EZY_FR
3rd Feb 2013, 22:08
Psychiatry Guidance Material | Medical | Personal Licences and Training (http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=2499&pagetype=90&pageid=13853)
I was diagnosed with OCD back in October and was put onto Sertraline treatment 100mg. I am very worried that I wont be able to achieve my ambitions due to being on treatment(and reading somewhere that they ban anyone who was diagnosed with OCD). None of my symptoms have anything to do with Aviation, if anything Aviation helps me stop thinking about it.
Hi,
OCD is related or classed as an Anxiety disorder and therefore should far within the Mood disorder group. You will need to seek advice from the CAA or an AME whether this condition is included in any specific protocol.
As always the severity, medication and prognosis will need to be considered before you are considered for a medical certificate. The other thing to be aware of is that the new protocol covering SSRI drugs relates to depression in the main but I believe other related conditions may be considered such as GAD as this in general uses the same treatment plans and medication (CBT, SSRI etc).
Again I must stress have a chat with your local AME for advice on this condition with respect to flying and your GP/consultant for the prognosis for management/recovery.
As with any mental health condition the CAA will need all the facts before they can make any judgement on fitness to fly. The critical thing is to understand the condition fully, including what the future holds, remembering that some conditions and severity are treatable others are not, so “eyes wide open” as they say. By the way the SSRI you are on is included in the Depression protocol assuming this is the only drug you are on but that doesn't mean the CAA will automatically consider the OCD as acceptable it just means you do not need to switch drugs to one of the three that are listed in the protocol.
Stay health and best of luck