Waiting in line at the driver’s office can be a problem, but it’s not like sharing personal health information to get permission to land at the wheel.
On the second page of the application for a driver's license in the state of Texas this question: "In the past two years, you have been diagnosed, was hospitalized, or are you currently being treated for mental disorder?"
The “yes” answer does not disqualify a person from obtaining a license, but this leads to more questions to determine whether the psychiatric record of anyone from the Medical Advisory Board of the Department of Public Health Services should be considered.
Have you ever experienced a caffeine remission? According to the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, this is a psychiatric problem. Sleepwalking, drinking and restless leg syndrome are also listed as mental disorders.
There are about 18 million licensed drivers in Texas. Given that a quarter of the population will be diagnosed with some form of mental illness, the question is illogical. The psychiatric condition that is being treated is usually less symptomatic than the untreated one. He should ask if the driver was diagnosed, but refused treatment for a mental disorder.
He does not ask whether the disorder interferes with a person’s ability to move safely, which is part of another question about medical conditions in general. Asking separately about medical conditions and psychiatric conditions, the question implies that psychiatric illnesses are not medical, which is an odd distinction to make a problem that is effectively treated with a wide range of drugs.
After all the questions about the medical history, the shaded box reminds the applicants: “False information can also lead to criminal charges with fines of up to $ 4,000 and / or jail.”
License applications for large states show that Texas is one of the few people asking such a general question. New York, New Jersey, California and Michigan are among those who do not ask about mental health. Virginia asks potential drivers if they have a “mental state” requiring them to take medicine. Florida and Ohio want to know if applicants have conditions that are thought to affect their ability to move safely.
Handling mental disorders is challenging due to the wide variety of diagnosis and severity and treatment. While a new driver license application asks if a person has been diagnosed or is currently considering a mental illness, the extension application provides more context. These applicants are asked to confirm: "I do not have any physical or mental states or illnesses that affect my ability to move safely."
In recent years, the treatment of mental illness has improved significantly. The invasion of privacy and the provision of private medical information should not affect the decision to issue a license. Should be taken for the past driving record and the ability to maintain financial responsibility.
