In New Jersey, USA where i live, it is next to impossible to get a gun if you have had any type of mental illness. the background check they do is extremely extensive and if you have EVER been hospitalized or treated for mental illness, they will check and you'd have to get written permission from your dr saying you were mentally healthy to own and use a gun. While NJ is extreme, in Virginia, I was able to just walk into a gun range with my uncle and learn to shoot 2 months ago and I loved it.
Should I be able to get my own permit? I'm sure my dr would not give her permission, but my husband has handguns, rifles and shotguns here, so does it really matter?
Not all mentally ill people are unstable.