In The American Empire, You Will Be Punished For Saying How You Feel (Especially If You Are Suicidal), So Never Answer The Question

Many mental health providers and allied occupationals also sympathize with the fact that there are severe, lifelong consequences, but they won’t save you if you confess to feeling down, and certainly not to any kind or sort of violence or harm to yourself, others, or property, never mind how normal, small, or harmless it is. They will come for you, and you will regret opening your mouth.

Here are some examples of laws that criminalize a factual description of your mental state:

Florida Baker Act (involuntary commitment)

Federal Firearms Act (banning you from owning a gun if you are “mentally ill”)

History of mental illness getting physicians in trouble with their licensing boards

FAA regulation calling out mental illness as sometimes disqualifying for being an airline pilot

Moreover, your company, K-12 school, or university (e.g. Yale) also can expel you or make you undergo outside punishment and remediation before you can return, if they let you. This is regardless of whether you displayed any such behavior in the workplace or schooling setting.