Thread: Depression/Antidepressants applying for NYPD

I just took the NYPD exam, which I felt I did excellent on, and now I'm seriously considering this career path. However I have had a history of depression and mood disorder, nothing voilent/suicidal/etc etc, just bad depression. I'm on antidepressants. Will this reflect badly on my other evaluations? I know depression is common with NYPD. I guess what I want to know is given my past, is this not even a feasible option? I've never been hospitalized or anything.

Not the job for you. I don't want to knock your ambitions but if you already have a history of depression and mood disorder, stay away.

Well I'm totally fine, haven't been depressed in over a year after getting put on the meds, I'm just wondering if I'm looking at almost definite DQ.

My cousin was disqualified from NYPD because he admitted to receiving counseling for depression when he was a kid. This was a few years ago so who knows if things have changed some.
-pint!

About 8 years ago I saw someone with a Masters in Social Work (basically a psychologist) for a few sessions because I was bummed about a few things (girlfriend, career, money, the usual). I was put on Psych review until they received the paperwork from the Psychologist. Once they saw that I told them the truth, I was taken off of review and was able to proceed.

sorry to hear that pint. Now I'm even more worried... sigh...

Go through the process and see what happens. If you don't you'll regret it later...

Good luck

I just hope to God my conviction about being a cop will outweigh my past "emotional" problems during the psych eval.

In my opinion, based on experience, DrBurton made an unfounded blanket statement above. To explain:

Situational depression is rarely an automatic disqualifier. I would consider this largely to be a "crystal ball" question, however:

---If you were "depressed" due to the death of a loved one or other traumatic incident and thus put on Zoloft, Paxil, etc. for a reasonable period of time, you need only disclose this and have it verified.

---If you are "depressed" continually without a situational reason and can't come off the meds, that may be a more difficult situation.

Let's not tell people who have been put on Zoloft that they should immediately abandon any hopes of working in LE.

Cheers.

Did you contact an NYPD recruiter or BI to find out how they view your matter as far as Q or DQ?

In the federal system, we obtain a medical release and ask the Dr/MSW, etc, if there are any conditions that would effect the subjects ability, etc.

Good luck