Fly Well: Close to home

In society, and aviation particularly, mental health issues are an uncomfortable topic, like leprosy in biblical times, or HIV/AIDS in the 1980s. People with heart disease or cancer aren’t chastised, so why characterize mental illnesses as something other than what they are—diseases?

Robin Williams, Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain, despite all their fame and fortune, chose to end their lives. And now Elliot. You did not know him, but I did. He was the eldest son of my dearest and oldest friends. When my friends gave me the shocking news recently, I felt an enormous vacuum suck the air from me. Elliot, just one month shy of his twenty-sixth birthday. Elliot, who just weeks before had joined my son and me to watch a soccer match in England; laughed over dinner; discussed his plans, hopes and dreams. Elliot: gentle manner, kind heart, and wide smile. And now he was gone. Unfathomable. Except it isn’t.

But this is not just about pilots, or mental health as it affects us—it is about our families, our friends. The recent crashes of a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 and a Cessna Citation in apparent suicides drive home that even the aviation community is not immune. I never thought it would touch my life, but it did, and preventing others from being devastated like Elliot’s family and friends is the mission.

I never thought it would touch my life, but it did. It is imperative that we all know the signs. Listen, be supportive, protect and help guide the individual to professional help.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in America, second among those aged 10 to 34. For perspective, it robs us of 122 people a day. Between 1999 and 2016, suicide rates rose by 30 percent. Males are four times more likely to take their lives than females, and rates climb with advancing age, peaking among those over age 65.

Ideation, thinking about suicide, is common—mostly among young adults, of whom nearly 1 in 50 will make a serious attempt. It does not respect class, race, or religion, despite all major faiths stigmatizing suicide. Factors prompting taking one’s own life include depression or history of other mental illness; overwhelming situations such as financial catastrophe or death of a loved one, especially if by suicide; divorce; or sexual abuse.

Help is available: the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-TALK), counselors—and, of course, family and friends. Unfortunately, once one has embarked on this desperate emotional journey, seeking help is less likely. It is, therefore, imperative that we all know the signs. Although in many cases there are no signs, any change in mood, personality, alcohol or drug use, buying a gun or potentially dangerous medications, or expressing feelings of worthlessness or difficulty coping should inspire one to initiate a conversation.

Discussing suicide does not make it more likely. Listen; be supportive; protect and help guide the individual to professional help. Stay connected after initial crises pass, as this limits recurrence. Medical treatment of root causes is available; being surrounded by caring people is a huge help.

Recreational drugs are one reason for rising rates; MDMA (ecstasy) has been associated with “Suicide Tuesday”—after a weekend of partying, post-withdrawal lows induce anxiety and depression which, in young people lacking impulse control, can lead to suicide. This drug increases suicide risk dramatically compared to people who use no drugs. Talk to your children about drugs, as often as necessary.

Additionally, about 200 prescription drugs can cause depression, so if you are on medication and don’t feel right, talk to your doctor.

Four doctors are standing together when one says, “Mental health problems affect one in four people. I know I am fine, so it must be one of you.” But the real joke, the sick joke, is that mental illness is agnostic and invisible. So, be the leader you are as a pilot and shine some light on—and help prevent—this tragedy.

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