However being more serious, I thought SSRI were allowed in the UK and USA, but that was a while back, and as someone stated it is very positive that you are open about you mild depression.
My concern for you would be that following Germanwings, different aviation authorities and airlines might take different approaches and might find yourself spending alot of money and not finding a job, sorry to be negative.
But being on the positive side, if you can avoid SSRI you should. I would say and I tend to take the opinion that Psychiatrists are more likely to resolve matter through medication, where as Clinical Pschologists tend to resolve matters through talking therapies. I wouldn't have though in the UK you would get a NHS referel to a Psychiatrist for mild depression.
My thoughts are that about 40% of the population experience mild depression in any year, including pilots, so if you can sort this in other ways other that SSRI's. I think you sound young enough to sort your issues without SSRI's.
While I'm not convinced with herbal medicines, I not saying you should not. My suggestion are to consider the following:
(a) Regular vigarous excercise such as running, cycling, rowing, tennis, because exercise increases the'happy' drug in your mind, this is documented This is recommended by some doctors in the UK rather than SSRI's.
(b) Consider a taking therapies through a registered councellor or clinical psychologist.
(c) Buddist Meditation as that includes positive thinking, the are groups in most cities.
(c) On the subject of positive thinking, because I would say alot of people with depression think negatively, read the the book, Don't sweat the small stuff, as it's all small stuff, I have forgotton the author so google it.
(d) Eat heathily and take multi vitamins daily.
(e) Remember drinking too much alcohol, which is a depresant, can cause depression, so drink less or cut it out.
(f) Download the The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, and complete it as this will give your cumulative stress rating out of a hundred and give pointers to how you identify ares of stress in your life.
PM me if you need any more help.
Last edited by Homsap; 28th Jul 2017 at 18:05.