Class 1 Medical - Recent diagnoses of depression

[AirLuk]

Hello everyone,

I’m 31 and exploring a career change after feeling burnt out in my current job as a management consultant (long hours, challenging clients, etc.). This experience led me to reassess my life and ultimately decide to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a commercial pilot.

However, before I can begin flight training, I need to verify whether I can pass a Class 1 medical exam. I was diagnosed with depression in January and briefly prescribed an SSRI, which I stopped taking after about a week.

If anyone has insight into the chances of clearing a Class 1 medical under these circumstances, I would greatly appreciate your advice!

[hithere]

Yes you can get a Category 1 medical("Class" is the USA term) with a previous depression diagnosis. You will have to get a doctor( a psychiatrist would be best) to state that you are currently asymptomatic. The fact that you briefly took SSRI is irrelevant if you are indeed no longer depressed. In certain circumstances you can actually hold a Cat 1 medical while taking SSRI. That would involve a two crew restriction and requires a lot of hoops to jump through, so if you are off SSRI all the better.
So if you are no longer on SSRI and are able to cope with counselling etc then you should be ok. Get a full mental health report from a doctor and go do you medical asap. Initial medicals are never approved on the spot by your CAME, they all have to be reviewed by the RAMO. If the RAMO wants more information they will contact you. Sometimes they want you to be symptom free for a couple of months before they approve you, but by the time the RAMO gets around to reviewing your file, that time will probably have elapsed.

[AirLuk]

Thank you for the insight! I've gone ahead and booked my examination, thank you!

[gustind]

Canadian Flight Trainers has a full article on depression and getting a medical in aviation. You need to prove stability when going on or off any SSRIs before you can get a medical.

[rotorspeed]

Stating being on an ssri before is irrelevant is 100% incorrect

[G@yviator]

Those words are taboo in aviation. I don't think it goes well with the public saying you are depressed as a pilot. Sad but true.

[rotorspeed]

Things changed a few years back for the worse. Used to be a professional could write a letter stating you were fine while on meds. Those days have changed

[TeePeeCreeper]

Things changed a few years back for the worse. Used to be a professional could write a letter stating you were fine while on meds. Those days have changed

That is wholly incorrect information.

If anything TC has made leaps and bounds to better mirror the FAA and their stance on SSRI’s.

TPC

[rotorspeed]

Well you have no clue what you're talking about because TC actually allowed more flexibility with antidepressants than the FAA does but they have made certification more cumbersome in the last few years. That seems to go with alot of medical topics if you read theses forums about getting certified

[digits_]

Those words are taboo in aviation. I don't think it goes well with the public saying you are depressed as a pilot. Sad but true.

How about we stop making them taboo and not repeat those stereotypes? Nobody in the public knows the medical history of their pilots, nor should they. It has zero effect on the booking of a ticket.

[rotorspeed]

Correct