I lived in California for 54 years.....the last 13 years I lived there I was dealing with depression & suicide attempts.

In Calif, the only limitation didn't have to do with being Dx'ed with a mental illness....it was based on whether you had a 5150 (72 hour) hold put on you from having a suicide attempt & being brought into the hospital. The limitation to not being able to buy a gun was 5 years from the point in time when the 5150 was filed.

Voluntary hospitalizations for feeling suicidal didn't count against your being able to have a gun...only the actual attempts with the 5150 hold placed on that actually went on your record (probably police record since it was usually the police that were part of who would end up taking you to the hospital).

I can understand the reasoning behind that limitation. I am in the process of learning how to shoot now & to get a gun. Everyone around me has one & everyone around here has their concealed carry. When you live out in the country, it's important to be able to have a gun. Never know when you may need to have one for protection even against coyotes. I love to wander in my woods with my dogs & there was one time when the coyotes came too close. Even firing a gun would have scared them off. A lot easier than carrying pot lids along though nice shrill whistle might be just as effective in that case.

I definitely believe in gun ownership & the learning how to handle a gun safely & properly. Just like driving a car, it's a responsibility, not a right & should be handled with serious maturity. Hey, never know when we might need it for survival in the future.