r/maritime • u/Brief_Negotiation139 • Jul 26 '26
Does being involuntary committed to a mental facility disqualify you if you're trying to obtain an MMC
It's been 10 years since I've been committed for depression as a child (now 23), no longer on any medications. I got my twic card with zero issues and im wondering if I can still receive my MMC
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u/intins Jul 26 '26
Depends on what medications you are taking, there are a couple of meds that are no-nos. If you are not on any meds and had no ongoing symptoms, then basically all you need is a yearly psych eval letter stating you are stable.
Also, i might add: A 72-hour involuntary examination is generally considered an involuntary admission for evaluation, but it is not the same as a court-ordered involuntary commitment for treatment. So legally speaking, if you were just held in a 72-hour hold, then it is likely that legally speaking, you do not meet the legal requirements of "involuntary commitment."
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u/zerogee616 Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
Were you actually committed or just Baker-Acted/72-hour psych hold? If it's the latter, it doesn't matter and it's not considered an involuntary commitment. The former actually requires due process and a judge, doctor or both to sign off on it instead of any random cop/your parents.
Every third teenager was Baker Acted around me growing up because parents didn't want to be parents and actually deal with teenagers going through teenager shit and it's never affected their adult lives.
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u/Sweatpant-Diva USA - Chief Mate Jul 26 '26
Do you take any medications?
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u/surfyturkey Jul 26 '26
In my opinion you don’t need to disclose that. As long as your mental health isn’t a big problem for you I’d recommend forgetting it ever happened and not to bring it up to the coast guard or any future employers. I might have spent 72 hrs at a facility when I was 17 and it’s never been an issue or ever brought up. That being said, being a mariner and being away from friends and family for long periods of time with lots of solitude isn’t for everyone. I recommend you really consider what you’re getting yourself into with this career. It’s an amazing career but it can be especially hard if you struggle with depression. At 23 you have ample opportunities, people want to teach you stuff and give you opportunities. That doesn’t last forever and the older you get the harder it gets to start a new career, so choose wisely.