Aviation Pro's and the “D” Word

By Andy Nixon

Renewing my third-class medical last month, I made sure to fill out the FAA questionnaire with total honesty and transparency.

My “whatever happens is meant to happen” attitude had carried me this far in life. For the past three years, I have been on a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, also known as?Fluoxetine?or?Prozac - It means I suffer from anxiety and depression. It was a symptom I used to mask with alcohol. Once I began cleaning up my side of the street, I was finally honest about not feeling happy and having feelings of anxiety on a regular basis. ?

Showing up for my appointment, I informed the DME that Fluoxetine had been prescribed since my last medical five years ago. Show stopper. He sat down to ask if I was familiar with a HIMS exam and what those entail. No, I have no idea what that is. He explains the process, the timeframe to get my medical approval, the visits with a psychiatrist, and how the FAA will question whether my primary physician has the education to prescribe Fluoxetine. He mentions the FAA would also like to know if the medication dose will ever go up or down. I’m still trying to wrap my head around predicting how dosage may change over a lifetime.?

My “consultation” appointment ended right there; I wouldn’t be flying anytime soon due to seeking professional help with my anxiety and depression. After leaving the DME, I called an airline pilot friend of mine to vent. “It’s sad, but you have to keep things like depression to yourself, no matter what you are going through,” he said.??Here I am, three years sober being denied a medical to fly as a private pilot due to pursuing help.

It's okay to not be okay. Men tend to feel like they need to be tough, and nothing bothers them. If that were the case, suicide rates would be null. I gave up drinking and began taking Fluoxetine for the people in my life who cared about me. I knew I was not okay, and I know many also feel that way. Alcohol was a great way to mask how I really felt inside, but that was not a great long-term solution for my health, marriage, or business. It was a temporary solution to an ongoing problem. Nobody should feel the need to “hide” the symptoms from the DME or FAA.?I know not everything in life will be peachy, but damn, being alive and healthy is sweet!?

What about others in aviation suffering from anxiety and depression? Everybody has moments in their life that can lead down that path. Pilots and mechanics should never have to sidestep issues like mental health. In fact, we as the business aviation industry should praise getting help if needed. The fear of job loss and stress it creates is less than ideal for human beings pursuing a diagnosis or taking preventative actions for mental health.

Somebody in the business aviation circle brought to my attention the effort our industry puts into sustainability - including SAF, but we hardly whisper about mental health. How do we move this into the spotlight? Let’s spend a bit more time as a professional industry showing outsiders how much we care about our people in the aviation community. As our industry works to bring in new talent and retain current employees, we need to be aware of mental fitness needs.?

If you take personal responsibility and address your health, whether physical or mental, you are moving by leaps and bounds in the right direction. On the flip side, the FAA has the right to make sure we will exercise our license appropriately. People who step forward and say they need a mental health day, or they feel off should be praised. Not only is that a tough thing to admit, but they have taken responsibility for others' safety.??