Flight #16 - Antidepressants and How to Use Them in Aviation

In this edition, we'll take flight into the world of antidepressants and their aeromedical approval by the FAA. Managing mental health is paramount in the aviation industry, and for some, antidepressants are a crucial part of that journey. We'll look into the details of how antidepressants can be used by pilots and what that means for their medical certificates.For pilots, the decision to start an antidepressant is a big deal because the FAA has a specified process of how to return to flying once stable on an antidepressant.  This unfortunately has led some pilots to not seek help for their mental health concerns.  In the worst case scenarios, this has sadly resulted in suicide.To read the full transcript go to The Flight Shrink substack at https://flightshrink.substack.comDISCLAIMER:The views expressed in The Flight Shrink are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, The United States Air Force, or any other organization with which Dr. Heacock is associated.  The content of The Flight Shrink is not medical advice.  The Flight Shrink is for informational purposes only and may not be applicable to all situations.  Use of the information is at the reader’s own risk.  Any recommendations of treatments, products, or services are made in general and may not apply to a specific person, situation, or illness.  Please seek care from a medical professional if you have concerns for any physical or mental health symptoms.If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis or emotional distress, reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) by dialing or texting 988 or using chat services at suicidepreventionlifeline.org to connect to a trained crisis counselor. You can also get crisis text support via the Crisis Text Line by texting NAMI to 741741.  For those in countries other than the U.S. here is a Google site with helplines:https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/11181469 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit flightshrink.substack.com