Can you become a cop if you have mental illness?
Asked by: Dr. Wava Reilly | Last update: September 18, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (12 votes)
A: Agencies will make their determination based on your symptoms. You will need to be assessed and possibly treated by a physician and a mental health professional. It is possible for applicants with TBI or PTSD to become police officers if their symptoms are under control.
Can you be a police officer with an anxiety disorder?
Living with depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be difficult, but many people prove capable of managing and functioning normally. If you're fortunate enough to live in a state that fosters this mindset, you should be able to be considered as a candidate just like anyone else.
What will disqualify you from being a police officer in Canada?
Physical Disqualifier: You cannot be in poor physical condition. Failure to successfully complete the physical examination in the minimum time frame is an automatic disqualification. Test particulars can vary from one police agency to the next.
Can you become a police officer with mental health history?
Police Officers must undergo extensive psychological, physical and background checks. Any serious mental disease, defect or disorder would preclude employment in any sworn or mission critical position.
What mental conditions disqualify you from being a police officer?
Conditions such as bipolar disorder, recurring major depression, with or without psychotic features or suicidal ideation, recurring anxiety disorders, with or without panic attacks, obsessive/compulsive disorder, and most diagnoses leading to a psychiatric hospitalization require review of relevant medical records.
Can I Become A Cop If I Receive VA Disability
Can I be a police officer with bipolar?
The police physician may also require ongoing follow-up to monitor for recurrence. LEOs with these diagnoses may be able to perform as an officer, but must meet all of the following criteria for return to work without restrictions: absence of impairing symptoms in the past 2 months.
What is the hardest mental illness to live with?
- Schizophrenia.
- Severe Bipolar Disorder.
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
- Major Depression and Treatment-Resistant Depression.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Eating Disorders.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- So, What is the hardest mental illness to live with?
Can you be a cop if you're on antidepressants?
Can Cops Be On Antidepressants? While taking antidepressants is not an automatic disqualification for police applicants, transparency about medical history, including the use of antidepressants, is crucial during the application process.
How many police officers struggle with mental health?
Studies have found that officers experience depression at nearly double the rate of the general population, with 12% of police officers reporting depression compared to 6.8% for everyone else.
Can I be a cop if I was in a mental hospital?
In most cases if you have been committed to a psychiatric ward, voluntarily or involuntarily you will not be able to be a police officer. That being said, you can still be the President of the United States of America.
Can I be a cop with a bad record?
In most forces, felony convictions, records of domestic violence, and serious misdemeanors can keep a person from becoming a police officer. Murder, rape, robbery, drug trafficking, and other crimes are immediate disqualifications and may even reveal criminal ties.
Is it hard to become a police officer in Canada?
To become a police officer in Canada, you need to meet a set of minimum requirements. The requirements may vary from one law enforcement agency to another. While some police agencies require candidates to have a valid driver's license and know first aid administration, some agencies don't.
How to become a SWAT officer?
Many SWAT teams require two to three years of experience as a regular officer or agent. During this time, work to keep a clean service record and excel at your duties. Because leaders promote officers to SWAT teams from within the force, success as an officer can increase your eligibility for SWAT positions.
Can you be a cop with ADHD?
Does ADHD Disqualify You From Becoming a Police Officer? The simple answer is no. ADHD does not automatically disqualify you from becoming a police officer, including with the NYPD.
Can you be a cop with borderline personality disorder?
Working very long shifts, especially with few breaks, might be inappropriate for someone with BPD. These conditions would likely cause the individual to feel exhausted and overwhelmed and may trigger emotional outbursts and excessive anxiety. This includes working as a paramedic, police officer, or doctor.
Is anxiety and panic a disability?
You can generally get disability for anxiety if your condition leaves you completely unable to work or unable to go through daily life on your own. However, the SSA has very strict criteria for who can get benefits because of anxiety or other mental health conditions.
What medical conditions disqualify you from being a police officer?
Q: What medical problems would prevent me from becoming a police officer? A: A recent seizure, or a severe heart or lung condition may prevent you from becoming a police officer. The majority of typical applicants meet the medical requirements.
Can I be a cop if I have anxiety?
If the candidate/officer individual generally scores over a 5+ demonstrates some mild level anxiety that might be impacting day to day life. However at a score of 10+ there is moderate anxiety that clearly could be impacting the life of the officer.
How do police deal with mental illness?
As with all law enforcement decisions, the police must exercise discretion in choosing the most appropriate disposition. Officers who encounter an irrational person creating a disturbance have three choices: transport that person to a mental hospital, arrest the per- son, or resolve the matter informal- ly.
Do I have to disclose I'm on antidepressants?
A requirement to disclose will usually be contained in the company alcohol and drugs policy or in the employee's individual contract of employment. This requirement should indicate who the employee has to make the disclosure to make them feel more comfortable about approaching this person.
Is being a police officer worth it?
It depends on one's values, career goals, and willingness to accept the inherent risks and challenges of the job. If the benefits of making a significant community impact, job stability, and career progression outweigh the potential drawbacks, a career in law enforcement may be the right choice.
Do antidepressants show up on a background check?
Antidepressants are detectable in drug screenings for 4 to 7 days after use. However, they are not commonly tested for and do not appear in standard drug testing results. They can appear as false positives for medications that are considered drugs of abuse.
What is the rarest mental illness?
- Clinical Lycanthropy. ...
- Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder. ...
- Diogenes Syndrome. ...
- Stendhal Syndrome. ...
- Apotemnophilia. ...
- Alien Hand Syndrome. ...
- Capgras Syndrome. ...
- Alice in Wonderland Syndrome.
What is the BPD stare?
One of the lesser-known symptoms of BPD is the "stare," a piercing and intense gaze that can be unsettling for others. While the stare is not a diagnostic criterion for BPD, it is often reported by people with BPD and can be a sign of emotional dysregulation.
What mental disorder kills the most?
All mental disorders had higher mortality risks than general population samples, but there was a considerable range from dysthymia, with an RR of 1.4, to opiate use disorders, with an SMR of 14.7. Substance use disorders and anorexia nervosa had the highest mortality risks (Table 1).