Can you be an airline pilot with depression?

The regulations are strict, yes, and make maintaining flight status a challenge. But they don't preclude someone with a mental health condition from flying. You can be a pilot if you have depression. Treatment options and growing awareness about mental health in the workplace provide hope.



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20 studies were identified. The prevalence of depression experienced by commercial airline pilots in this review ranged from 1.9% to 12.6%. Factors that negatively impacted the mental health of pilots included substance abuse, experiencing verbal or sexual abuse, disruption in sleep circadian rhythms and fatigue.

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An airline pilot can be an extremely stressful job due to the workload, responsibilities and safety of the thousands of passengers they transport around the world. Chronic levels of stress can negatively impact one's health, job performance and cognitive functioning.

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“The ups and downs are constant, and we fly at all different times of the day,” Deitz says. “It's a stress on your body.” Takeoff and landing are the trickiest parts of a given flight, requiring all of a pilot's attention and mental energy. Heart rate increases during those windows, studies show.

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Challenging Career Path Most airlines require 1,500 hours of experience before even considering a candidate. This can take several years to obtain, depending on the type of job you get initially. There are ways to fast-track your career, however, and no airline has the exact same hiring standards or process.

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Can Pilots Take Antidepressants?
  • The SSRI pathway only allows consideration for pilots who take one of four SSRIS: fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), or sertraline (Zoloft). ...
  • Other antidepressants do not have a Special Issuance pathway.


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According to AOPA and General Aviation News, 80% of student pilots drop out of training each year before receiving their pilot certificate. So what's causing 8 of 10 flight students to drop out? Here are some of the most common reasons...

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The drop-out rate during private pilot training is high (70-80% according to AOPA), and high cost is one of the biggest reasons people drop out. If you take advantage of the information and lessons offered in ground school, you can save money on aircraft rentals and time with your flight instructor.

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During the last several years, the FAA has invested resources to eliminate the stigma around mental health in the aviation community so pilots seek treatment. This includes: Increased mental health training for medical examiners.

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For many, working as a pilot is an exciting career choice. You may enjoy working as a pilot if you enjoy flying and traveling, but there are also some elements of this profession that may not be suitable for everyone.

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Career Instability
Pilots and aviation professionals tend to be the collateral. Aviation often utilizes a system called 'seniority,' meaning if you were the last in, you'd be the first out! While flying is a well-paid career, it isn't always the most stable.

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If pilot's clearly do not meet FAA medical standards, particularly if they have conditions that are specifically grounding in Part 67 of the FARs or the Guide to Aviation Medical Examiners, the aviation medical examiner may issue a denial letter to the pilot revoking the pilot's current medical privileges.

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Due to the risks to flight safety posed by ADHD, regulatory authorities worldwide consider ADHD a disqualifying condition for pilots.

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They found that, compared with the general population, airline pilots had high prevalence of overweight and obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, insufficient physical activity, elevated psychological fatigue, insufficient fruit and vegetable intake, and regular alcohol consumption [28].

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