Anyone stopped their ADHD meds? ATC or piloting?
Posted by MyHomeworkIsDueToday@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 8 comments
Hi all,
I'm 18 years old and in Australia currently. I was diagnosed with ADHD at 16 and began treatment with Vyvanse and Dex. This year I've started getting into aviation a lot, more so on the recreational side (through RAAus rather than CASA, as RAAus medical standards are entirely GP or self-assessed).
In all honesty, I am still very functional without medications, and have grown out of most of my childhood symptoms. But my main concern is how livable/enjoyable my day-to-day career will be, especially around work-life balance.
I'm at a bit of a cross-road for an aviation career (should I decide to pursue it). I can either stop meds and gain a CPL/ATPL in Australia, or move to New Zealand and become an air traffic controller (as their AvMed permits stimulant ADHD medication for certain medicals).
Has anybody else been through a similar process with stopping meds? What was it like in terms of your symptoms and recovery?
datums@reddit
You will generally require a specialized assessment to show that your ADHD is in remission without the use of psychoactive medication in order to be a commercial pilot.
It is unlikely that your ADHD will ever be in remission without psychoactive medication. If you choose to take that path, the odds are high that your it will be blocked because of that.
My experience in this is from the psychological services side - I worked with pilot schools looking to get those assessments done to meet Transport Canada requirements. I cannot speak with authority regarding your local regulations, so you should definitely talk to someone with that specific knowledge, but they are likely similar.
MyHomeworkIsDueToday@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I have spoken to my specialist and GP about this before. They agree that my school performance and long-term attention improved a lot with medications.
I'd say now though it mostly helps me to do the small, day-to-day things that little bit easier. Tbh I think my condition impacts me socially more so than it does functionally, it's mostly things like 'background thoughts' and self-doubt (which did improve after CBT therapy).
I do remember talking to my CFI about it before my first lesson. On that day I was on only a long-acting dosage (which makes the therapeutic 'intensity' more gradual/spread out), and he said my performance wasn't any less than any other student. I found it very naturally engaging, even without a massive cognitive boost from my medication.
But yes, Australia's CASA requires 6 months of ADHD in remission, without medication. A diagnosis of adult ADHD isn't automatically unfavourable, only if symptoms are present and likely to impact performance/safety.
NZ's CAA is a lot more lenient, their AvMed allows case-by-case assessment for stimulant usage to treat ADHD for Class 2/3 medicals.
I guess my fork in the road is more to do with my career than medical status, whether I want to take the QoL/lifestyle hit and fly commercial here, or pursue ATC but live in another country (\~4-5 hour flight to see my family).
Happy-Table-9515@reddit
I don’t know about Australia, but you’d be dead in the water in the US.
Peregrine7710@reddit
This is not true. Yes he would need to stop meds, but there is absolutely a path to medical certificate.
Happy-Table-9515@reddit
Never said there was no pathway. So settle down missy.
MyHomeworkIsDueToday@reddit (OP)
Haha yeah, CASA is certainly a lot more case-by-case here. I'd probably only move to the US to become a dispatcher (absolute dream ground role but it doesn't really have a direct equivalent in Australia).
Most of my family is in Australia though so I think the furthest I'd go would be NZ.
Happy-Table-9515@reddit
Yea, dickscratchers have no medical, so you’d be ok here with that.
Hodgetwins32@reddit
nah mate I rip all my ADHD meds specifically right before approaches to mins in icing