Mental Health and Wellness Resources
Mental Health and Wellness Resources
Description
In the public mind, a "Right Stuff" mystique surrounds pilots. A popular perception exists that aviators are cut from a different cloth, with better-than-average resistance to anxiety, fatigue, depression, substance abuse, and other stressors.
However, the industry has begun to recognize that pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and other aviation professionals suffer the same vulnerabilities as everyone else, and that if they self-report and seek help in a responsible way, they should not have to fear job loss. Flight Safety Foundation's (FSF) publication, "An Aviation Professional's Guide to Wellbeing" says, "Safety performance is directly related to the manner in which people from front line staff to CEOs perform their various roles, and overall performance relies on individual and collective states of wellbeing."
Another FSF publication, a 2024 white paper titled "Path to Wellness: Charting a New Course for Mental Health in Aviation," included a section labeled "Who is Responsible for Mental Wellness and Wellbeing in Aviation?" In addition to operators, airports, regulators, and industry associations, the white paper noted that aviation professionals themselves are stakeholders in their own mental health. "They have a responsibility to use available resources, participate in mental health assessments, and seek help when needed," the paper said. "Equally important is their role in supporting peers by fostering a culture of openness and mutual aid within their workplaces."
This article lists some of the resources available for aviation professionals in need of assistance.
The Pilot Mental Health Campaign
The Pilot Mental Health Campaign (PMHC) is a U.S.-based nonpartisan organization that advocates for legislative change on how mental health issues are handled within the aviation industry. Launched in 2023, the campaign's website says, "Our mission is to reform Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations concerning mental health and establish a culture within the aviation industry that places a higher emphasis on the wellbeing and safety of its pilots, while enhancing overall flight safety." The PMHC board includes pilots, physicians, a mental health clinician, and attorneys.
PMHC activities include a partnership with the University of Washington's Aviation Lab in Seattle to run the Health and Aviation University Studies for Evidence-Based Reform (HAUSER) Project, aimed at changing mental health policy. The organisation has also backed the Mental Health in Aviation Act. According to PMHC, the legislation would "require the FAA to modernise its approach to mental health protocols, direct funding to address the FAA's backlog in medical certificate processing wait times, and create a public information campaign to destigmatize the culture of silence around mental health in aviation."
The International Peer Assist Aviation Coalition
The International Peer Assist Aviation Coalition (IPAAC), based in London, focuses on peer support for issues regarding mental health, drugs, and alcohol. IPAAC advocates for confidentiality for safety-critical aviation professionals who seek assistance. The nonprofit group's website says it is committed to developing Peer Support Programmes across the world as a major contributor to flight safety.
IPAAC serves as a global forum for expertise on creating peer support programmes for different organisations in different cultures around the world. IPAAC notes that several high-profile accidents such as the Germanwings crash in 2015 have shown the catastrophic effects of unaddressed mental health issues.
IPAAC covers all safety-critical aviation workers, including air traffic controllers, flight attendants, and mechanics.
The European Pilot Peer Support Initiative
The European Pilot Peer Support Initiative (EPPSI) is a nonprofit group founded in 2016 by the European Association for Aviation Psychology (EAAP), the European Society of Aerospace Medicine (ESAM), the European Cockpit Association (ECA), and the Mayday Foundation.
The EPPSI Peer Support Guide, published in 2020, notes: "Studies have shown that pilots suffer similar levels of mental health issues to the general population, yet the take-up of help amongst pilots has traditionally been low. The occupational health department of one major European carrier reports that the number of pilots coming to them for help with mental wellbeing issues was no more than 0.5% of the pilot population in the years leading to 2015 . . . The reason for this is stigma: the common belief and fear amongst pilots that any mental health or psychological issues, if known to the outside world, will have the immediate consequence of removal of their medical certificate, with the consequent possible loss of livelihood."
The guide seeks to:
- identify key elements of any peer support programme
- describe generic peer support processes which can be adapted according to an individual organisation's requirements
- identify best practices in launching and running a peer support programme
Birds of a Feather International
Birds of a Feather International (BOAF) is a worldwide support group for aviators facing alcohol problems. The group's website says its meetings are based on the Alcoholics Anonymous program. BOAF was set up for fliers who are active or inactive in private, commercial, or military aviation.
BOAF chapters are organized as "nests," and the group also provides Zoom meetings, a private Facebook group, a newsletter, and a yearly convention. Aviators in areas without an established "nest" may join as "solo birds."
A BOAF purpose statement says, "The cultural bias concerning [alcoholism] has prevented many in the past from seeking advice. Our concern is recovery from alcoholism. We have no loyalties to any company, government institution, medical facility, union, employee assistance program, treatment center, or specific recovery program."
BOAF traces its history back to the 1970s and the development of return-to-work programs for fliers who'd had drinking problems. In 1974, the (U.S.) National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism approved a grant to the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) for the Human Intervention Motivational Study (HIMS). HIMS offers assistance to pilots seeking help for alcohol issues. (See paragraph below.)
The Human Intervention Motivational Study
The Human Intervention Motivational Study (HIMS) is a U.S.-based substance abuse treatment program for pilots that coordinates treatment and the return-to-work process for aviators. The HIMS website describes the program as "an industry-wide effort in which managers, pilots, health care professionals, and the [U.S. Federal Aviation Administration] work together to preserve careers and enhance air safety."
The HIMS concept involves a process that follows specific steps:
- Identification of the problem
- Intervention
- Treatment
- Continuing care
- Monitoring
- Help in the event of a relapse
Following successful treatment, a recovering pilot may be returned to flight status. According to the HIMS website, "The decision to submit the recovering pilot's case for FAA certification action is ultimately made by the medical sponsor. This sponsor is an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) that has been through HIMS training and approved by the FAA to perform this duty."
According to the Alcohol.org website, when a recovering pilot returns to work under the HIMS program, he or she must demonstrate:
- Ongoing treatment participation
- Continued contact with sponsors (such as peer sponsors or company sponsors)
- Random drug and alcohol testing
- Quarterly progress reports
- Annual follow-up assessments
The Disease Model
The HIMS program recognizes alcoholism and other substance abuse issues as a disease process. This "Disease Model" notes that chemical dependency is a chronic condition, meaning that it's permanent and prone to relapse. The model describes this dependency as primary, meaning it exists independently and is not secondary to some other underlying mental illness. "Current understanding of this disease is that it is significantly influenced by genetic predisposition," the HIMS website says. The website says, "Other risk factors include age of first exposure to addictive substances, environment, and psychological trauma."
The Aviation Health and Wellbeing Institute
The Aviation Health and Wellbeing Institute (AWHI) is a U.S.-based volunteer organization that brings together aviation professionals, health care experts, and others to offer resources on wellness. The institute's website says it focuses on supporting aviation students, especially advancing women in the industry.
Founded in 2022 by Captain Reyne O'Shaughnessy, AWHI also says its mission is "empowering the next generation of aviation professionals in a holistic manner." The mission statement adds, "We aim to support their physical, biological, and social wellbeing."
Programs include classes on nutrition, sleep, exercise, and meditation.
Private Psychotherapy Resources
Depending on location and insurance coverage, aviation professionals can seek help from private providers. Sometimes this care can be affordable enough even if not covered by insurance, and certain providers cater specifically to the aviation industry.
Unions can provide advice in finding care. The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) offers guidance on finding licensed professional counselors (LPC), licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), psychologists, and psychiatrists.
ALPA notes that not all visits to counselors are reportable to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or other regulators. ALPA's Aeromedical division, also known as the Aviation Medicine Advisory Service (AMAS) provides free consultations to its members. AMAS also ensures confidentiality.
Private Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Resources
A number of for-profit companies operate rehabilitation centers with in-patient and out-patient programs designed for pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and other aviation professionals. Treatment at such facilities can be coordinated through an aviation worker's employee assistance program.
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