I'm really looking for anyone with real-life experience of courts factoring in depression/anxiety when making decisions in custody hearings? Has anyone ever had their mental health record cited as a reason for the other parent to be granted residency / more visitation?
I'm going through an amicable divorce at the moment. So far STBXH I have been cooperating well together (we both want and have agreed 50:50 shared custody), but I'm acutely aware that DD is only 2yo and right now neither my ex nor I have a new partner yet. I'm sure our situations will change significantly over the next 16 years, and I would never assume we'll definitely remain in agreement every step of the way. If it ever came to a vicious custody battle in the future, I just want to make sure I don't do anything that could potentially be used against me.
The issue isn't whether or not I get help for my depression - that's long overdue now and I have to do something before it potentially starts to impact DD. The question is whether I go down the private medical insurance route - with full doctor support and access to prescriptions etc if they deem that to be helpful/necessary - but then there's a huge paper trail and anyone who accesses my record would be able to immediately see that I have had these issues. Or I could quietly go to a private counsellor, pay out of my own (almost empty!) pocket, and keep it all off the books. The only reason I would self-fund (which would be financially very difficult) is because I'm so worried having a paper trail could be used against me in a future custody battle?
Would anyone be willing to share their own experience of this issue? Am I being sensible or paranoid?
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Divorce/separation
Would seeking help for depression now negatively impact me in a custody battle later?
4 replies
OperatingWithoutASafetyNet · 22/03/2014 08:54
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