If there is one thing that police officers need to be, it is of sound mind. The recent surge of mental health awareness has caused many people to begin taking some form of medication to address issues that they are dealing with. Understanding this is important for police officers that are looking to enter the police force. Having severe mental health issues is usually the cause of some types of disqualifications. One of the most common mental health issues that is present in society is anxiety. In fact, many citizens and police candidates take anxiety medication to help them in their day-to-day life. But can police officers take anxiety medication?
It is not generally a good idea for officers to take anxiety medication while on the clock. Anxiety medication often has a calming or sedative-like effect that can make it more difficult to perform police work. Disqualification Appeals and our NYPD disqualification appeal lawyer take a closer look in the following article. We also discuss the role of other types of mental health medications and their roles in police work.
Can Police Officers Take ADHD Medication?
A mental health disorder that is commonly linked to anxiety is ADHD. ADHD is a condition that causes people to have a limited attention span and hyperactivity. ADHD medication is designed to help people that are suffering from symptoms like this to become more productive and focused. There is no reason why a police officer cannot take ADHD medication. In fact, this kind of medication can improve function for certain aspects of police work.
For example, having a higher degree of concentration can help with certain police tasks that are repetitive or monotonous. People and police officers that have ADHD are more likely to become distracted or bored with the tasks at hand, which the medication is designed to address. Some of the effects of ADHD mimic those that anxiety has, which means that ADHD medication could have some anti-anxiety properties that could translate to positive benefits for police officers.
Can a Police Officer Have a Medical Card?
Can police officers take anxiety medication in the form of marijuana? Medical marijuana became legal in New York in 2014. This occurrence has left many prospective police officers wondering if they can use medical marijuana while a member of the police force. While it is not necessarily a disqualifier to people looking to join the police force, having a medical marijuana card or prior use of heavy marijuana usage might make it more difficult for candidates to be admitted into the police force and take part in their dream careers.
Anxiety and Police Officer Medical Disqualifications
A police officer candidate’s mental health is one of the primary concerns that the NYPD looks into when they are deciding which candidates to let into the police force. If the police force deems that a candidate has a level of anxiety or mental health issue that is too high for safe police work, they will be disqualified based on a psychological basis. If this is your case, our NYPD psychological disqualification appeals are some of the best options for you.
More About Disqualification Appeals
Disqualification Appeals is a legal service that is dedicated to helping our customers with legal services that place them close to a career in law enforcement. When someone is served with an NYPD notice of proposed disqualification, our offices should be one of the first calls that you should make. Our suite of legal services includes NYPD medical disqualifications, NYPD character disqualifications, and psychological disqualifications. Contact us today to learn more about appealing a psychological disqualification and our entire suite of services.