Originally Posted by
firefighterplt
With substances, treatment type doesn’t matter much—it’s the diagnosis that screws you. Avoid being diagnosed, if at all possible.
I would never advocate for someone to hide anything, but after seeing how the FAA handles substance dependency/abuse issues, I would suggest non-clinical treatment first. Self ground, if required. Try AA/NA, etc. The second you get a healthcare professional or substance abuse counselor involved, an official diagnosis WILL follow. And once you have that label slapped on you, it’s all over.
The follow-on therapy/testing/monitoring requirements (after the gymnastics required to obtain the SI in the first place)used to be 2-3 years. Manageable. They very recently upped them to 5-6. If you make the cure worse than the disease, people will try to live with the disease...
I agree with the diagnosis part of what you say.
My point in the previous post is there in all kinds of counseling that doesn't have any downsides to it with the FAA. Grief counseling would be one.
Now go to grief counseling and come out of there with a prescript for ZOLOFT and there is going to be an issue with your medical and the FAA.
As far as substance abuse - - slippery slope.
The people complaining on here aren't the ones who have to answer the question to the media and the plaintiffs lawyers when something goes down and they can prove that the pilot had a substance abuse history (or in today's society even a sniff of a problem).