Help US Gun Control Laws?

[idek]

I live in the US in a state with strict gun laws...

So this state bars people from purchasing guns without a legal seller that runs a background check.

To my understanding, this is a criminal background check - which to my understanding doesn't cover mental health issues (as explained by a job coach for employment).

So... I've been institutionalized... Umm... Four times? All for suicidality or self-harm. Three of these times were very much voluntary, the other was in another state in which friends checked me in.

All short-term (1 week to 11 days), none court-mandated.

I also have changed my name since these attempts.

So... since the laws specifically note being institutionalized by the courts...
Does that mean I will pass the background check?

The only thing I have on my adult record is a car accident about a year or two ago - I was charged with a dangerous turn, nothing else... never really been in legal trouble, never committed a crime (that I was cought for).

My therapist has asked me many times if I need to go to inpatient but she has been pretty forward that she writes my info to the insurance company to suggest I need help but not institutionalization as she respects it when I say "that would just make my life worse"... nothing especially that I've encountered abuse in in-patient.

I went and looked at guns the other day and decided that I can afford it... but I'm nervous to go in and get denied.

Anyone have any knowledge of laws that can explain what this means exactly - since it notes the courts and things like being defined as unfit to stand trial (ect) but nothing about short-term (crisis) facilities or voluntary institutionalization that this doesn't actually bar me from purchasing a gun?

I have a back-up. Sodium nitrate (which is easily accessible here).
But tbh... I want this to be the last attempt so I'd like to have two options on hand should one fail.

Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

[WoodyOak]

Not sure if this is the information you`re looking for but check out this link...

Possession of Firearms by People With Mental Illness

In addition to federal laws, states have laws that govern possession of firearms and guns by those that are mentally ill.

www.ncsl.org

Or check out this link...

Mental Health Reporting

Universal background checks save lives from gun violence.

lawcenter.giffords.org

Will My Mental Health Record Show Up in My Background Check? -

Mental health and mental illnesses are sensitive subjects. As much as society would like to pat itself on the back for being more open-minded these days, the undeniable fact is that mental illness still carries a heavy stigma.

www.activescreening.com

 

[idek]

That was helpful but the wording there didn't look hopeful.

See... if I didn't have anxiety I'd just walk in there and not worry about it... but if I didn't have anxiety I wouldn't be quite as low in this shit.

Thank you none the less!

 

[WoodyOak]

It`s the only reason I haven`t sought out a shrink.
I don`t want to end up on a list that prohibits me from obtaining a firearm.
I`m an avid believer of the second amendment even though I`m not a gun owner.
It`s also not my method if I am to CTB but I do believe it should be someones` right to CTB if they so chose..

 

[Aap]

Posts like this sound like they are written by the anti-2nd crowd, especially the next to last paragraph clever mentioning of "nitrate" (though the vague references to name changing are good too)...

 

[Mr. ‘K so?]

As far as I know, the only thing that will land you on a list preventing you from buying a weapon is if you've committed a felony. Records kept by a hospital aren't public record and would have to be requested for by a court or police when a crime happens. The hospitals would be breaking doctor patient confidentiality by making your medical records accessible. You already kinda answered your own question, it wasn't court mandated so it's not recorded

 

[idek]

It`s the only reason I haven`t sought out a shrink.
I don`t want to end up on a list that prohibits me from obtaining a firearm.
I`m an avid believer of the second amendment even though I`m not a gun owner.
It`s also not my method if I am to CTB but I do believe it should be someones` right to CTB if they so chose..

That's legitimate. I was already in to see shrinks when I was a little kid. Guess I thought nothing of it.

Posts like this sound like they are written by the anti-2nd crowd, especially the next to last paragraph clever mentioning of "nitrate" (though the vague references to name changing are good too)...

I assure you I'm not against the second amendment but I suppose your comment is legitimate. I guess I'm just that kind of shitty person. *Shrugs*

As far as I know, the only thing that will land you on a list preventing you from buying a weapon is if you've committed a felony. Records kept by a hospital aren't public record and would have to be requested for by a court or police when a crime happens. The hospitals would be breaking doctor patient confidentiality by making your medical records accessible. You already kinda answered your own question, it wasn't court mandated so it's not recorded

Thank you for that info, that's kinda what I was thinking. I'm not a violent person and never have been - never even done anything that would be classified as a felony (crime I've "committed" would include buying/owning illegal drugs and pretty minor theft - and again, never cought).
I guess I'll try and just see how it goes.

 

[Aap]

Since you are such an ardent 2nd amendment supporter, why not stop making posts asking about potentially illegal Things or how to skirt state or federal laws. (I say potentially, as I don't know what state you are in or how legal your name change is). The federal definition of prohibited person is clear and a 4473 doesn't take a rocket surgeon to fill out. Your post screams "I'm trying to do something shady."

likewise, why not actually do some research and not post crap about sodium nitrate?

 

[idek]

Since you are such an ardent 2nd amendment supporter, why not stop making posts asking about potentially illegal Things or how to skirt state or federal laws. (I say potentially, as I don't know what state you are in or how legal your name change is). The federal definition of prohibited person is clear and a 4473 doesn't take a rocket surgeon to fill out. Your post screams "I'm trying to do something shady."

likewise, why not actually do some research and not post crap about sodium nitrate?

Wow, yeah, thanks for that. I'll just crawl back into the hole I crawled out of and isolate myself like I normally do cus that's worked out so well for me in the past.
Also, I didn't change my name to be shady - I did it because I hated my name... ya know, the usual reason people get their name changed. But thanks...
But really man. Thanks for the reminder that I'm
1. A complete piece of shit
And
2. That I literally can't even just... Idk... Exist in a space where everyone else is basically at the same place in life as I am. Jfc... you'd think a board full of depressed suicidal people would be one where there's some fucking compassion. Glad to know that that's not the thing.

And ya wonder why I'd rather kill myself than exist on this stupid shitty rock with humans.


Don't worry, I'll go. Be joyous as everyone else that doesn't have to deal with me.

Be well.

 

[Aap]

If you knew how serious the feds can be regarding illegal firearm sales and those who assist in them, you wouldn't be trying so desperately to make me feel guilty. You are also discussing taking something that will be potentially harmful to anyone who were to follow your advice.

 

[garbagemonkey]

I had a committal in 1994 that I didn't realize was involuntary. I was arrested in 2015 for trying to buy a gun. So I would suggest if you have ANY suspicion of any record of you being hospitalized to avoid firearm background checks. And by this I mean don't try to buy a gun period. Look for a different method.

P.S. Charges were dropped because they could not find any records from the hospital, but the commitment is still on my permanent record.

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

If you knew how serious the feds can be regarding illegal firearm sales and those who assist in them, you wouldn't be trying so desperately to make me feel guilty. You are also discussing taking something that will be potentially harmful to anyone who were to follow your advice.

You often have a really good bullshit detector that I respect. I call out bullshit, too.

Personally, I didn't sense what you did about the original post. These seemed like normal forum questions about gun laws, I didn't get a vibe that the OP was seeking a way to skirt them or to get other members to help him/her do so. Maybe someone would PM and offer help in illegally obtaining a weapon, but that gets into the area of scams, and both members would be responsible for their own actions, both would be doing something that puts them in jeopardy. The questions OP is asking don't seem to me to put anyone in jeopardy to offer illegal advice, only to advise about gun laws, and there have been good answers. Bringing up the backup method didn't seem out of the norm to me, either. I noticed the spelling error, but didn't feel alarmed. I always make room for someone calling out BS as I may have overlooked it, but so far I'm just not sensing what you are.

I'm also pretty good about detecting when someone is trying to evade and shift the focus onto the one calling out. My impression was that the OP was being assertive and not taking on anything you were trying to put on him/her. I respect that, too.

I doubt I can change anyone's mind here, but I thought I'd respectfully offer another perspective anyway, to both you and the OP. It's not my fight, but it is a forum, so additional opinions may shed light if they are of value.

 

[Tintypographer]

Speaking as a Texan where they pass out guns as party favors, they don't check your mental health. That history isn't part of the background check although they will ask if you understand that the purchase of a firearm is under the legal restriction against harming yourself or others except in self defense where there is deadly force involved and the firearm is a last resort. So you would be lying on that form if you intended to CTB with the firearm. But if successful they won't prosecute you for that lie.

 

[Aap]

Fair enough, I could be wrong. I have seen too many similar posts on gun forums or sales websites that seem to follow a few familiar scripts (How to lie on a 4473, straw purchases, NFA entrapment, or nonsensical calls for violence).

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

Fair enough, I could be wrong. I have seen too many similar posts on gun forums or sales websites that seem to follow a few familiar scripts (How to lie on a 4473, straw purchases, NFA entrapment, or nonsensical calls for violence).

It's helpful to know what was behind your suspicion, and I appreciate you clarifying.

Sometimes I'm wrong when my BS detector goes off, but I think it's better to listen to it and be wrong, than to ignore it and be victimized or others be victimized for not giving it credence or attention. But it's a challenge to call out suspicious behaviors without causing offense (and also mod involvement), so to me it's helpful to do so in a balanced way that protects members but also does no harm to the poster in case the detector was in error. I myself struggle in finding this balance, sometimes I get it right, sometimes I get a PM from a mod and have to figure out how to refine my approach going forward.