Here is a list of things that automatically disqualify you from being a pilot if you are diagnosed: depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, diabetes, bpd, PTSD, alcoholism or any other substance abuse disorder. Some understandable, most not so. If you are diagnosed with any of the above the only way to be allowed to fly is to get certified as being completely cured of your condition.
It's difficult for the FAA to prove you have been diagnosed with anything, but easy to prove if you are receiving treatment for anything. So the natural end result is that pilots don't go to the doctor for any of the above.
It's an open secret that the majority of pilots have ADHD and just live with it untreated because of these rules. Aviation feels like a job designed for people with ADHD, it's hilarious. There has been a huge pilot shortage developing these last few decades because as medical practice has improved, pilots get diagnosed before they get their license and realize they are supposed to hide it and suffer in silence if they wanna be a pilot.
Idk where to post this but it's too long for the mega thread so here. Sorry it has nothing to do with communism, as old farts who refuse to get with the times is one of the few big problems we face that isn't unique to capitalism.
Edit: Extra fun thing is I had successfully managed to make myself forget about flying until it came back recently and now it's the only thing I can think about again. When I found out I wasn't allowed to be a pilot I had to force myself to forget, and I guess I forgot why I wasn't supposed to think about planes anymore.
I would still go for it. As long as you aren't still receiving treatment, if they find out you can have a doctor claim you are cured. (That's not how it actually works but the FAA thinks it does, so they will accept it.) You may have to pay thousands of $ to get the medical clearance, but it's doable. Like I said, the majority of pilots have ADHD, they either lie about it or don't know it.
You are way closer than I ever got. Literally wanted to be a pilot since I was like 6, have been playing flight sims all my life, literally loved flying so much I would play DCS and such with nothing but a mouse and keyboard. I learned how to fly a glider and ride the wind before I learned how to ride a bike.
But I'm completely nonfunctional in daily life without medication. I can drive, I can fly, but I can't consistently feed myself or sleep without it.
I'm on track to get a good union job, but if the FAA makes it possible I'm immediately dropping everything and getting my license. The day of I will start making phone calls if it happens. I can be twenty years in with pension and everything I don't care. If I was in your position I wouldn't hesitate to continue.
Yeah... I don't know. I've been wrestling with it for almost two years now. I kind of have a vision of a new way forward that doesn't involve flying, but of course it feels more like a compromise than something I actually want to do.
I just don't know how I live with that anxiety. I feel so ashamed of my adhd, of the fact I had to go to a fucking different school for it, of the fact I'd be living a lie if I tried flying again. I mean, you don't know imposter syndrome until you've stepped into my shoes.
It feels so much easier to just let it all go. I can still fly as a hobby, but obviously it's expensive, and just not the same.
The "what ifs" will probably haunt me for the rest of my life. Ironically my fear of being grounded led to me grounding myself. But at least I get to keep my secret.
Edit
Also I hope you get the chance one day. Do you have a sport pilot's license? Something you could look into if you want to fly powered aircraft. I don't believe microlights require a medical.
Not super interested in getting a sport pilots license if I would be practically speaking paying a ton of money to be only somewhat less restricted than I would be with an ultralight. Still may do so, but being able to get paid flying is the dream.
Yeah that's understandable. Maybe one day we won't have to worry as much, there has been more discussion surrounding mental health then ever before. I think everyone in the industry is aware of it. How do you get a bureaucratic monster like the FAA to change though? We'll see.
The world is slowly moving away from the FAA because of the disaster with the Boeing mcas stuff. And now the fact that they grounded all Russian designed aircraft by declaring then unsafe even though the justification was obvious bullshit and was actually done because of the Ukraine situation. So maybe this will light enough of a fire under their ass and make them realize they need to change.
They have been making genuine, although poorly executed attempts to be inclusive in a few ways, so maybe there is a chance.