Depression meds...auto disqualification??

[jamesct]

My friend is applying to a couple of dept.'s but hasn't taken any psychologicals yet. Here's where she's worried...

She saw a shrink back in 2000 and they put her on anti-depressents and called it "seasonal depression". She hated it (the drugs, the shrink) and eventually got off of the meds and stopped going to see the shrink. She's TOTALLY fine now and would make a GREAT FF (physically & mentally).

Questions...
- Is this going to come back to haunt her?
- How will they find out?
- Do they ask for medical records? Doesn't HIPPA protect her on this?
- When she goes to her psychological, will they ask her if she's ever been treated for depression? Should she tell the truth?

Thanks All!

[CaptBob]

Anythying is possible.

If you list on your background and psych information that you have seen a psychologist in the past, the psychologist who interviews you is going to want to know why. If your medical insurance paid the bill there is a record. In the process you will sign off your rights and they can look at anything they want.

Psychologist evaluates have been in the order of if you have already been on anti depresants the stresses of the job can cause you more problems.

Example: Tony listed he had had counseling after being married 8 years and two children because he didn’t know if he still loved his wife. The psychologist wanted to talk to his personal psychologist. In the process it was discovered that Tony was also in a support group recommended by his psychologist after he got in a heated argument that almost came to blows because of the stress that had been created when job losses were occurring at his job.

Tony was dropped from the process.

[fieldseng2]

I'm not telling you to falsify anything. However, I've tested quite a few places and don't know too any that looked back at previous medical records. If after your physical or physch eval they find something unusual, they may ask you about it. Also, HIPAA may also play a role here.