Crazy test

Although, just out of interest, what did they tell you regarding your permanent record, if the above is wrong?
They just said that if I recover from depression that there's no reason to write it on any employment forms or anything, and that they probably won't check up on your medical record unless you do write something.
 
They just said that if I recover from depression that there's no reason to write it on any employment forms or anything, and that they probably won't check up on your medical record unless you do write something.

Ok, so my point is correct then? Not writing it on employment forms doesn't mean that it's not on your record that you are a sufferer.

The key word in your post is 'probably'.
 
Ok, so my point is correct then? Not writing it on employment forms doesn't mean that it's not on your record that you are a sufferer.

The key word in your post is 'probably'.
Well I'm pretty sure your medical record would get updated saying you recovered, in this politically-correct age we live in it'd probably be considered discrimination against people with depression otherwise. :p

I could ask my psychiatrist to elaborate on that next time I phone or go in.

Edit: Can a potential or current employer even check your medical record without your permission?

Edit 2: It seems that you need to give permission for it.

Department Of Health said:
Question: Does the patient have to consent for a report to be written?

Answer: Yes. The Access to Medical Reports Act 1988, provides that a person cannot ask a patient’s medical practitioner for a medical report on him/her for insurance or employment reasons without the patient’s knowledge and consent. Patients have the option of declining to give consent for a report about them to be written.
I found it in this article. I imagine this means that whether you're recovered or not it's not the business of a potential or current employer to know, though you would be lying if you were depressed and un-recovered but didn't write it on the form. I guess that's not exactly illegal though.
 
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Seems it's nobody's business to ask for a copy of your medical record without your permission.

Not if you ever find yourself in court. And anyway, requiring your permission doesn't mean it's not a bad thing to have on your record. Especially if it becomes an issue years down the line when you've (hopefully) long since recovered. At that point it will still state that you suffer depression. Not that you were a sufferer but that you are a sufferer.

I hope I'm wrong about this, I really do. But sadly I think it's true, because unlike a physical disease it's not obvious wether you have recovered or not, so for legal reasons it must be assumed you are still a sufferer.
 
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Not if you ever find yourself in court.
To be fair that's a completely different kettle of fish.

And anyway, requiring your permission doesn't mean it's not a bad thing to have on your record. Especially if it becomes an issue years down the line when you've (hopefully) long since recovered. At that point it will still state that you suffer depression. Not that you were a sufferer but that you are a sufferer.

I hope I'm wrong about this, I really do, but sadly I think it's true, because unlike a physical disease it's not obvious wether you have recovered or not, so for legal reasons it must be assumed you are still a sufferer.
I hope you're wrong too because, not only is it slightly discriminatory, but it really doesn't take much effort to type in "recovered" on a computer. I'd like to think that doctors are not so lazy. :D
 
To be fair that's a completely different kettle of fish.

Why? You brought employment into this, not me.

I hope you're wrong too because, not only is it slightly discriminatory, but it really doesn't take much effort to type in "recovered" on a computer. I'd like to think that doctors are not so lazy. :D

Of course it's discriminatory. That's why I advised people to try and deal with it themselves, if possible.

And as for typing 'recovered'. How exactly can a doctor tell for sure when someone has recovered from a mental illness?
 
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Why? You brought employment into this, not me.
Because if the only instance of it becoming public knowledge is because he's wound up in court then I don't think he has much to worry about in regards to it ruining his chances at succeeding in life, hell if he did end up in court it'd probably help his defence.

And as for typing 'recovered'. How exactly can you tell when someone has recovered?
I'm pretty sure a psychiatrist/psychotherapist can judge when you're fit, assuming you're honest with them. :)
 
I'm pretty sure a psychiatrist/psychotherapist can judge when you're fit, assuming you're honest with them. :)
Sadly that isn't how it works. The psyche is far too complex for a simple "he seems fine".


Edit: Nitpicking here slightly, but a psychotherapist would certainly not be qualified to make such a judgement! A psychotherapist would (usually) at best have a psychology degree, thus unlike psychiatrists they are not doctors.
 
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Your form, which your employers can't see without your permission, could also say you've got the bad aids, or have gotten crabs 15 times in the past year, or that you've had your transgender surgery any of which would make you seem, weird/bad/slaggy/whatever. Theres almost nothing you'd be legally obliged to divulge to well, anyone unless for some reason it had a very specific impact on your job. Which would probably mean, suicide hotlines, and thats about it.

Discouraging people to seek help because it might look bad is god damned awful to even come close to suggesting, let alone saying it as fact with misinformation.

There is nothing worse for a truly depressed person than hearing they shouldn't seek help because it will screw them over for life. Even on the off chance someone found out, depression is more and more accepted all the time and if in 10 years someone does find out, in another decade it will be even less of an issue than it is now. Frankly any decent boss/co-worker wouldnt' care now and if anyone did give you crap for it, its probably people you don't/won't want to associate with in the first place.

One of the biggest reasons people suffer depression longer than they should, is because people look down on it, they are bad enough, people who run around telling people not to get help because someone somewhere might look down on it is even worse, you're just propergating the myth that its completely abnormal and should be hidden. As a psych student, who might want to work in the area when done, you should firstly, know all that, secondly, never scare anyone off from getting help and thirdly, be drumming up business, not scaring it off.


To the OP, get help and don't be afraid to, if you think theres something wrong, or to anyone depressed who thinks theres something wrong. Chances are if its bad enough your behaviour around people will give people the impression something is wrong anyway, so you've nothing to lose by seeking help. What kind of things make you think you might be crazy anyway, might be perfectly normal fears everyone has and few admit to, or might be a bit out there. You would assume a lot of people who really are crazy, wouldn't have the slightest idea they were acting crazy at all, so chances are you're not.
 
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let alone saying it as fact with misinformation.

Misinformation? Care to elaborate? I never even mentioned anything about employment.

If you are diagnosed with clinical depression it will permanently be on your medical record that you are a sufferer, regardless of how long it has actually been since you last suffered depression.

Whatever way you look at it, that is a negative thing, so if possible it's best avoided.
 
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my wife thinks ive got mental issues.

im fine but i get urges to say stuff in an agressive tone i dont come out with it in public but if im just in the house ill let it out. i know exactly what im doing at the time though its not like its something i cant control.

sometimes ill just be washing the dishes or whatever and feel like saying "i'm going to ****** have you!"

ive been like this for years though its probably all the LSD and cannabis i took as a teenager
 
Lol at this thread. Best way to get an insanity test is to ask your local police station.

No it's not, the best way to get a judgement of your mental state is to see your GP. If he thinks there's anything wrong then he'll do what he can to help, but if it's something he can't handle then you will be referred to a psychiatrist.

Which is what the OP should do.

Huh? I meant ask the police station. Not ask the police. Why bother them, its not a crime.
 
Misinformation? Care to elaborate? I never even mentioned anything about employment.

If you are diagnosed with clinical depression it will permanently be on your medical record that you are a sufferer, regardless of how long it has actually been since you last suffered depression.

Whatever way you look at it, that is a negative thing, so if possible it's best avoided.

Except for, as a psych student you should be aware its not a negative thing, and not be spreading the idea it is such, you should be aware that other people might think that its negative, but you aren't saying that, you are saying you think its negative to be associated with it. When the numbers of people diagnosed with clinical depression is ever growning and those who have had small periods of depression is a simply massive number these days and also ever growing.

You are also, very much giving the impression its negative because other people can look at your medical records, basically no one else can in any normal situation so the only person that knows, is a doctor treating you whose legally not allowed to tell anyone else.

THe misinformation, is you're propergating two very incorrect things, that its bad to get help, and that medical records can be found pretty easily so its bad incase anyone see's. BOth, are crap, neither should be said full stop and you should not at all link those two with the idea that maybe its best not to get treatment which you are doing.

If you need treatment for depression, GET IT, never advise anyone not to, EVER, its that simple. You can never know how depressed someone is and your idea that it might screw them over in life might be the last straw for all you know. If someone is depressed enough to get treatment, chances are high that people they interact with know somethings wrong anyway, its often better a current boss knows you're depressed and doing something about it, than thinks your a lazy no good faking sick days loser who they will fire.

Many people are aware of how bad depression can get and there were, IIRC more positive stories about ocuk members and their friends/family getting help from bosses who knew they were depressed, than people who were treated badly.
 
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