Career Prospects After Antidepressants for Student Pilot - Australia

[FLAPSSET]

Hi everyone,
Just seeking some guidance from PPRuNe members based on past experiences for the issue raised in the title.

Treated on Zoloft for 18 months for depression (due to a family member passing), 12 months since last use and all good.

What is CASA's take? Restrictions on medical?
What is employer's take? GA? Airlines?

In-terms of medical questionnaires by CASA and airlines, is the mental health/antidepressant questions based on the persons lifetime or just on the previous xx years?

Mostly looking for responses that relate to someone that was in my situation and have since made it into an airline.


Thank you, appreciate it

[hobo335]

Years ago I had a close friend/colleague who had some problems and required temporary medication in a similar family related situation to yours.

from memory CASA requested various reports from treating doctors on his condition be sent to them before issuing the class 1 medical and also required a 6 monthly review to check on how things were going. Might make the process a little more lengthy.

As for employers, as long as you are issued a class 1 certificate, I don't think they would even need be aware of it unless you chose to tell them about it for some reason. As far as I am aware it would not be appearing on the restrictions page of your medical at all so it would only be between yourself, your doctor(s) and CASA.

Good luck

[Bankrupt84]

Don't tell them.

[caneworm]

Journo alert :=

[FLAPSSET]

Not that case mate, just don't want to embark on the training (and fork out 100k) if I'm doomed from the beginning!

[The Green Goblin]

With the recent issue with a particular German pilot, tread carefully.

Your health comes first before your career.

This job can be a very lonely job, and pilots seem to have high rates of depression. If you're already predisposed, have a long hard think about it as a career.

[Cuban Eight]

FLAPSSET,

I am not a DAME and this is not medical or legal advice. Always seek the help of your GP and DAME first.

A past diagnosis of depression that has been successfully managed (with or without medication), and is no longer an ongoing condition, will not endanger your prospects of passing a CASA class 1 medical.

As hobo335 says, CASA will likely request some information about your history from your treating doctor. CASA will then decide whether they need to assess your medical status more often than the standard 12 months for a class 1. There will be no restriction on your medical but it may ambiguously list "For CASA Audit" (just meaning they may ask you to prove your medical status more frequently than usual).

If your depression is ongoing, recurrent, in remission, or still being managed, CASA will still require further documentation/assessment but you will certainly not be automatically precluded from receiving a class 1, you'll just have to do more to prove your condition's stability.

In terms of employers, an employer usually only needs to know about existing medical conditions that impact on your ability to do your job safely. Based on only the brief description of your history, that will probably not include your previous depression. It will be at your discretion to disclose this information unless you think it will impact on safety (then you will definitely need to tell them about it). Employers offering some form of health insurance as part of your renumeration package (e.g. Defence), will require your complete history but your previous depression should still not impact on your employability (i.e. you may again be asked for documentation/assessment to evidence the current status of your condition).



On that note, there is never any shame in grounding yourself if you ever feel "just off". In fact, it takes more courage, and is far more admirable, to tell someone about it and ask for help, than to shrug it off and put yourself in danger. Be as open as you can with your DAME and your GP, their priority is to take care of your health and sweeping medical issues under a rug only leads to bigger problems later. There might be a few speed bumps in the way but if you're honest from the start and take the best care of yourself, you'll have no problem.

Very few people take mental health seriously but it is the most significant aspect of our lives and no less important than the fat around our waist or the blurriness in our vision.

I recommend you look for more information in the following and chat to your DAME:

Direct from CASA: Depression (http://services.casa.gov.au/avmed/guidelines/depression.asp)
Flying beyond the blue | Flight Safety Australia (http://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2015/03/flying-beyond-the-blue/)
https://www.casa.gov.au/sites/g/files/net351/f/_assets/main/fsa/2006/dec/26-33.pdf

[mcoates]

Zoloft can be taken for a number of reasons, i have a friend who has taken it for years for IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and it stops his frequent visits so its not just for depression.

But we still reckon he is full of sh** on or off the tablets !

[Gate_15L]

On that note, there is never any shame in grounding yourself if you ever feel "just off". In fact, it takes more courage, and is far more admirable, to tell someone about it and ask for help, than to shrug it off and put yourself in danger.

We're paid to make the decision when NOT to go, to call in sick and stay on the ground when everyone screams, GO, she'll be right, just get the job done.

The hardest decision in professional aviation you'll ever make is the decision to go sick/fatigue, divert, go around, stay on the ground and not leave in the first place, imho. The trick is, Know Thyself....

[Hempy]

Don't tell them.

What he said..

[mattyj]

Good call gate 15! I think when you enrol for flight training, along with your new logbook, and study notes, you should get your first bottle of Zoloft in the starter pack

[megan]

CASA were world leaders in allowing pilots, including ATPL, to engage in their hobby/profession of flying while on treatment. Sure, you have to jump through some extra hoops, but unless things have changed, CASA were pro active in getting you back in the seat where you belong, up front driving. Don't try and hide it, from CASA or your employer.

[FLAPSSET]

Thank you everyone for your responses.
Stay healthy, declare your past/present and move forward is what I'm hearing.

[YIPYIO]

You took from all those posts EXACTLY what you should have....well done! :ok:

[Mimpe]

Flappset
Im a Dame -if your story is as you described it, and its a one off when you were young and subjected to significant loss, and you have now fully recovered and live a normal life and function well under pressure with a few years of good function, I would declare and be assessed, expect to pass, and enjoy a great flying career.

All the best

[The name is Porter]

Flappset

Im a Dame -if your story is as you described it, and its a one off when you were young and subjected to significant loss, and you have now fully recovered and live a normal life and function well under pressure with a few years of good function, I would declare and be assessed, expect to pass, and enjoy a great flying career.

All the best

First doctor's writing I've been able to understand :D

[mikewil]

I personally think the best idea is to not advise CASA of your condition, that is not to say not seeking treatment for it.

I would be willing to bet there are many hundreds of Australian commercial pilots on antidepressant medication who have not notified CASA.

Once you are on the record as having sought treatment, all it takes to ruin your career is for one bright spark of a politician or decision maker at CASA to say "from now on, no medicals for anyone with current or previous mental health issues". I would hate to see this happen but they are the kind of knee jerk reactions that can occur and the uneducated members of the public expect (despite the fact that it will make matters worse rather than better).

CASA do not have access to your medical records so seeking treatment from your GP or psychiatrist does not get to CASA unless you tell them!

As has been mentioned previously in this thread, many pilots have one doctor for their CASA medical and another one for their real medical issues.

[Mimpe]

Mike I understand why people dont declare . Mental illness in pilots with poor insight is a major risk for flight safety however, and the nature of the active condition is such that its implications may not be appreciated. Germanwings. Air Egypt etc.

Once a breach of licence conditions is known it would become an even bigger problem for the individual.

On the other hand I am sure there are quite a lot of pilots getting around on SSRI's quite safely for more minor depression with or without CASA's knowledge. Who makes the judgement on behalf of the public? In some psychiatric illnesses the patient perhaps not - theres a vivid range of problems out there....
It may be a bigger problem in countries where the commercial workload and job satisfaction is not putting the health of pilots first.