It seems that any physician with a prescription pad is handing out antidepressants like candy. Acne getting you down? Ask your dermatologist for some Prozac. Bunion on your big toe? Some Zoloft should take care of that. The point is that not everyone truly needs antidepressants. There are people in this world who suffer from real, clinical depression. These are people like me. Here are my confessions: I put on a happy face. The world doesn't need to know every single one of my mental neuroses. Many people who are depressed will hide behind their very own painted on face. Some people even go to the extent of lying to therapists, counselors, and even psychiatrists in order to seem more "normal." Nobody wants the world to know that deep inside they are secretly …show more content…
Today I learn that the FAA has lifted its ban on the use of depression meds by commercial pilots. Huh? What do you mean? Pilots depressed? They take those meds that have all those risky side-effects? Then I learned that many of them [pilots] have lied in the past about taking them. Really? I'm floored. Or shall I say, grounded. CNN from their website reports, Washington (CNN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is changing a generations-old policy banning pilots from taking antidepressants, saying the new policy will improve safety by bringing to the surface pilots who either ignore signs of depression or lie about their use of medication for fear of losing their licenses to fly. Source: CNN Immediately, I became concerned. Is the FAA crazy? They must all be depressed too and want to avoid hypocrisy. Who knows. But what I do know, and I researched it, military pilots need a clean bill of health. Depression, let alone taking meds, would ground them. And military pilots are under greater stress, especially in a war zone. I worked on the flight deck and taking meds with any type of side effect would have got me kicked off. I don't get it. Why, I ask the FAA? You say, to lying about the use of