Returning to Flight After Depression
By Paul Engstrom, Aviation Writer and IFA Member
Perhaps the only thing more depressing than depression
itself is the notion—mistaken, in most cases—that this mental
condition will put a permanent end to your flying days.
In fact, among ailments that rate as pilots’ worst
enemies, depression possibly ranks close to the bottom. Why?
First, aside from being one of the most common mental
disorders (it afflicts up to 20 million Americans), depression is
highly treatable. Effective new medications and other therapies mean
treatment is successful 80-90 percent of the time, according to Dr.
Glenn R. Stoutt Jr., a senior aviation medical examiner in Louisville,
Kentucky.
Second, depression often is situational—that is,
sparked by such factors as job, marital, or financial problems,
stress, or a death in the family. That’s important to know because
treating situational depression is typically easier than trying to
quell endogenous depression, a more severe form that may be chemical
and/or genetic in nature, though it, too, is treatable.
Finally, as Stoutt notes, the Federal Aviation
Administration “is willing to return virtually all clinically
depressed pilots back to flying after successful treatment.”
In a nutshell, the FAA believes that this insidious
malady and all the prescription drugs for combating it—including
familiar brands like Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft—are too risky for
pilots and, therefore, medically disqualifying. (As with other
ailments, it’s your responsibility to report the disqualifying
condition and not fly until good health returns).
Aside from altering mood, antidepressants have side
effects ranging from blurred vision, anxiety, and nausea to dry mouth,
headache, and abdominal pain.
Yet, experts say, chances generally are pretty good
that you will qualify for medical certification if you’ve been off
antidepressants for at least 90 days and your personal physician
reports in writing to the FAA, through the aviation medical examiner (AME),
that treatment has been successful.
However, to return to the cockpit sooner rather than
later, it’s important to avoid missteps that can cause certification
snags or delays:
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Putting off treatment for depression might make the
problem worse, necessitating longer-term therapy.
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Waiting until after the medical exam to find out how
the FAA will likely view your condition and the drugs you’ve been
taking for it is definitely the wrong approach. To learn more before
the exam so you can plan the best certification strategy, contact an
AME, experts at one of several pilot organizations that offer free
medical advice to members, or the FAA’s Aerospace Medical
Certification Division in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, (405) 954-4821.
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Don’t show up at the exam without all of the
documents—such as a doctor’s letter affirming your return to good
mental health—that will boost your odds of certification. Otherwise,
expect delays. Written words of gold from your personal physician:
“The depression was treated and resolved.”
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What you report to the FAA and how you report it can
greatly affect the agency’s thumbs up/down decision. Providing too
much information can be as potentially damaging as providing too
little.
When he isn’t
flying, Paul Engstrom writes and edits from Sebastopol, Calif.
The information contained herein is meant for
informational purposes only. Neither IFA, nor Paul Engstrom assume any
responsibility or liability for events that occur due to actions you
or others on your behalf take based on the information given in this
article. You are proceeding at your own risk. It is strongly advised
that you seek the opinion and advice of a qualified aviation medical
examiner and appropriate medical physician for any medical needs you
may have. |
