First off, many folks (including pilots) have these kinds of issues. You're not the only one.

Keep in mind that most of these sorts of do-it-yourself remedies take many weeks before they start to work. So do SSRIs like prozac for that matter.

Have you tried aerobic exercise? This is likely to help anyone, but if you were a high school/college athlete (or were otherwise very active) and stopped working out as you got older, your body chemistry might not do so well without those exercise endorphins. Also lay off the booze if that's a factor.

If you really feel the need, don't hesitate to get professional assistance. Although as a pilot, it's worth trying all the known self-help solutions before you put your medical at risk in the traditional system.

You can always ground yourself and then seek treatment, but it might look better for the company if you get a medical opinion first in order to back up the grounding.

If you have FMLA available you should be able to get that for something of this nature, assuming that you have been employed for at least one year. Otherwise it would depend on your company's policies, or their goodwill. Talk to your union if you have one, or ask some senior pilots who might have an idea as to the company's past actions. Also be aware that mental health is a touchy issue...a chief pilot who would give you six months leave to heal after a skiing/motorcycle accident might not be so understanding about something like this...maybe, maybe not.



These guys specialize in tricky pilot medical issues, and they can work with you via phone. It might be a good idea to chat with them before you do anything that will affect your medical: http://www.aviationmedicine.com/