It’s Better To Get Treatment Than Not Get Treatment

There are several issues with how the FAA handles pilot mental health issues. First, the agency can and does deny a medical to almost every pilot who reports a therapy session involving depression. This forces pilots who depend on flying as a livelihood to not report any such issues at all, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or, as in Xyla’s case, a short-term episode of depression due to hormonal imbalance caused by her IUD.

The FAA still relies on a backward, one-size-fits-all approach with draconian decision-making which, as we are learning, is not the modern view of such issues among many medical professionals.

To be clear, that does not mean there are zero serious cases involving potentially suicidal depression that should be dealt with more seriously and compassionately.

The second issue is a reliance on too many psychiatrists with an agenda strongly influenced by rigid, almost prudish Victorian attitudes and preconceived notions about women’s mental health along with similar assumptions about their sexual health and activities.

It’s also important to point out that this approach is not limited to women — male  pilots are also subject to questions about their sexual histories and relationships. These should have zero relevance in an aviation setting.

Thirdly, if pilots are not self-reporting because of the real possibility of losing their livelihood, it appears to be because the FAA cares more about being protected from legal liability than about safety or about allowing pilots the occasional treatment that all humans need. This puts the flying public at risk because a small fraction of pilots may in fact require longer term care for depression and suicidal ideation. If they don’t self-report, well, we know where that may lead.

We wonder how or even if FAA Federal Air Surgeon Susan E. Northrup, MD, MPH, will weigh in on this critical aspect of airman medical certification. It is certainly clear the FAA needs to modernize its approach, methods, and outcomes for pilots who face short-term mental health issues. It’s almost as if the FAA thinks pilots should never be sad for any reason whatsoever.

The flying public knows that humans have mental health issues from time to time and that those issues are readily treatable. Importantly, they also know that it’s much better to get treatment than not get treatment.

The Pilot Mental Health Campaign is a group petitioning Congress to take up the issue. Chris Finlayson is the Executive Director and they are holding an Advocacy Day on April 2, 2025 where they will be introducing the Mental Health in Aviation Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.

We sincerely hope this focuses more attention on the matter and stimulates action to drag pilot mental health kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

FMI:  www.youtube.com/