Advice on getting mental health waiver?

[JKC@]

Hi I'm a 20 year old college student and I'm interested in becoming a naval aviator after I graduate. However I have taken Prozac for a combined six month for OCD(intrusive thoughts only) and Depression. I have not taken them since I started college.
I am a little worried about intrusive thoughts seeming very strange on paper as I think its a misunderstood condition.
I will say that I am genuinely in a much better state of mental health as I stopped being a adolescent I read that 42% of Generation Z suffers from a condition(not sure if that includes self diagnosis but it seems accurate to me).
Too my knowledge those are the two waivers I need for NAMI/N3M.

I still worry about getting past NAMI I have heard OCD is very rare to get a waiver for. I believe my case is about the most minor case of OCD you can have as I just had mental rituals and nothing physical such as tapping or anything like Howard Hughes.
The Depression was certainly a strong case but it stopped my senior year.
They made me extremely miserable for a while but I was still an above average student and worker.

From what I have seen I should just get notes and good recommendations' from my doctors?
Also I know there's no real percent chance but I'm still curious what you guys think.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Words

Like what you said, mental health waivers are reviewed and decided on a case-by-case basis. Submit everything you have and just hope for the best, brace for the worst.

 

[JKC@]

Yeah unrelated question do you think Recruiting standards will change because so many more people are being diagnosed with things like ADHD,Depression,Anxiety so on

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Yeah unrelated question do you think Recruiting standards will change because so many more people are being diagnosed with things like ADHD,Depression,Anxiety so on

No.

 

[number9]

The Depression was certainly a strong case but it stopped my senior year.

What diagnosis did you receive? You do not need to answer that here, but look through your medical records (if you haven't already) and see exactly what it says. Some conditions can be waived, but some cannot be.

 

[JKC@]

What diagnosis did you receive? You do not need to answer that here, but look through your medical records (if you haven't already) and see exactly what it says. Some conditions can be waived, but some cannot be.

I was diagnosed with Depression and OCD can those be waived?

 

[number9]

I was diagnosed with Depression and OCD can those be waived?

The short answer is "it depends". Some types of depression (e.g. "major depressive disorder, severe, recurring") cannot be waived, but some less severe types can. I don't know about OCD one way or the other.

The best thing for you to do is going to be to talk to a recruiter. Having your own medical records at hand will make it easier, because you'll need to submit them to the Navy anyway.

 

[JKC@]

Apparently it is waiverable as well

 

[exNavyOffRec]

In addition to what was said you will need to be off of meds for several years, all of your records will be reviewed and then you will probably have a consult or two for the conditions.

A recruiter will probably not spend much time on you until you are in the window of applying, so be aware of that.

Standards rarely get lowered, having been a recruiter in the military and civilian life what they will do is tell the recruiters to look harder.

Lowering standards can end up resulting in those who come in having issues while in the service as it is stressful, then it shows up online or in other media becoming a bad situation. When that US Army major shot and killed people on the base in Texas several years ago mental illness came in the spotlight. That resulted in several years of not entertaining anyone for a waiver that had not been off meds for 7 years.

 

[JKC@]

In addition to what was said you will need to be off of meds for several years, all of your records will be reviewed and then you will probably have a consult or two for the conditions.

A recruiter will probably not spend much time on you until you are in the window of applying, so be aware of that.

Standards rarely get lowered, having been a recruiter in the military and civilian life what they will do is tell the recruiters to look harder.

Lowering standards can end up resulting in those who come in having issues while in the service as it is stressful, then it shows up online or in other media becoming a bad situation. When that US Army major shot and killed people on the base in Texas several years ago mental illness came in the spotlight. That resulted in several years of not entertaining anyone for a waiver that had not been off meds for 7 years.

makes sense bc most crazy people have mental illness, still feels offensive to be lumped in with them though. Ya I know they will just tell them to look harder but I think it loses the military potential good soldiers. Like I got a 95 on this ASVAB thing and will have trouble getting in at all, but my friend failed it twice and he gets in. I really regret ever talking to a doctor about this kind of stuff now. Cruel irony that being depressed can make your dreams out of reach.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

makes sense bc most crazy people have mental illness, still feels offensive to be lumped in with them though. Ya I know they will just tell them to look harder but I think it loses the military potential good soldiers. Like I got a 95 on this ASVAB thing and will have trouble getting in at all, but my friend failed it twice and he gets in. I really regret ever talking to a doctor about this kind of stuff now. Cruel irony that being depressed can make your dreams out of reach.

Roughly 80% of the American population isn't even qualified to serve these days due to medical, legal / drug, and of course aptitude (can't pass an ASVAB) reasons.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

makes sense bc most crazy people have mental illness, still feels offensive to be lumped in with them though. Ya I know they will just tell them to look harder but I think it loses the military potential good soldiers. Like I got a 95 on this ASVAB thing and will have trouble getting in at all, but my friend failed it twice and he gets in. I really regret ever talking to a doctor about this kind of stuff now. Cruel irony that being depressed can make your dreams out of reach.

In some cases people see doctors for an issue that turns out to not be an issue, but in some cases there is an issue that needs to be addressed. A person's mental health is important as it can not only affect the individual in question but others around them. I have served with several who were given waivers for minor mental health issues, in the end it did not go well, the stress of the military lifestyle caused further issues, some were discharged, and some received further help that let them continue to serve but often in a different job.

There are more than enough people who apply to be officers that standards don't need to be lowered and there incentives that can be done to boost enlisted numbers as well.

It can be frustrating to those who are turned down who want to serve, but the medical professionals need to look at the long term health of those people as well as looking out for the government who could end up paying lots of money in disability if they get it wrong.

 

[JKC@]

Roughly 80% of the American population isn't even qualified to serve these days due to medical, legal / drug, and of course aptitude (can't pass an ASVAB) reasons.

hey I know complaining about this will do nothing for me but here's my food for thought.
In the 60s you basically had to be a legit crazy person to get mental diagnosis, and now basically any normal person can get one especially younger people. I have no idea how the military is going to get good recruiting numbers in the future with standards that don't want to accept reality that a normal person can be diagnosed and medicated for these issues.
The whole medical field is more prone to diagnose things these days due to the pharmaceutical industry.
Not a expert on anything.

 

[JKC@]

\\

In some cases people see doctors for an issue that turns out to not be an issue, but in some cases there is an issue that needs to be addressed. A person's mental health is important as it can not only affect the individual in question but others around them. I have served with several who were given waivers for minor mental health issues, in the end it did not go well, the stress of the military lifestyle caused further issues, some were discharged, and some received further help that let them continue to serve but often in a different job.

There are more than enough people who apply to be officers that standards don't need to be lowered and there incentives that can be done to boost enlisted numbers as well.

It can be frustrating to those who are turned down who want to serve, but the medical professionals need to look at the long term health of those people as well as looking out for the government who could end up paying lots of money in disability if they get it wrong.

I don't see the benefit in allowing someone who can't pass what is essentially a basic IQ test and not letting someone join because they had depression as 16 years old. Any other job in the world would choose the second person. Now I understand that every pilot is wayy more qualified than the first guy and there is a lot more competition on that level. Especially when you consider that most kids with such issues it stems from abuse/learned behavior which is out of a minors control, and would likely change as they get independence.

Maybe I could get in anyways but from everything I've read on here they'd judge me more than someone with a 40 ASVAB and a DUI. (Enlistment wise again ik pilots are different)

 

[JKC@]

In some cases people see doctors for an issue that turns out to not be an issue, but in some cases there is an issue that needs to be addressed. A person's mental health is important as it can not only affect the individual in question but others around them. I have served with several who were given waivers for minor mental health issues, in the end it did not go well, the stress of the military lifestyle caused further issues, some were discharged, and some received further help that let them continue to serve but often in a different job.

There are more than enough people who apply to be officers that standards don't need to be lowered and there incentives that can be done to boost enlisted numbers as well.

It can be frustrating to those who are turned down who want to serve, but the medical professionals need to look at the long term health of those people as well as looking out for the government who could end up paying lots of money in disability if they get it wrong.

Waivers make no difference, suicide study says

www.army.mil