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Over One In 10 Pilots May Suffer From Depression, But They’re Mum About It

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Thousands of pilots on commercial flights – over one in 10 – may be clinically depressed, even suicidal. Unfortunately, most of them don’t ask for help or seek treatment for fear of losing their wings or being asked to sit out, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Harvard University found that 426 of 3,278 pilots, or 13%, were likely feeling depressed. The study was conducted after the 2015 tragedy where a mentally unstable Germanwings pilot intentionally crashed his plane in the French Alps, killing himself and 149 passengers and crew members, the New York Post reports.

Within two weeks of taking the survey, 75 pilots reported feeling suicidal or self-destructive. Based on that, researchers estimated that some 18,000 pilots are depressed and 5,600 are suicidal, out of around 140,000 worldwide.

Airline pilots may face getting grounded from flying if they report depression, depending on whether or not they’re seeking treatment, according to lead study author Alex Wu. Wu says,

That is a strong disincentive [to report], if that directly influences their career.

The study notes, “Underreporting of mental-health symptoms and diagnoses is probable among airline pilots due to the public stigma of mental illness and fear among pilots of being grounded.”

But despite these results, public confidence in pilots should not waver, Joseph Allen, one of the study authors, says. “Flying is safe and this study doesn’t change that.”

Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot famous for the “Miracle on the Hudson,” says that while pilots who are not fit to fly should stay out of the cockpit, there should be a way for treated pilots to return to work. Sully’s father committed suicide after a battle with depression.

The Federal Aviation Administration has not announced the need for routine psychological evaluations, as they say there is no evidence that doing so would improve flight safety. However, a US advisory panel has recently called for improved measures in spotting and treating pilots with mental health issues, in order to prevent the kind of fatal disaster exemplified by the Germanwings incident.

The study was published in Environmental Health.

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