Medical/Counseling issue

[crazybuck13]

David, It's really difficult for me to answer your questions with any degree of accuracy. In other words, I can only guess. If your prior use of alcohol/marijuana was infrequent, it probably isn't going to be an issue. I can't really say how an agency would react to your panic attacks. The use of Zanix under a prescription certainly is not illegal, but questions regarding your history in regards to anxiety etc, will almost certainly arise. At age 19, you still have ample time to do a little research with agencies regarding your past problems. I would urge you to do so.

Thanks for your reply. I don't have any problem being upfront about what kinds of substances I played around with. I used marijuana frequently and sometimes infrequently for about 3-4 months. Sometimes I would smoke every day, or every other day, or once a week. The alcohol was less excessive and and quit drinking alcohol before I stopped using marijuana. Both of these substances were cut off before I reached the age of 17. Never touched any hard drugs.

As for the panic attacks and anxiety, I'm certain this topic will come up in the background check. The Zanix was definitely prescribed and I even have the records of my psychologist describing the kinds of treatment that occurred during my 5 day treatment. I never have problems with anxiety or panic anymore and my only real concern is whether or not the department will have a problem with it when I was younger.

[PhilipCal]

David, It's really difficult for me to answer your questions with any degree of accuracy. In other words, I can only guess. If your prior use of alcohol/marijuana was infrequent, it probably isn't going to be an issue. I can't really say how an agency would react to your panic attacks. The use of Zanix under a prescription certainly is not illegal, but questions regarding your history in regards to anxiety etc, will almost certainly arise. At age 19, you still have ample time to do a little research with agencies regarding your past problems. I would urge you to do so.

[crazybuck13]

Hello.. I just have a few questions about the hiring process of most departments.

When I was roughly 16, I had my first panic attack. I had no clue what happened or what was going on. I was taken to the ER and everything came back positive as a panic attack. Later that week, my family doctor prescribed Zanix to me because he wasn't sure if it was serious or not. I took Zanix maybe 4-5 times whenever I had a bad case of an attack. After a few days, my parents signed me up for 5 consultations with a psychologist, 1 per week for a month. I had no clue what a panic attack was and basically he did more explaining of anxiety/depression/panic attacks than actually therapeutic work. I haven't needed to use Zanix or any other substance to handle anxiety or panic attacks, and the cases of anxiety or panic attacks disappeared soon after therapy. I am 19 years old now, and will be applying to the police academy after my graduation from college which will be about 3-4 years from now.

This will not be an issue in regards to the hiring process will it? I'd be pretty bummed out if it was because I've wanted to be a cop since I was 16.

A few notes of consideration, during this time from 16 or so, I experimented with alcohol and marijuana like most kids. I also had an acquaintance that ended his life so it was a weird moment in my life. Since roughly 16 years old, I haven't touched an alcohol or marijuana substance once and made it a life choice to never use either substances or other illegal products ever again. It's not very easy to be a college kid and abstain for alcohol/marijuana so I hope this will not go undetected in the hiring process. I want my future employers to know that the Zanix issue and alcohol/marijuana experiments was nothing to throw up a red flag.

Thank you.

- David L.