flying & mental illness

[Guest Bigfella]

I started my training a few months ago for my PPL and have loved every minute of it to date! Recently I had my my class II medical where the issue has come up of my prior diagnosis of having what is called General Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Before anyone thinks I'm it's actually more common than many think, it's just that alot of people are never diagnosed. In my case it's all stress/worry based and doesn't involve any depression, psychosis ect. You'd never tell by looking at me that I have a mental disorder and most of my friends who don't know of my condition would think I'm just as normal as the next guy, I've run my own business for over 10 years, have young family ect ect...

 

CASA have asked for more information from my doctor and the psychologist from whom I'm getting my therapy and I'm wondering if anyone else has had any experience of having a diagnosed mental illness and trying to gain their PPL?

 

The whole act of flying a plane I find ironically therapeutic as it puts me 'in the moment' so to speak and stress and worries are left behind in the carpark.

 

Some people find the mental illness thing a bit confronting or taboo but it is more widespread than you think it's just that most are too scared to talk about it and when they do some just get the ignorant who say "get over it, you'll be right" The media are starting to help in this respect with organisations like Beyond Blue ect getting more and more coverage.

 

My view, which I guess is biased, is that I would rather be flying knowing that I've been treated for a problem I have.

 

Cheers,

 

Bigfella

 

 

[Compulsion]

Big fella let me congratulate you for being open and honest. I work with people with disabilities and mental health issues. The biggest problem is people don't talk about these issues because of the stigma. Mental health is becoming more wide spread due to the stress we are all subjected to. Let's face it you didn't have to be honest and say you have a condition. There are an awful lot of people who never seek or get help because they don't want to be labeled. There would be more people flying with undiagnosed or not declared health issues than you would like to know probably. If you flew RA you don't even need a medical. I say good on you and I hope you achieve your dream.

 

 

[old man emu]

I was wondering the same thing myself. I was retired "Medically Unfit" from the Police due to stress. I'm currently on some medication - why I don't know because things have come good in my life and I'm very happy. However when I go for my Class 3 medical, I'll have to say what medications I am on. The Class 3 examination will be done by the doctor who I have been seeing from the beginning. He also put me on blood pressure tablets, but my BP is under control and improving as I lose weight.

 

It's very common to suffer from anxiety and depression while working in some occupations, but as soon as you leave them, and start doing things you like doing, the symptoms abate. However, you've always got this illness lurking in your past, like an adolescent criminal record.

 

Unfortunately bureaucrats can't comprehend that people can get well, so put a big cross through applications as soon as they see mental health issues.

 

OME

 

 

[Steve L]

I believe the RPL has been approved or near approval, and one only needs a medical from your family doctor. If your fit enough to drive a motor vehicle then you can fly. Two of the restrictions that I know of are 1500kg MTOW and only one passenger, theres probably others but I haven't looked into it.. Hopefully this covers your medical problems ....

 

Steve

 

 

[old man emu]

I believe the RPL has been approved or near approval, and one only needs a medical from your family doctor. If your fit enough to drive a motor vehicle then you can fly. Steve

No it doesn't. There are questions about mental health on the applicant disclosure form, and you have to get that form signed by the examining doctor, so uyou can't tell porkies.

 

 

[J170 Owner]

General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) as far as I am aware is not considered a 'mental disorder' as such unless it is severe enough that you may consider self harm. It is like a fear of spiders, or heights or closed in spaces.

 

 

[Bubbleboy]

I was contemplating if I should chirp in here. I just showed this thread to my good wife next to me who is one of those Psychologist type people. She informs me that GAD is classified as a "Mental disorder". She also said that we actually need certain levels of anxiety to survive! Something about the fight or flight response. This conversation is timely as she has had to do assessments for folk who are applying for firearm licenses and have disclosed a current or previous mental illness on their application. My response was, "dont disclose it"! She informs me that the information can be obtained through Medicare records so best to be upfront about it. Apparently the last client ended up forking out around $1000 for the necessary paper work and reports to satisfy their application process. Yikes!

 

Scotty

 

 

[J170 Owner]

Based on the last post, I know a hell of a lot of 'mental cases'.

 

 

[David Isaac]

The big problem is that if you disclose an anxiety disorder to CASA in your attempts to get a Class 2 ... good luck. The criteria on which CASA judge fitness for a Class 2 is onerous. The bigger problem is they may only give you a 12 months validity and the paperwork and tests required to regain each year will kill you off financially from even bothering. Thems the breaks, some say don't disclose it, but CASA can still find out and then mount a case against you for false declaration. I don't advocate the 'don't disclose it' idea, better to know and get the right help than hide a potential problem.

 

I disclosed 4 migraine headaches in 5 months put down to untenable stress at the time, I haven't had one for nearly three years ( I changed my job), but it cost me my class 2 for 2 years and six months. It is all about the criteria that is used to benchmark Class 2s which is to a military exclusion standard, not to an appropriate medically fit standard.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

It's all one sided. I demand comprehensive psychological profiling of all politicians with annual updates - and yes I'm serious. Why should we not know more about their state before they have the controls? (Seeing the Julia smiley used in the first post reminded me).

 

 

[Litespeed]

It's all one sided. I demand comprehensive psychological profiling of all politicians with annual updates - and yes I'm serious. Why should we not know more about their state before they have the controls? (Seeing the Julia smiley used in the first post reminded me).

I expect most would fail on the DSMVI- the diagnostic manual for mental illness.

 

Delusions of granduer are common

 

Sudden onset of mass hysteria is frequent

 

Messiah fixations, hearing voices and imaginary worlds seem prevalent

 

Disassociate disorders

 

Obsessive Complusive disorders

 

Anti social personality disorders

 

Border Line Personality disorders

 

Manic episodes are often seen in parliament

 

And the big one that tends to favour success in politics or bussiness....................

 

Psychopathy, at least one comes to mind with this.

 

If it was a random grouping in a room- I would swear someone had spiked the punch big time. Parliament is a absolute goldmine for a behavioural psychologist, would make a great Phd. I can imagine Jung and Freud sitting in the gallery.

 

For anyone with either a mental illness, or disorder- it can be a lonely and difficult road. I know from personal experience, the black dog comes in many forms and the drugs can really suck.

 

My PTSD and that I had a arterial thrombosis which knocked out half a kidney, means RA or RPL is the only way.

 

CASA would probably think at any moment I will go 'postal' or stroke out. At the very least they would insist I burn money on tests and reports.

 

Remember somewhere in some doctors mind we are all flawed, all different.............we are mixed nuts.

 

 

[Flying Librarian]

With self awareness, acceptness, and treatment, mental health shouldn't be an issue for a private pilot. Being aware and treated for any condition being physical or mental would significantly reduce any associated risk. Just my two bobs worth.

 

FL

 

 

[Guest Bigfella]

Thanks for all the replies guys it's stirred up a bit more discussion than I anticipated.

 

General Anxiety Disorder is classified as a mental illness and as such is covered under the governments mental health plan.

 

Reading some of the comments in regards to CASA's assessment although makes me think that I could be facing a larger hurdle than I first thought.

 

Flying Librarian, your exactly right, self awareness, acceptance and treatment is in a nutshell what I have done and would argue that this is what made me a better and safer pilot, common sense really.

 

Cheers,

 

Bigfella

 

 

[J170 Owner]

Just remember, mental illness is 'all in the head'...

 

 

[facthunter]

Most men are suffering from some form of mental illness when they marry. ( Clue. It's to do with a short circuit and survival of the species).. Nev

 

 

[Bubbleboy]

Most men are suffering from some form of mental illness when they marry... Nev

Its to do with them thinking with their third head I say!

I have never liked the word "Mental". It has such stigma's! I think if they called it something else it would not have such a stigma attached to it. I think it goes back to the old days of Mental Institutions. I work in an industry that has a very broad array of "Mental illness". It is such a big range.

 

 

[pj8768]

I work in the medical field - anxiety disorder and depression are very prevalent - a significant proportion of patients are well controlled with agents such as SSRI therapy. Soon it'll be mixed to the drinking water just like fluoride.

 

Medical clearance is a vexed problem. What's safer - a patient who has regular medical checks, notching up a diagnostic list, or one who ignores symptoms and sees a doctor once every decade or two? Which one would you think has to fill in forms for the rta or casa more frequently?

 

 

[facthunter]

Yes I should keep a serious subject where it belongs. The human mind is a most complex thing and trying to analyse behaviour is an infinite subject. There was a chap running AVMED some years ago who would mark your file as mentally unstable if you argued with him.

 

There is a stigma attached to mental illness, but I hope we grow out of it. The mystery makes some fearfull of anything to do with it but no-one could claim to be immune from the possibility of experiencing it at some stage of their lives. It can be a chemical thing ( a lack of a vital trace element in the diet) or stress, and many other causes.

 

The older concept of LMF (lack of moral fibre)/ Shellshock Post traumatic stress syndrome. Look at a lot of returned soldiers. They started out "normal" people ( whatever that is) and became experience modified, into people who can't rehabilitiate and get back into normal lives. Come to think of it, I wouldn't like a "normal" life either. Nev

 

 

[boingk]

Speaking as a guy with a degree that covered a fair bit of this type of thing, I congratulate the OP in not letting the GAD hold him back in his flying ambitions, and also for undergoing professional treatment for the GAD - I know of a few people who simply carry on every day, relying heavily on people around them to assist them for many things. While it might seem nice to have friends help out, it only makes things gradually worse.

 

On 'Mental Illness', yes GAD is exactly that - it is a condition defined by a group of symptoms which adversely affects the life of the person it afflicts, and often those around them. That is the definition of a mental illness. You may indeed look up the DSMIV and see that you have symptom after symptom... but unless something is objectively affecting you and/or those around you negatively then no, its not a mental illness. For example, I have many of the criteria indicating I have a Schizotypal Personality Disorder, and a mate family history and psychological indicators which say he is very likely to be a Psychopath... but neither of us are adversely affected - nor anyone else - by these characteristics.

 

I am the last one to label people as this or that, but some mental illnesses are obviously not condusive to flying and aeroplane. YOur psychologist or doctor will be able to tell you what these are, and yes the list is a long one. Essentially, be honest and if you can drive a car then dont fret as you'll most likely be able to fly RAA.

 

CHeers all - Enoch

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

I have never liked the word "Mental". It has such stigma's! I think if they called it something else it would not have such a stigma attached to it. I think it goes back to the old days of Mental Institutions.

The old days were very non-PC. Did a job in a psych facility recently, it seems that on the file of one old man I was told it states his condition as "congenital idiot". We might use such a term jokingly (when talking about Wayne Swan for example) but this was the official birth description in that era. On the other hand if they diagnosed a problem back then you definitely had one. Now the psychs have come up with so many thousands of possible conditions we should apparently all be in therapy or on happy pills.

 

 

[kaz3g]

CASA have asked for more information from my doctor and the psychologist from whom I'm getting my therapy and I'm wondering if anyone else has had any experience of having a diagnosed mental illness and trying to gain their PPL

Hi Bigfella

 

Go for it, mate! And goodonya.

 

I found the CASA super psych very helpful and willing to listen to me and my psychiatrist at the time after I had recovered from a doosy of a breakdown.

 

I was seriously unwell for about 5 years with a major depressive illness and had given up the thought of ever working again. I didn't fly, I didn't socialise and I thought very seriously about giving up on life, too.

 

I was very lucky. I found a good friend who encouraged me to go back and finish law. I found another good friend who offered me a lawyer job. And I have been working full time ever since.

 

Most people my age have retired or been pensioned off, so how lucky am I? Here I am with a job to help support the Auster and a life I never thought it would be possible to live.

 

Keep at it, mate. It's a great thing that you can deal with your issues and I just know you have strength to win through.

 

Best wishes

 

Kaz

 

 

[Guest Bigfella]

Thanks for everyone's support on this and as such thought I would provide an update on the outcome.

 

I received my Class II medical in the mail yesterday after glowing reports from my psychologist and GP, woohoo!!!

 

The only restriction was that I have to have an annual medical but that's small price to pay in my mind for the freedom of the skies!

 

In regards to my training it has progressed past the point where someone would actually go solo while I was waiting for the CASA results, I have passed my pre-solo exam so bring on my first solo flight!!! can't wait......

 

Cheers,

 

Bigfella

 

 

[Flying Librarian]

Good on Ya Bigfella,

 

Good to see the authorities making a good decision.

 

All the best with the Solo, it's awsome!!!

 

Flying Librarian

 

 

[Compulsion]

Mate that is great news. I am so glad for you. I recently went solo and the grin was from ear to ear afterwards. Go for it. Live life to the max.

 

 

[Bandit12]

Congrats - it is a big thing to make the wheels of bureaucracy turn in your favour.