Mental Health and Army - Do I have ANY chance?

[StanpyX]

Hello, I'm just wondering if anyone on here could possibly give me any accurate advice on whether this 'hurdle' has permanently prevented me from ever joining the armed forces. It's a really long story, but in August this year I was arrested by the Police under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act after I was found distressed on the top of a multistorey car park down town. I'll admit, I was actually intending to end my life from there, however when I got there I had second thoughts and ended up moping about trying to gather the courage to do it, but I didn't 'try' again. Nobody there really saw me, but the security guards in charge of the CCTV told the police I was going to do it, so they unexpectedly (to me that is) turned up about 20-30 minutes later and then forcibly restrained + handcuffed me. I was taken to the police station, and kept in a cell for six hours with a police officer babysitting me, then I was mentally assessed by a psychiatrist, a GP and a social worker who reccommended I stayed in a hospital for 3-4 days voluntarily, so I did. I was not diagnosed with a mental disorder, but was placed on a mood stabiliser (Lithium), however I won't be forever. I also have a history of self-harm, and this has also now been documented, so I can no longer lie about the scars I have here and there on my body. I don't have a criminal record at all, however, this is certainly splashed all over my medical records!

I'm now very nearly 18 (in less than 2 months) and joining the Army or Navy is something that has always appealed to me since I was 12. I used to be in Army Cadets for a small while when I was 13, I've watched many war films, played many war video games, I'm related to a few ex-soldiers and I went to a military careers thing with my school in Year 10. The Royal Artillery has appealed to me the most, but so has the Royal Military Police and being a CMT. I have no other medical difficulties, and I've never been sectioned under the Mental Health Act nor been 136'd multiple times before, it's purely a one off and I swear to God (or hope..) that it will never happen again. The reasons why I got really suicidal that day are complicated and were 'long cooking' (if I can put it that way), but they are by no means just a little teenage tiff like a relationship breaking down or whatever.

I sort of fear that I've blew any chance of ever getting accepted into the armed forces, now. I plan to apply some day, anyway, but I want someone to be realistic with me and tell me if I've got any chance of ever being recruited? I'm doing a college course in science now, and I plan to go to university to study biology then after that either work or do a Masters in something related. I'm just wondering if I recover from now on, get myself back on my feet, whether I'll have a good chance of joining when I'm 24 or 25? Whether the military acknowledges that one can 'recover' from this, or is it a permanent disqualification no matter what?

Answers are appreciated. No judgemental or flaming comments, please.

[MSI64]

Medical conditions that preclude entry:  The conditions in the table below make a person permanently unsuitable, except where specifically time limited, for entry into the Armed Forces.

Ongoing psychiatric illness. Psychosis. Schizophrenia. Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Autism. Personality disorder. More than one episode of deliberate self-harm of any type. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Alcohol, drug or substance dependence. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) unless free of symptoms and not requiring treatment for at least three years. Anorexia and bulimia.

Thats direct from the AFCO 5 guidance notes

[StanpyX]

Medical conditions that preclude entry:  The conditions in the table below make a person permanently unsuitable, except where specifically time limited, for entry into the Armed Forces.

Ongoing psychiatric illness. Psychosis. Schizophrenia. Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Autism. Personality disorder. More than one episode of deliberate self-harm of any type. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Alcohol, drug or substance dependence. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) unless free of symptoms and not requiring treatment for at least three years. Anorexia and bulimia.

Thats direct from the AFCO 5 guidance notes

Sorry it's taken me literally months to get back. Yeah, I've read that a few times, but two people including an ex RAMC Sergeant and an online recruiter told me it's completely up to the medical professionals to decide if you're mentally fit or not and that they are just guidance notes for recruiters.. dunno if that's true, but that's what I heard. In my case, my mental health team have decided that I actually have no mental disorder and I was taken off the medication within 3 months before being discharged and told that I should just "exercise and eat well" to make me feel better. No idea how much water their opinion will hold, though. Heh.

I'm planning on "giving it a shot" by putting in an application this summer after I finish my college course (goes back on what I said about uni, but yeah), I'm not going to get my hopes up, though.

[Tab]

As I have said in other posts on here is that the Army at the moment can pick and choose just who they want for the forces, and if there might be a problem then they can do with out it.
Just imagine the out cry if they allowed you in then you did some thing daft. People would rightly want to know why they let you in knowing of your problems

[Chalky]

Hi there, very sorry to bring up a really old thread, but I have a question but my story is very slightly different. I too have wanted to join the Army for quite a while and put in an application for the Paras but failed to get past the medical.

My situation is that I was diagnosed with a mental illness about 3 (nearly 4) years ago now. I've experienced depressive & some paranoid beliefs which lasted for 18 months/2 years, but have been in constant perfect mental health since around March 2012. Although I have thought about suicide, and sometimes the thoughts were quite strong, I have never actually attempted it (cutting OR overdose). I had to spend 3 years with a local mental health team even though I actually needed them for 2 as 3 years was mandatory. I've never ever been sectioned or hospitalized at all. I did ask the recruiter in my local AFCO about it and was told he couldn't help as there was no medically trained staff there and have read the AFCO Form 5 but I was left a little confused as to whether they were hard & fast rules or purely recommendations (Also, after reading the OP's second post here made me wonder if I had just been unlucky with my previous application)

The question I wanted to ask is, would it possible to get a waiver from my GP and appeal or should I just assume that I'm no longer eligible after the results of the first medical?

Sorry if my question is daft, but I think I've got to a stage where I feel I could do it.

Thanks for your time.

[Tab]

The Army is rough tough life that can put a person under server strain, Not only will you face tough times but you will go long periods with out sleep and get mentally and physically exhausted and some one that has mental problems they would be very careful in accepting.

[Chalky]

Ahh, thanks for your input Tab, much appreciated!