Originally Posted by
Lakeaffect
Over 10% of the general population is on antidepressants. Just suggesting that it’s “very few” is contributing to the stigma of mental health. It is not honest. We need to be honest if we want to reduce the stigma.
It may be that very few pilots report taking antidepressants, but I’d say that we are just a subset of the general pop and therefore likely to be similar in percentages.
Also fair. But let’s separate. Yesterdays battles were fought so pilots can seek counseling counseling TODAY without reporting in the vast majority of cases. The battle to allow antidepressants is now only in the third inning. Not sure where the 10% is sourced but a vast majority of those who choose to take those medications do so for a short period of time.
The biggest battle is less about grounding airman that are in treatment, but allowing otherwise healthy airmen to fly for anything because of lengthy deferments, reviews, arbitrary “waiting periods”. That does not just include the mental health discussion. That includes the physical health as well.