Posted on 06/15/2013 7:19:49 AM PDT by Gen.Blather
I had a disturbing conversation with a therapist about reporting/seizing patient’s guns. It revolved around the recent FR article reporting a 72 year old man had his musket collection seized because his therapist requested it. (A link would be appreciated.)
We’ll call the therapist Bill. Bill: “A therapist must follow the ethical guidelines of the practice plus any state laws. So, if the patient had expressed any suicidal ideation or depression, the therapist may be obligated to report this and the weapons will be seized.”
Me: “Do you think that might damage the trust relationship with the therapist?”
Bill shrugged and rolled his eyes. “Probably, but it’s a requirement. The therapist has no choice.”
Me: “It seems then that the relationship with the therapist isn’t one between medical professional and patient, but between the therapist and the government. Where does the therapist’s loyalty lie?”
Bill: (This is reduced to carry the flavor without being an exact quote.) “The therapist is a required to follow the law. The law differs from state to state.”
Me: “Do you think there may be an agenda where the therapist doesn’t like guns or gun owners?”
Bill: “It’s certainly possible. But without knowing any of the details, I can’t say.”
Me: “Do you think having the government swoop in and search your house and seize your property might have a negative psychological impact on the patient?”
Bill: (Again, a shrug.) “You do what the law and the ethical standards require.”
Me: “It seems to me that anybody who was honest with a therapist is an idiot.”
Bill: “It may lead to people not being open with their therapist, yes.”
In a side note, Bill said that the patient’s records belong to the therapist but the contents of the record belong to the patient. (Really fine delineation, but he was trying to get at patient privacy. But if he sends the sheriff to your house to search it, then what is the privacy worth?) Several years ago, I worked on a classified project. A woman employee had experienced a nervous breakdown and was “temporarily” removed from the project. She’d been with the same group for 25 years and they were family to her. She wanted back. They pulled the bureaucratic slow-roll on her, assuring her she’d be back when the paperwork cleared. But they had no intention of reinstating her clearance. One day I walked up on a conversation where the program’s security officer was reading from this lady’s medical record and they were having a good laugh. I was appalled. Nobody had any right to see that psychology report and less still to discuss it with other employees. Classified project people tend to see the world in us vs. them terms. This poor lady was no longer “us” and had become, therefore, “them.” Because this lady didn’t get her clearance reinstated they laid her off.
This experience has colored how I see doctors and the security establishment.
How does it impact your employability when you’ve officially had your weapons seized?
Bottom line: don’t talk to a witch doctor psycho-ologist.
there needs to be a court order for them to keep your guns, anything less is unconstitutional.
You can’t take stuff from anyone without letting them have their day in court.
“program’s security officer was reading from this lady’s medical record”
Hope you turned them in to HR!
Hahahahahah. That's a good one.
This is pretty much a lawless country. The system is corrupt.
Mental healthy ethical guidelines require the violation of a persons second amendment rights? Everyone has the right to take away someones Constitutional rights now days?/s
Federal law says “adjudicated mentally deficient.” It does not say “therepist has a hunch.”
If you can’t get your day in court, then this country is done for.
There was a time when “therapists” were called something else; family, friends, wise old neighbors, ministers etc. They were far more effective back then than they are today. Cheaper too.
Face it, this country is infested both with muzzies and now a bunch of f***ing NAZIS in white lab coats!! And both groups very much have an “us vs. them” attitude.
I hope when Obamacare really kicks in that we start to hear psychotherapists, psychiatrists, & psychologists all moaning & complaining about a massive falloff in business!
In the immortal words of The Duke, “Well, out here, pilgrim, a man learns to solve his own problems.”
On top of that, the courts are biased against the people anyway. A day in court, against a judge, is worthless too.
Exactly! Beat me to it.
just wait until they start paying a bounty for the names.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130609/news/706099896/
Arlington Heights man, police in dispute over confiscating his guns
“This is pretty much a lawless country. The system is corrupt.”
Good point. Where is the government actually working
within the constitution
They are not your friend.
People - STOP GOING TO therapist...they are a waste of time and energy.
Life situations can be explained when one looks at cause and effect...find the cause and you’ll see the effect...it shouldn’t take someone else to sit there and listen to the indicators and then tell you why certain situations occur...that simple...
Even if one has a mental condition...then it must be dealt with - someone knows either it was present from birth -or brought on over time - or through some mitigating circumstance — but it all can be identified...never will let someone else deal with my problems that I bring into my life...
Take a guess at an employer's reaction to hearing that the police have been to your house to take away your guns. HR would NOT have a warm and fuzzy feeling about you, and would look for any excuse to get you out of there.
“http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130609/news/706099896/
Arlington Heights man, police in dispute over confiscating his guns”
Thank you. The therapist wanted to read the case. This is even worse than I thought. Surely there’s an agenda at work here.
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