Experts say few people outside the aviation industry realize the risk pilots take when they admit to mental health problems and how it could jeopardize their careers.
PORTLAND, Ore. Following an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot’s alleged attempt to shut down a plane’s engines in mid-flight over the weekend, investigators have begun revealing some of their initial findings in court documents about Joseph Emerson’s mental state. For some industry experts, the fact that its difficulties have gone unnoticed is not entirely surprising.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Emerson had passed all of his required medical certifications. But in court records, investigators report that Emerson admitted he had been depressed for six months and had just lost a close friend.
After his arrest Sunday, Emerson reportedly told police he was suffering from a “nervous breakdown” and had not slept in 40 hours after first taking psychedelic mushrooms.
It is unclear if and when Emerson sought professional help for his mental health issues. Regardless, his case raises many questions regarding the judgment, mental health and well-being of flight crews.
Experts suggest that airline professionals often deny any mental health issues that could lead to a diagnosis, even something seemingly harmless like seasonal affective disorder, because it could cost pilots their medical qualifications.
Unfortunately, due to FAA restrictions, diagnoses can be what we call a “grounding,” or pilots can have their wings clipped, said Kora Kresin, an aviation therapist at Flight Deck Support Community.
Kresin said she cares deeply about people in the airline industry, including her roommate, who is a pilot. She said pilots who report a mental health diagnosis often remain grounded until they pay thousands of dollars out of their own pocket to prove they are not a safety risk. For this reason, she says, they often avoid seeking help to deal with the daily stressors that so many people struggle with.
“If your cat dies or you lose a family member or you’re in the process of treating it, most people take six months to a year to process really big changes,” Kresin said. “Depending on how your aeronautics The medical examiner interprets that this could be considered a mood disorder.”
For this reason, even as a licensed therapist, Kresin uses the title “life coach” while assisting aviation professionals. She believes this reduces the chances of forming a paper trail that could endanger her clients’ careers. Along the same lines, she worries that many of those who need help seek it through other means, such as drug use.
“We must recognize the systemic damage done to stranded pilots so far,” Kresin said.
Many in the airline industry hope pilots know where to get help, including peer groups offered by airlines. And in time, they hope the kind of help so many in the industry need will be available and celebrated rather than feared by those who need it.
“Yes, I think it’s a problem,” said Greg Morris, a captain for a major airline. “I think we need to let our guard down just enough to indicate that we need help.”
Morris, who has been flying since 1997, noted that while many things have changed in his industry, the consequences that often accompany being away from loved ones for long periods of time and working at all hours of the day remain.
“It can be difficult for pilots and flight attendants,” Morris said. “So we need to put more emphasis on mental health issues, the consequences of our work and the impacts that mental health can have.”
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