I work on counterterrorism for a U.S. federal government agency. Last year I finally got my Top Secret clearance after waiting for over three years. Earning my livelihood depends on this clearance.
On the SF-86 form they make you list any psychiatric care or mental health care you have had in the past 7 years. If you report that you have been to a psychiatrist, there is a good chance they could pull your clearance. They will certainly look at all your mental health records.
It really makes me wonder how many people with security clearances have deliberately avoided going for mental health care when they needed it. It makes me concerned how many people have mental problems that could have been taken care of, and they could be normally functioning workers and members of society, but have not gotten their problems treated because of this fear of losing their jobs if they do. How many government workers in sensitive national security positions who are in the process of developing serious mental problems because they’re not getting themselves treated.
I worked for a defense contractor once upon a time. There are definately people with clearances who need a bit of counseling and won’t seek it because of fear of losing their job. Occasionally someone snaps, and you hear things about a guy sitting naked in a secure vault asking for an ice cream cone. Obviously a bit of counseling about how to handle stress would have probably prevented that unfortunate incident.
When you work with classified stuff, there’s an atmosphere in the office that you just don’t talk about all sorts of things the way you would outside of the defense world, so it’s often hard to tell when someone is going through a hard time until it’s too late. You can’t talk about work with your own family. You definately have to keep everything bottled up inside, which isn’t the healthiest way of dealing with things.
I have no sympathy whatsoever for folks who are not responsible enough to balance professional obligations with the basic necessities of health care. It shows a remarkable lack of judgment to subordinate one’s health care, mental or otherwise, to holding on to a position of trust that they implictly acknowledge that they might not be entitled to.
All that being said, there appears not to be a factual question in the OP, so I’m guessing that this thread should be moved in short order.
My sister was an FBI agent. They certainly would pull your clearence for Mental Health Issues. Back in 1980 when she wanted to go to Maritial Counseling, she didn’t want to go. What she found out is you can get a priest or the like to counsel you and then they wouldn’t investigate. I don’t know if it’s still the case but that is another route.
A security clearance is not a right. A security clearance is a document stating that the government is comfortable granting you access to information that can be, if improperly handled, harmful to the United States.
Mental illness can inhibit the government’s confidence in your ability to safeguard classified information, but not in all cases.
Counseling for marital difficulties do not preclude a clearance, and would not affect your ability to hold one unless there were other factors involved. Seeking help for depression does not preclude a clearance. Admitting yourself to a hospital for psychiatric care does not preclude a clearance. Not unless it affects the governments confidence in your ability to keep a secret.
Lots of things affect the governments confidence: Financial irresponsibility is more serious to them than counseling. Being heavily in debt is a red flag. Sexual promiscuity can cause problems. Infidelity, too. Divorce raises questions, if it affects financial stability.
Heck, even a pattern of speeding tickets can be a problem.
People who hold a clearance or may hold one shouldn’t avoid counseling or psychiatric care. In most cases, it doesn’t affect the governments confidence in your ability to keep a secret.
You hear voices = lack of confidence
You want to work out issues with your spouse = not lacking confidence
You can’t get over Pluto being removed from the list of planets by some museum in New York = borderline case. Depends on what form your disgruntlement takes.
