Going to HIMS Neuropsychologist?

ProjectInfinity1 said:
I just had someone ask me this in a PM, but it doesn’t bother me so I’ll post it here as well.


“It is a long story. But it wasn’t the FAA, it was the FBI, and I don’t know if they got a subpoena, or a admin on here voluntarily gave it, or if they found me another way.

Regardless it was this thread I made, https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/time-for-faa-psychiatric-illness-reform.118692/“

Adding in more context for those who don’t want to scroll through pages of the thread to get full context, here is a basic summary.

I was/am diagnosed with mild ADD, Have OCD, on the autism spectrum, was depressed during school with sort of a nihilist ambivalence with suicidal ideation (I.E. we’re a small spec of dirt traveling in a vast universe, our existence was by happenstance, so what’s the point, blah blah blah). In January of 2018, I was going to be forced to go to a OCD program for 2 months to take part in exposure therapy. This would’ve been my first time away from home without family, (hell upto that point I had never even stayed over a friends house). Said no thanks, and the night before my ambivalence became action, attempted to “check out” but I got caught. Ended up staying in impatient for two weeks, went to a diagnostic program for 2 weeks, went to a step down program for 3 weeks after that, and finally ended up in the very same OCD clinic that started said “adventure” in the first place, for 3 months.

Came on here a year and a half later complaining how the FAA’s psychiatric rules are stuck in the 1950’s, and how it forces pilots to bottle up their issues rather than seek help.

I referenced the absurdity of the rules, by making a statement along the lines of “I can legally own a grenade launcher or pipe bombs, even with my history, yet the FAA thinks said history makes me a danger.”

Someone (rightfully so, as I’ll admit that history along with discussions of such items, set off every red flag imaginable) made an anonymous report to the FBI.

Got a knock at the door, and the agent and I talked for an hour and a half. We hit it off once I explained the full context of why I said what I said.

In the end I standby my point, it just sounds really bad from the outside looking “in”. I’m now a FFL out of Florida, have a CCW in RI, FL, and MA.

I legally bought/was approved for a live 60mm mortar before I was old enough to legally buy a handgun from a dealer. And now I have multiple machine guns, and am importing 2 suppressors from the Czech Republic for a well known gun Youtuber whois also a FFL.

Yet still I’d be too much of a risk for the FAA today ):

I just want to putt about in a Piper for personal transit (within 350 miles), as I hate driving more than 25 miles, (former Rhode Island native where from one corner of our state to another is an about an hour drive without traffic).
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So for that comment someone called the government and sent men with guns to your house.

As a kid I remember thinking how the nazis came to power, yeah it was people like the person who “see nothing said something” :(
 
BladeSlap said:
So for that comment someone called the government and sent men with guns to your house.

As a kid I remember thinking how the nazis came to power, yeah it was people like the person who “see nothing said something” :(
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To be fair… given my history and talking about pipe bombs, I could understand their concerns lol.

But to clarify, it was NOT a swat raid, it was just one senior agent, who wanted to talk. Nice guy, hell I still have his cell number, he offered to get lunch sometime if I wanted.

For the last 3 Years on major holidays I’ve texted him and wished him well.


Regardless I just want to putt around in a 172, or a cirus for my own transport :(.

But I’m almost certainly screwed given my psychiatric medical history.

Unfortunately the FAA only deals in black in white
 
BladeSlap said:
So for that comment someone called the government and sent men with guns to your house.

As a kid I remember thinking how the nazis came to power, yeah it was people like the person who “see nothing said something” :(
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Yeah wow. Didn’t know we had laggers on this board.
 
Half Fast said:
Would you settle for an LSA?
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I’d really rather not, but I may very well do so as a stop gap.

However in all honesty basic med would be exactly what I’d need. You no idea how tempted I am at times to omit my history and never get a medical again after it expires.

The standards are so screwed up ):
 
Rushie said:
Yeah wow. Didn’t know we had laggers on this board.
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My apologies Rushie, what did you mean by that?

Edit* I looked it up on urban dictionary, yeah it sort of sucked for the first few weeks afterwards, because whenever my dog started barking at the front door, I’d get a bit nervous that I was going to get another knock.

That quickly subsided after a month or two, and now I’m actually proud of it in a sense lol, it’s a cool story to tell at parties from time to time.

Regardless I don’t hold any animosity towards whomever did it, from a 3rd party standpoint my history, frustration, and talk of unusual weapons would set off every red flag in the book.

However I do think it adds credence to the idea of not judging a book by its cover.

I.E. The FAA is concerned with people who have a history of depression/suicide attempt being a significant risk, or even deliberately harming themselves or others.

My unorthodox response is still the very same that got myself a “visit” in the first place…
If I wanted to harm myself (which for the record I have not in the last 3 and a half years) I could do so right now.

Unfortunately, such arguments do little when dealing with a strict bureaucracy.
 
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When the FBI came knocking on my door, they were doing a background check on one of my neighbors.
 
ProjectInfinity1 said:
....but I may very well do so as a stop gap.
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Be selective regarding at which windmills you choose to tilt. Were I you, I'd just go get a Sport Pilot ticket and get in the air, rather than complaining about the FAA and wishing it would change. The LSAs you will fly are quite capable airplanes, and even with a Private ticket most of your flying will be solo daytime VFR anyway.

Besides, it's possible that in a few years Sport Pilots will be allowed slightly larger aircraft, which might include simple planes like 172s. (Understand, though, that some LSAs have better performance numbers than a 172, albeit with less load.)


ProjectInfinity1 said:
If I wanted to harm myself (which for the record I have not in the last 3 and a half years) I could do so right now.

Unfortunately, such arguments do little when dealing with a strict bureaucracy.
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I doubt the FAA's concern is you doing harm to yourself. They'd probably be just as happy if you put a noose around your own neck. BUT, they are worried about you doing something with a plane that might harm others, like a passenger or people on the ground.

And there's simply no reason for them to take a chance. The FAA is not in the wish-fulfillment business; they're in the aviation safety and butt-covering business.

So stop beating your head against the FAA wall, go get a Sport Pilot certificate, and start flying! Life's too short to waste waiting on a government bureaucracy.
 
Half Fast said:
...Besides, it's possible that in a few years Sport Pilots will be allowed slightly larger aircraft, which might include simple planes like 172s....
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I think the rumor has been "in a few years" for more than a few years!
 
Anon Pilo said:
I was diagnosed with depression and placed on SSRI's.

Within a year I received a letter from OKC informing me that they became aware during a prescription database check that I was taking an SSRI. The letter "reminded me" that I was unable to exercise any privileges of my certificate other than sport pilot. The letter also stated that I was unable to use Basic Med without receiving a special issuance first.

I am curious as to why I received this letter since depression or ssri is not listed as disqualifying under basic med.

But since the FAA seems to see things that way, it is reasonable to assume that they may violate OP should they become aware he was taking an SSRI even under Basic Med.
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This is a bit confusing. IF the FAA revoked your medical, then you can't fly Sport and you can't do Basic Med. IF the FAA didn't revoke your medical then you can fly Sport and go to Basic Med when your medical expires. The FAA can't revoke an expired medical.

Now, it's all good that you don't fly if you're not physically/mentally up to it, good to take care of your health, etc. But the process you outlined doesn't add up. What might I be missing?
 
WDD said:
This is a bit confusing. IF the FAA revoked your medical, then you can't fly Sport and you can't do Basic Med. IF the FAA didn't revoke your medical then you can fly Sport and go to Basic Med when your medical expires. The FAA can't revoke an expired medical.

Now, it's all good that you don't fly if you're not physically/mentally up to it, good to take care of your health, etc. But the process you outlined doesn't add up. What might I be missing?
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Maybe the FAA is inferring that he has one of the conditions that require a one-time SI in order to fly under BasicMed rules.
 
Palmpilot said:
Maybe the FAA is inferring that he has one of the conditions that require a one-time SI in order to fly under BasicMed rules.
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Maybe the actual medical records submitted contained such a diagnosis. Just taking an SSRI isn’t one of the conditions if it was for something like simple depression. But we haven’t seen what the doc wrote. This person needs to speak with the doc and get the actual diagnosis that was submitted, verbatim.
 
bbchien said:
It should. The doctors warned about that in 2010, but nobody listened. Health care was supposed to become nearly “free” so nobody listened.

How’s that working for ya?
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It freaks me out just that such a thing exists. I went to a new PCP, and when taking my history, the nurse said, "Are you still taking . . . ." and then rattled off a long list of medications that I'd been prescribed over the past years. Many of them were in a post-operative cornucopia of pills I never took. (And that's far from the worst thing about our current medical system.)
 
Lindberg said:
It freaks me out just that such a thing exists. I went to a new PCP, and when taking my history, the nurse said, "Are you still taking . . . ." and then rattled off a long list of medications that I'd been prescribed over the past years. Many of them were in a post-operative cornucopia of pills I never took. (And that's far from the worst thing about our current medical system.)
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There are doctors that don’t take insurance and all the records are on paper. When you are no longer a patient they hand you your medical records. All of them and the only copy of said records. I have insurance and will use it when needed. I treat it the same as car insurance. Use it when I need it but otherwise I take care of minor issues out of pocket. Quietly.
 
I wanted to provide an update to possibly help other people considering the same path. Went to a psychiatrist and as a result, I’ve been on an FAA approved SSRI for the last month or so.

While still early, it’s significantly improved my quality of life. For months I’d seen the “get healthy first, then fly” mantra on the forum but never took it seriously. To anyone else who’s experiencing the same thing, no career or hobby is worth putting your mental health in the backseat.

I’ll continue to do SPL and decide whether or not to go Path 2 on the SSRI for full PPL, but so far it’s been life changing and something I regret not doing earlier.
 
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