I need your help

[ASSA9]

I would like input from the members of this forum
on a subject that I'm involved in.
A neighbor called me this morning about showing her how
to shoot a gun
she said that with the economy bad she did not feel safe
and had been thinking about buying a handgun.

she said she had shot a gun before but not a lot and had
taken a self defense course [hand to hand] that sounded basic
to me.
teaching her gun safety is not the problem, I have done
that before for other people.

My problem is that I know from talking to her in the past
she has had and may still sufferers from depression.

I don't know what level it was or is now.

To buy time to think about this I told her to apply for the
gun permit thinking if she has a history of mental problems
it may show up and she would get turned down for it.
she also has to have one anyway if I help her move forward
with getting a gun

As I see it I have these option's

(1) should I sit down with her and ask her about her depression and do you think it will offend her?

(2) just try to talk her into a non lethal form of defensive
without going into it with her.

On a personal note I have had someone very close to me kill
them self with a handgun with me on the other end of the phone
line trying to talk them out of it.

I feel this may affect my thinking on this matter and I'm
looking for outside advice as well as more options.

Am I on the right track?
Any input you have would help me greatly

Thanks

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Divebum47]

Unless you are an instructor, I'd tell her that you are not qualified to teach her and suggest she find a qualified instructor. Depression can be a real son of a gun (no pun intended) to deal with.

[SIXTO]

I'd refer her to a professional. Well intentioned people do far more harm than good to new shooters, plus I would want any potential future problems on my mind.

[Tangle]

Wow, that's a tough call, esp. with the experience you've already had.

I doubt talking to her will mean anything, unless you're explaining why you won't teach her to shoot. She can promise you she won't take her own life with a gun, but if she gets depressed deeply enough, that promise won't mean a thing. However you may find that if you talk to her, her depression is of a type that does NOT lead to potential suicide.

The thing is, if she is legal to buy a gun, she can get a gun whether you help her or not. If she chooses to use it on herself, it will matter little whether you taught here to shoot or not - she could kill herself without you showing her a thing. But, if you did teach her to shoot, there's the chance you would feel responsible for her death, which of course would not be accurate at all.

The other consideration is that if you did teach her to shoot, etc., it may prevent her from unintentionally harming herself (or someone else) with her gun. Plus, she would be better prepared to defend herself.

Really tough call.

[Ram Rod]

Unless you are an instructor, I'd tell her that you are not qualified to teach her and suggest she find a qualified instructor. Depression can be a real son of a gun (no pun intended) to deal with.

Very good answer IMO.

[pgrass101]

I'd refer her to a professional. Well intentioned people do far more harm than good to new shooters.

+1 Good advice

[ASSA9]

Thanks for the input guys.
First, I don't think I will teach her to shoot.

Nor will I send her to a professional that will just teach her to shoot
and not know or care about her and the trouble she may be headed for.
This is not how a friend would act.
I do not know enough about mental health to make the call if she
is safe owning a gun.

I will talk to her and tell her it may not be in her best interest to keep
a gun in the house if she sufferers from depression.

That is what a friend would do,but a friend would also like her to
be able to protect herself,so I will talk to her about non lethal form of
defensive as well.

If I need to I will tell her about my past and why I am hesitant to help
her getting a gun I will do that as well.

Thanks again for the input

[Henmeister]

Maybe you could buy her some pepper spray?

[ppkheat]

I'd do what I could to help her feel more secure without involving myself with her and firearms. Heck, it may not be a safety issue, she may be depressed over the bad economy

I had a close friend that killed himself with a revolver about 5 years ago. Professional guy, good family, good job, first grandchild on the way. I didn't have a clue he'd do that, later I found out that he had some history of depression, but you'd never known it.

[seedoubleyou]

ASSA9 you answered your own question. That's exactly what I would suggest. Good luck
CW