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From: stigmaed on 14 Oct 2005 22:59
I have ruined my life because I voluntarily saw a frinking
psychiatrist!

OK, its not that bad, but on a government form to get security
clearance, this questions was asked... "In the last 7 years, have you
consulted with a mental health professional (psychiatrist,
psychologist, counselor, etc.) or have you consulted with another
health care provider about a mental health related condition?"

I couldn't lie. In the wake of buying a house, turning 30, surviving
2001, I became a little depressed. I had trouble sleeping. My ADD
became worse. I took advantage of my employment benefits and saw a
pdoc. And a therapist.

So I was depressed, I got over it. I was never crazy, suicidal,
hospitalized, in fact, no one really knew. I took wellbutrin,
trazodone, zolfot, and strattera before deciding to suck it up and save
the money. My last visit to the doc was over a year ago.

So a ex-coworker/friend got me this sweet job with a 30% pay increase.
I said yeah. 1 problem, I need security clearance from the US
government. No problem for someone born in this country with a clean
record.

hehe, section 21 asks the question "have you consulted with a mental
health professional ". I say yes, provide my doctors' names, and hope
for the best.

WRONG.

I, a US born citizen, son of two US born citizens, who honestly
answered NO to EVERY OTHER QUESTION on the form to every negative
question such as anything to do with foreign countries, military
record, bad employment, police, illegal drugs, alcohol, financial,
public records, ect. could not get interim security clearance. And the
only negative thing on my record is seeing a mental health
professional.

Biggest mistake of my life, telling anyone, especially a professional,
that I was depressed.

The stigma of mental illness, alive and well.

Where's the warning label on prozac, zoloft, strattera that says what
the negative professional and economic impact of taking the mediactions
are?

I'll get another job, I'll be fine, but this can ruin someon else's
life. Email me if you want to talk.

From: george of the jungle on 15 Oct 2005 02:25
On 14 Oct 2005 19:59:45 -0700, stigmaed(a)bellsouth.net wrote:

>I have ruined my life because I voluntarily saw a frinking
>psychiatrist!
>
>OK, its not that bad, but on a government form to get security
>clearance, this questions was asked... "In the last 7 years, have you
>consulted with a mental health professional (psychiatrist,
>psychologist, counselor, etc.) or have you consulted with another
>health care provider about a mental health related condition?"
>
>I couldn't lie. In the wake of buying a house, turning 30, surviving
>2001, I became a little depressed. I had trouble sleeping. My ADD
>became worse. I took advantage of my employment benefits and saw a
>pdoc. And a therapist.
>
>So I was depressed, I got over it. I was never crazy, suicidal,
>hospitalized, in fact, no one really knew. I took wellbutrin,
>trazodone, zolfot, and strattera before deciding to suck it up and save
>the money. My last visit to the doc was over a year ago.
>
>So a ex-coworker/friend got me this sweet job with a 30% pay increase.
>I said yeah. 1 problem, I need security clearance from the US
>government. No problem for someone born in this country with a clean
>record.
>
>hehe, section 21 asks the question "have you consulted with a mental
>health professional ". I say yes, provide my doctors' names, and hope
>for the best.
>
>WRONG.
>
>I, a US born citizen, son of two US born citizens, who honestly
>answered NO to EVERY OTHER QUESTION on the form to every negative
>question such as anything to do with foreign countries, military
>record, bad employment, police, illegal drugs, alcohol, financial,
>public records, ect. could not get interim security clearance. And the
>only negative thing on my record is seeing a mental health
>professional.
>
>Biggest mistake of my life, telling anyone, especially a professional,
>that I was depressed.
>
>The stigma of mental illness, alive and well.
>
>Where's the warning label on prozac, zoloft, strattera that says what
>the negative professional and economic impact of taking the mediactions
>are?
>
>I'll get another job, I'll be fine, but this can ruin someon else's
>life. Email me if you want to talk.

Lots of people with security clearances have seen a psychiatrist.
Perhaps that's what caused your problem but so far you have not
provided a convincing argument.

_g
From: stigmaed@bellsouth.net on 15 Oct 2005 08:44
I talked to a lawyer who specializes in security clearances. He said
that saying yes to that quesion was an automatic rejection of the
interim clearance process.

Everyone who knows me is simply shocked that I could not get clearance.
I don't even have traffic ticket I am so clean.

So yeah, EVENTUALLY I can get clearance, if the company will sponsor my
security application through the wait period of 9-18 months. The
complete investigation would clear me and I would get it then. The
problem is, I was supposed to start this Monday, not next year. And
the job will not wait.

But if they don't continue the process, and another company wants to
hire me for a security related position, this process starts over. I
could wait 6 years until this ages off the report, but thats a hell of
a penalty to pay.

From: J. Clarke on 16 Oct 2005 06:15
stigmaed(a)bellsouth.net wrote:

> I have ruined my life because I voluntarily saw a frinking
> psychiatrist!
>
> OK, its not that bad, but on a government form to get security
> clearance, this questions was asked... "In the last 7 years, have you
> consulted with a mental health professional (psychiatrist,
> psychologist, counselor, etc.) or have you consulted with another
> health care provider about a mental health related condition?"
>
> I couldn't lie. In the wake of buying a house, turning 30, surviving
> 2001, I became a little depressed. I had trouble sleeping. My ADD
> became worse. I took advantage of my employment benefits and saw a
> pdoc. And a therapist.
>
> So I was depressed, I got over it. I was never crazy, suicidal,
> hospitalized, in fact, no one really knew. I took wellbutrin,
> trazodone, zolfot, and strattera before deciding to suck it up and save
> the money. My last visit to the doc was over a year ago.
>
> So a ex-coworker/friend got me this sweet job with a 30% pay increase.
> I said yeah. 1 problem, I need security clearance from the US
> government. No problem for someone born in this country with a clean
> record.
>
> hehe, section 21 asks the question "have you consulted with a mental
> health professional ". I say yes, provide my doctors' names, and hope
> for the best.
>
> WRONG.
>
> I, a US born citizen, son of two US born citizens, who honestly
> answered NO to EVERY OTHER QUESTION on the form to every negative
> question such as anything to do with foreign countries, military
> record, bad employment, police, illegal drugs, alcohol, financial,
> public records, ect. could not get interim security clearance. And the
> only negative thing on my record is seeing a mental health
> professional.
>
> Biggest mistake of my life, telling anyone, especially a professional,
> that I was depressed.
>
> The stigma of mental illness, alive and well.
>
> Where's the warning label on prozac, zoloft, strattera that says what
> the negative professional and economic impact of taking the mediactions
> are?
>
> I'll get another job, I'll be fine, but this can ruin someon else's
> life. Email me if you want to talk.

Well, now, a psychiatric exam is part of the medical exam required for
admission to the service academies, so if that alone disqualifies one from
obtaining a security clearance then nobody who went to Annapolis would be
allowed to command a nuclear powered warship.

The form is only part of the process--there's also an agency check and for
the higher levels interviews with the neighbors, co-workers, etc. The
simple fact is that you do not _know_ why you failed the check. And if it
_was_ the psychiatrist then it's more likely that you said something
damaging to the psychiatrist than the simple act of seeking help--for
security clearances you have to authorize release of your records IIRC so
doctor-patient confidentiality is not an issue. The worst thing you could
have done was tell the psychiatrist something different from what you put
on the form--they look for inconsistencies and inconsistencies are the kiss
of death.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
From: stigmaed@bellsouth.net on 15 Oct 2005 09:19
They haven't done the background check yet. This was the 3 day quick
clearance.

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