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Flight #18 - FAA Approved Antidepressants for Pilots: SSRIs.
On this flight, I’m going to actually talk about the 5 antidepressants approved by the FAA for use in pilots. They are Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and the most recent one added in May 2023, Wellbutrin.
Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Celexa are classified as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Since they were the only approved antidepressants when the FAA first started allowing their use in pilots in 2010, much of the FAA guidance refers to an SSRI Decision Path or SSRI Certification. But even though Wellbutrin is classified as a Norepinephrine and Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor (NDRI) you can follow all the same FAA guidance for SSRIs. Before we get to Wellbutrin though, let’s talk about the antidepressants that the FAA has been allowing the longest, the SSRIs.
To read the full transcript go to The Flight Shrink substack at https://flightshrink.substack.com
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in The Flight Shrink are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, The United States Air Force, or any other organization with which Dr. Heacock is associated. The content of The Flight Shrink is not medical advice. The Flight Shrink is for informational purposes only and may not be applicable to all situations. Use of the information is at the reader’s own risk. Any recommendations of treatments, products, or services are made in general and may not apply to a specific person, situation, or illness. Please seek care from a medical professional if you have concerns for any physical or mental health symptoms.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis or emotional distress, reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) by dialing or texting 988 or using chat services at suicidepreventionlifeline.org to connect to a trained crisis counselor. You can also get crisis text support via the Crisis Text Line by texting NAMI to 741741. For those in countries other than the U.S. here is a Google site with helplines:https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/11181469
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit flightshrink.substack.com
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By Kevin Heacock MD
5
44 ratings
On this flight, I’m going to actually talk about the 5 antidepressants approved by the FAA for use in pilots. They are Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and the most recent one added in May 2023, Wellbutrin.
Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Celexa are classified as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Since they were the only approved antidepressants when the FAA first started allowing their use in pilots in 2010, much of the FAA guidance refers to an SSRI Decision Path or SSRI Certification. But even though Wellbutrin is classified as a Norepinephrine and Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor (NDRI) you can follow all the same FAA guidance for SSRIs. Before we get to Wellbutrin though, let’s talk about the antidepressants that the FAA has been allowing the longest, the SSRIs.
To read the full transcript go to The Flight Shrink substack at https://flightshrink.substack.com
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in The Flight Shrink are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, The United States Air Force, or any other organization with which Dr. Heacock is associated. The content of The Flight Shrink is not medical advice. The Flight Shrink is for informational purposes only and may not be applicable to all situations. Use of the information is at the reader’s own risk. Any recommendations of treatments, products, or services are made in general and may not apply to a specific person, situation, or illness. Please seek care from a medical professional if you have concerns for any physical or mental health symptoms.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis or emotional distress, reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) by dialing or texting 988 or using chat services at suicidepreventionlifeline.org to connect to a trained crisis counselor. You can also get crisis text support via the Crisis Text Line by texting NAMI to 741741. For those in countries other than the U.S. here is a Google site with helplines:https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/11181469
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit flightshrink.substack.com