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...