he was going to overdose on sleeping pills.

…..

what is described in that paragraph applies to a small but growing percentage of the population, and hardly a neglibibly small number as medicines are increasingly prescribed. And probably more than a few gun owners among the millions of americans. in spite of a few people going off half cocked like Sandy Hook there is no reason that a person just seeking some counselling or taking garden variety antidepressants should be disabled legally from their second amendment rights.

of course family members need to be involved not just with makign sure a person doesnt off themselves but getting the mental health treatment that he or she may need. but lets not confuse this iwth 4473 and the RKBA

18 USC § 922 - Unlawful acts | Title 18 - Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code | LII / Legal Information Institute

 

[Boonl1776]

Borrow the gun from him to have the trigger improved. Months from now, tell him you can't believe how long the gunsmith is taking.