Hi all. Bit of a sensitive question from someone new to firearms and this community, but who has been interested in getting a license for a while. I hope this is an okay question to post because I’m looking for advice/perspective. I hope this question is okay to ask on here.
Like I mentioned, I've been interested in acquiring a firearms license for some time now but have finally started taking the steps to do so. My dad used to hunt and target shoot, and I did the latter with him once and enjoyed it and have always been distantly interested in firearms.
I've booked a safety course for the end of the month and was very excited for it, but I started looking even more into the applications process and of course came across the personal question around mental health. I started dealing with depression as a teenager and it got worse in my late teens, early twenties. I don't remember if I got formally diagnosed as my doctor situation was unideal (more on that later), but I was given anti-depressants. When I was 20, I attempted suicide. This was somewhat a half-hearted attempt; I just swallowed a small handful of my anti-depressants and 20 minutes later freaked out, called a friend and went to the hospital. I was put under a Form 1 in Ontario so they could keep me there for 24 hours, however I was released in less than that after consulting a doctor and psychiatrist who deemed me as no risk. Since then I have not had any other attempts. About 5 years later, in 2020, I stopped taking my anti-depressants and slowly weaned off them. I never found them to help a whole lot (for me personally) and felt a lot better without them in many ways. I won't lie and say I never feel a bit depressed or have low spirits from time to time, but it's nothing like I felt in my teens and early 20s.
The problem is, I'm not sure if I'd be able to get a doctors note to verify this. The doctors who prescribed me medication in my 20s were doctors on my university campus. I didn't really have a family doctor or even one single doctor I saw at that time. I don't remember their names and even if I could find them, they wouldn't remember me or be able to speak to the progress I've made with my mental health since. I JUST started seeing a new family doctor this past month, however I've only had one appointment with him and he does not know me well yet. We didn't talk about mental health at all. It isn't as much of an issue for me so I didn't bring it up (though I did write depression/anxiety) on my intake form.
I'm prepared to fully disclose all this on my application, and am wondering what the odds are of acquiring my firearms license is. I'll be 30 by the time I put together the application. The suicide attempt happened almost 10 years ago, and the last few years I've seen my mental health improve. I am confident in myself that I will not use a gun, or anything, to harm myself. My fiance who I live with is very supportive of me getting my license (he was also the friend who I called when I was 20). I'm not even sure I will be rushing to get a gun right away (due to small apartment storage issues), I mostly want to learn to use one and have the ability to get one if I want in the future. Would love any input about this. Thank you so much for reading.
Like I mentioned, I've been interested in acquiring a firearms license for some time now but have finally started taking the steps to do so. My dad used to hunt and target shoot, and I did the latter with him once and enjoyed it and have always been distantly interested in firearms.
I've booked a safety course for the end of the month and was very excited for it, but I started looking even more into the applications process and of course came across the personal question around mental health. I started dealing with depression as a teenager and it got worse in my late teens, early twenties. I don't remember if I got formally diagnosed as my doctor situation was unideal (more on that later), but I was given anti-depressants. When I was 20, I attempted suicide. This was somewhat a half-hearted attempt; I just swallowed a small handful of my anti-depressants and 20 minutes later freaked out, called a friend and went to the hospital. I was put under a Form 1 in Ontario so they could keep me there for 24 hours, however I was released in less than that after consulting a doctor and psychiatrist who deemed me as no risk. Since then I have not had any other attempts. About 5 years later, in 2020, I stopped taking my anti-depressants and slowly weaned off them. I never found them to help a whole lot (for me personally) and felt a lot better without them in many ways. I won't lie and say I never feel a bit depressed or have low spirits from time to time, but it's nothing like I felt in my teens and early 20s.
The problem is, I'm not sure if I'd be able to get a doctors note to verify this. The doctors who prescribed me medication in my 20s were doctors on my university campus. I didn't really have a family doctor or even one single doctor I saw at that time. I don't remember their names and even if I could find them, they wouldn't remember me or be able to speak to the progress I've made with my mental health since. I JUST started seeing a new family doctor this past month, however I've only had one appointment with him and he does not know me well yet. We didn't talk about mental health at all. It isn't as much of an issue for me so I didn't bring it up (though I did write depression/anxiety) on my intake form.
I'm prepared to fully disclose all this on my application, and am wondering what the odds are of acquiring my firearms license is. I'll be 30 by the time I put together the application. The suicide attempt happened almost 10 years ago, and the last few years I've seen my mental health improve. I am confident in myself that I will not use a gun, or anything, to harm myself. My fiance who I live with is very supportive of me getting my license (he was also the friend who I called when I was 20). I'm not even sure I will be rushing to get a gun right away (due to small apartment storage issues), I mostly want to learn to use one and have the ability to get one if I want in the future. Would love any input about this. Thank you so much for reading.
