Does being diagnosed schitzophrenic (hearing voices ) stop you from driving under dvla regulations ?

[harvey]

Does being diagnosed schitzophrenic (hearing voices ) stop you from driving under dvla regulations ?

I have recently been treated by a psychiatrist for hearing voices and he thinks i have mild psychosis or possibly schitzophrenia.
As i still drive regulary and havent had a single problem with my illness whilst behind the wheel, do i have to inform the DVLA in the uk ? ?
I work full time as a staff nurse and dont have any problems at work as i rarely hear them during my shifts or when driving , ,just when i am alone at home, trying toget to sleep or when i am out shopping etc.

I am not on any medication for hearing voices as yet and dont know if that will affect the dvlas decision if i need to go on any in the near future however, i have been on antidepressants for 4 years, ,and fentanyl patches painkillers for my bad knees for the last 12 months and am still driving daily without any problems at all.

Where does the law stand on all this ??

Would be nice to hear back from anyone else who has been, , or is still,, in a similar position.

 

[Lozzi_1004]

Hi
Have you been diagnosed yet or is your pdoc still thinking?

As far as I'm aware (could be wrong, don't quote me!) you only have to inform the DVLA if you've been diagnosed and/or have been put on medication. They'll send you a form out which you fill in and send back. They then get in touch with your GP/pdoc who says whether he thinks you're still capable to drive.

I had trouble a while back with the DVLA. But it's sorted now.

Lozzi

 

[John A]

I have recently been treated by a psychiatrist for hearing voices and he thinks i have mild psychosis or possibly schitzophrenia.
As i still drive regulary and havent had a single problem with my illness whilst behind the wheel, do i have to inform the DVLA in the uk ? ?
I work full time as a staff nurse and dont have any problems at work as i rarely hear them during my shifts or when driving , ,just when i am alone at home, trying toget to sleep or when i am out shopping etc.

I am not on any medication for hearing voices as yet and dont know if that will affect the dvlas decision if i need to go on any in the near future however, i have been on antidepressants for 4 years, ,and fentanyl patches painkillers for my bad knees for the last 12 months and am still driving daily without any problems at all.

Where does the law stand on all this ??

Would be nice to hear back from anyone else who has been, , or is still,, in a similar position.

It is always easier to obtain forgiveness than permission. In your position, wait for the DVLA to contact you, which they almost certainly won't. I've been hearing voices for over ten years now, without any challenge to my ability to drive. (I don't have a schiz diagnosis though, or any diagnosis for that matter.)

I run a charity shop, raising money for a Christian ministry with a special interest in voice hearers, especially TIs. On my staff of vounteers, in addition to myself, I have one diagnosed schiz voice-hearer, one diagnosed drug-induced psychosis voice-hearer, both identifying themselves as TIs. I have one non-voice hearer diagnosed as paranoid schiz. Two of the four of us drive daily, one has a medical in the near future to make sure he is drug-free, so he can have his licence back, and another is about to reapply for his licence after a disqualification.

Don't draw attention to yourself by writing to the DVLA a letter that suggests that you are in any doubt that you are still competent to drive. Get on with your life, and don't let "them" (the voices) change who you are, and how you behave. You have a personality, or soul. "He restoreth my soul." [Psalm 23] Ask the Lord to restore your soul from his back-up, every time the "virus" corrupts your "hard drive".

What nursing specialty do you work in?

John
www.FleetCharityShop.com

 

[cotswoldhedges]

Taken from your own DVLA's webpage on Medical Issues Affecting your Ability to Drive:

You'll also need to provide details if you develop a new condition or disability or one that has become worse since your licence was issued.

Failure to notify DVLA is a criminal offence and is punishable by a fine of up to £1000.

So, if you are fined, will you used in your defence the fact that Mr Allman told you to? I doubt it.

 

[John A]

Taken from your own DVLA's webpage on Medical Issues Affecting your Ability to Drive:

You'll also need to provide details if you develop a new condition or disability or one that has become worse since your licence was issued.

Failure to notify DVLA is a criminal offence and is punishable by a fine of up to £1000.

So, if you are fined, will you used in your defence the fact that Mr Allman told you to? I doubt it.

A little common sense is needed. The clue is in the title of the webpage from which cotswoldhedges quoted, "Medical Issues Affecting your Ability to Drive", which sets the context for what follows, and therefore governs the proper construction to be placed upon the words subsequently used. Failure to notify the DVLA of a "new condition or disability or one that has become worse since your licence was issued" is a criminal offence, but only if the condition or disability concerned affects one's ability to drive. Were it not so, almost every driver in the UK would be a criminal, because, as people get older, they develop all sorts of medical conditions that don't affect their ability to drive, any more than does "schizophrenia", if such a medical condition even exists.

If one has been diagnosed with this or that ailment, ache or pain, but the ailment, ache or pain doesn't affect one's ability to drive, it is not just pointless, but inviting trouble upon oneself, to inform the DVLA of this development gratuitously.

I don't have a schizophrenia diagnosis myself, but probably would have one by now, if made a habit of "engaging" with the "mental health" industry, which I despise. I drove a party of activists to Germany to picket a conference there in 2007. The Logistics Manager of the company of which I am managing director, whom I appointed to that post, has had a schizophrenia diagnosis for donkey's years now, and has regular appointments with a psychiatrist, and takes neuroleptic medication daily, although I don't know why he still bothers, because he is more exhausted after a heavy, sleepless night hearing voices than I am! The company has issued him with a fuel card, to fill his car with petrol, for daily use on company business. It is ludicrous to suggest that young Ian is a criminal. I suppose if suffered from the delusion that he thought he was Stirling Moss, the DVLA might be interested. But there are plenty of people without any diagnosis at all who drive as though they thought they were Stirling Moss, in the town where we both live.

 

[cotswoldhedges]

Boy, oh boy, you are busy guy.

Run a Charity Shop, a Ministry, a Support Group, and now MD of a company too?

When do you sleep? If at all.

 

[John A]

Boy, oh boy, you are busy guy.

Run a Charity Shop, a Ministry, a Support Group, and now MD of a company too?

The ministry, which is supportive towards TIs, is incorporated as a limited company and its trustees are company directors. I am the only trustee who works more-or-less full-time for the ministry, and my duties include heading up the fund-raising operation that is a charity shop. So all four jobs are simply different aspects of the one job.

When do you sleep? If at all.

LOL! I haven't had a decent night's sleep for over ten years.

 

[cotswoldhedges]

How do you know if any medical issues affect your ability to drive a vehicle?

Are we all doctors now as well?

I would be inclined to advise, "if in doubt, ask", rather than wait to be stopped by a rookie cop, then have to fight your case.

Rules regarding driving of a motorised vehicle is different in different countries, even the States here have different rules. Just don't come to Texas on a "Fly Drive" .......s'all

 

[schizolanza]

I wouldn't inform the DVLA yet as there is no diagnosis and you're not on any meds.If this situation changes then you are supposed to inform DVLA and your insurance company.

 

[John A]

How do you know if any medical issues affect your ability to drive a vehicle?

That's a bit like asking how you know if a medical issue affects your ability to walk, or run, or swim, or climb the stairs, or ride a bike. Driving is a learnt physical skill. If you drive practically every day for thirty years, you will recognise that something has changed, when, getting behind the wheel as usual, what came naturally for years, suddenly seems difficult.

 

[unlucky]

Good God - and I apologise for taking the Lords name in vain - will you two give it up!! You've been arguing all day!! It really can't be doing either of you any good!! Just a wee observation - maybe you should just ignore each other, its obvious you both have very different opinions.

Sorry to intrude, but surely you can't be enjoying this!!

p.s my apologies to Harvey for going off his original thread

 

[cotswoldhedges]

Good God - and I apologise for taking the Lords name in vain - will you two give it up!! You've been arguing all day!! It really can't be doing either of you any good!! Just a wee observation - maybe you should just ignore each other, its obvious you both have very different opinions.

Sorry to intrude, but surely you can't be enjoying this!!

p.s my apologies to Harvey for going off his original thread

Oh I'm so sorry, I was given to understand that discussion forums such as these, were solely for the airing of different opinions, hence encouraging discussions!
Actually, I for one, AM enjoying taking an egotistical prat down a peg or two, and encouraging him to re-join the rest of the human race!

(sorry Harvey!)

 

[unlucky]

I don't appreciate your tone cotswold, yes this is a discussion forum but surely its not a forum for two individuals to be constantly targeting each other. It would appear that you almost exclusively attack Johns threads. Now I personally don't agree with what either of you are saying (possibly because I don't understand) but there are a lot of vulnerable people on this site who could be doing without your constant sniping!!

PS My last post on this thread was at the beginning of March, maybe if you looked at other threads except Johns you could have posted this before now.

 

[cotswoldhedges]

PS My last post on this thread was at the beginning of March, maybe if you looked at other threads except Johns you could have posted this before now.

Really sorry, but I've been a bit busy, finding work/place to live.etc etc. I don't get use of the PC as often as I'd like. Kids and their games eh?

I get into here maybe once a month, and if you'll look you'll actually see that I do reply to other posts (other than Mr A's) in other sections of this forum.
But unfortunately, Mr A's innacuracies have a habit of doin' more harm than good, especially for those who come here looking for support, as i did initially.

Gotta problem with that?

 

[unlucky]

I have many problems, though you're the least of them!! You're very confrontational, I think thats maybe something you should try to deal with.