Counseling?

[beaverslayer]

So here's the situation: I am a senior in college, and I have been accepted to OCS with a flight contract, and I don't want to do anything that could jeopardize that opportunity. However, lately I have been having some issues dealing with some significant losses, which has turned into an anger problem. I am friends with a psychologist that the college has hired full time, and so free counseling is available to me. He recommended that I come in and talk to him a few times to see if he could help me work through things. However, when I filled out the paperwork for MEP/S, I stated (honestly) that I had never been to a counselor for any reason.

My question is this--could this counseling come back to bite me later? The symptoms are relatively minor (I haven't attacked anyone or considered suicide or anything like that), but the idea still worries me. If I do go through with it is there someone I am supposed to report it to? I do not want to be dishonest in the least or jeopardize my future career. Any suggestions? Thanks for your advice!

 

[C420sailor]

I'm not a doctor, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

That being said, if you need help you need help. Taking care of yourself is the absolute number one priority here. I saw a psychologist before I went into NROTC. I was just having a very rough couple of months and I too developed a very short fuse, had difficulty interacting with others, etc. It was very very helpful talking to an impartial third party who knew exactly what questions to ask. I'm now in Primary. It worked for me!

 

[Fog]

2 comments worth what you're paying for them:
(a) Your MEP/S paperwork was true a/o the day you signed it, &
(b) Having flown w/ a lot of them, if you're not a mean, sneaky & aggressive SOB, you'll never make a good fighter pilot anyway (iow, you're fine, Dude).

 

[Boomhower]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but, I don't think you'll be asked that question (Did you see a shrink?) again. So it seems to me that you were honest, but then nobody ever asked again. Technicality? Maybe. Dishonest? No.

They may ask for your security clearance stuff later on, but by then you can easily explain it away.

Bottom line: Go get the help you need before you get in a bar fight and end up in jail. That'll really screw up your chances.

 

[Beans]

You'll be asked the question on your physical. But with that in mind, do what you think is most healthy for yourself and be mature about it. You should not have your air contract ripped away from you for trying to stay healthy (this is my opinion). When asked, be honest. If you're still getting professional help when you have a chain of command, make sure the right people know. But not dealing with the issue now can bite you in the ass later when/if the issues become worse. I for one do not want to fly with you if you are harboring mental issues and not handling them properly.

 

[beaverslayer]

I'm not a doctor, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

That being said, if you need help you need help. Taking care of yourself is the absolute number one priority here. I saw a psychologist before I went into NROTC. I was just having a very rough couple of months and I too developed a very short fuse, had difficulty interacting with others, etc. It was very very helpful talking to an impartial third party who knew exactly what questions to ask. I'm now in Primary. It worked for me!

It sounds like I'm in almost the exact same place you were... thanks for letting me know! It's reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same stuff as I am and still made it.

Bottom line: Go get the help you need before you get in a bar fight and end up in jail. That'll really screw up your chances.

Touche' Sir. That's a good point for sure. Thanks for the input!

You'll be asked the question on your physical. But with that in mind, do what you think is most healthy for yourself and be mature about it. You should not have your air contract ripped away from you for trying to stay healthy (this is my opinion). When asked, be honest. If you're still getting professional help when you have a chain of command, make sure the right people know. But not dealing with the issue now can bite you in the ass later when/if the issues become worse. I for one do not want to fly with you if you are harboring mental issues and not handling them properly.

So the question will come up again? That's good to know ahead of time. Is there anyone that I should be telling about this before I show up for OCS? My OR/Processor or anyone like that? Thanks for the info!

 

[Beans]

So the question will come up again? That's good to know ahead of time. Is there anyone that I should be telling about this before I show up for OCS? My OR/Processor or anyone like that? Thanks for the info!

I don't remember exactly how it reads, but it asks something to the effect of "have you seen a counselor for an emotional/mental issue in the past year?" or something like that. What I was referring to specifically is on the aviation medicine side of things. Any of the the FSs here can probably speak more fluently about this, but your flight doc wants to know about health factors that will influence your flying. This, at least if the problem remains or was taken care of recently enough to fall in the exam's scope, will be one.

 

[Daisy]

Don't mids at Naval Academy see the Chaplains for counseling when they have issues with stress, anger, grief and so forth? I don't think those sessions reverberate professionally unless the Chaplain recommends referral to a PHD or is otherwise concerned. That could be an avenue for you, as well, to see a well-trained church/synagogue counselor - at least immediately.

The important thing is to get counseling if you need it.

 

[Boomhower]

Don't mids at Naval Academy see the Chaplains for counseling when they have issues with stress, anger, grief and so forth? I don't think those sessions reverberate professionally unless the Chaplain recommends referral to a PHD or is otherwise concerned. That could be an avenue for you, as well, to see a well-trained church/synagogue counselor - at least immediately.

The important thing is to get counseling if you need it.

That's a really good point.

Does a counselor equal a "mental health professional"? Or is that a licensed psychiatrist or psycholgist? I don't know the answer to that. I mean, hell, I could go talk to Bob down the street and bitch about my marriage and I don't have to put it down on any forms, do I?

I really do think that if you tell the folks that ask something like, "I had X,Y, and Z happen to me, I was getting really pissed and short with people all the time, so I went to talk to the schools counselor and it really helped and I'm all better now." Tell them that you didn't go out and howl at the moon or beat anyone up or anything, just that your attitude sucked for a short period of time. If you can explain it, I doubt that they are going to yank your contract away.

Any docs that can back me up here?

 

[feddoc]

Beans is giving some good gouge in his two posts above.

This: I for one do not want to fly with you if you are harboring mental issues and not handling them properly. is but part of the reason why you need to get things taken care of now. Get all this stuff taken care of now while it is still easily manageable; otherwise, the rest of your life is at stake.

As far as USN goes....They will ask you; be honest. Counseling is not a big deal. Have you been diagnosed with anything? Prescribed meds?
__________________

 

[beaverslayer]

Thanks for the input everyone--I really appreciate it. Based on what you pretty much all have said, getting the proper help is easily worth whatever headache it may or may not cause later. I mistakenly thought that getting counseling would be a much bigger red flag than it is. Thanks for setting me straight!

As far as USN goes....They will ask you; be honest. Counseling is not a big deal. Have you been diagnosed with anything? Prescribed meds?
__________________

Very good to know, thanks for the info! For some reason I thought it would be a bigger deal than it is apparently. I have set up a consultation for next week with the campus psychologist, so we'll see what he says. I am relatively sure that this will not need any meds to overcome, so I should be alright there. Thanks again for the advice!

 

[feddoc]

That's a really good point.

Does a counselor equal a "mental health professional"? Or is that a licensed psychiatrist or psycholgist? I don't know the answer to that. I mean, hell, I could go talk to Bob down the street and bitch about my marriage and I don't have to put it down on any forms, do I?

I really do think that if you tell the folks that ask something like, "I had X,Y, and Z happen to me, I was getting really pissed and short with people all the time, so I went to talk to the schools counselor and it really helped and I'm all better now." Tell them that you didn't go out and howl at the moon or beat anyone up or anything, just that your attitude sucked for a short period of time. If you can explain it, I doubt that they are going to yank your contract away.

Any docs that can back me up here?

I think you are right. In my Navy of the 70s, counseling, etc., might have been a much bigger deal. Today...it happens more frequently than most think. And, getting proper treatment is part of the 'getting better' process.

However, I would be generic in telling everyone but the counselor. IOW, if someone else asks, tell them that 'I had some problems dealing with stuff at home' and went to a counselor to sort things out. Not: "I caught my old lady making a movie with another guy while I was away at ASO school". Neither is a lie, but, the only folks qualified to deal with the details are trained counselors, docs, etc. Anyone else getting in on the details could draw some false conclusions.