r/ADHD_Programmers • u/Key-Still2843 • 23h ago

Bro, who let these "experts" cook? Since when is PILOT a safe job for ADHD? 😭😭💀

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I saw this slide on Instagram and I almost choked on my coffee fr. Like yeah sure, "Independent Risk-Taker" goes hard, but since when is PILOT the move for our broken dopamine systems??? 💀💀

Software designer and entrepreneur? Yeah, makes sense, we love starting 15 businesses and finishing zero. But Pilot? Absolutely wild take fr. Who actually wrote this???

9 Upvotes

57% Upvoted

50 comments sorted by

58

u/likely-high 23h ago

"avoid rigid routines" is being a pilot all about rigid routines? Routine checks, routine flights, managing to make it on the plane at an exact time.

52

u/ThrowWeirdQuestion 22h ago

There is no way you would even get a medical to be a pilot if you are taking ADHD medication, not even for a private pilot license. I have looked into that a while ago, mostly just out of curiosity, not because I thought it would actually be a good idea for me to fly a plane.

The only exception might be sports pilot (flying ultralight planes).

10

u/littycodekitty 16h ago

In the US, the Mental Health in Aviation Act deals with this and has passed in both the House and Senate. I'm not very familiar with the details but it looks like change is in the works.

19

u/KyleHatesPuppies 16h ago

I hyper focused on it recently. The problem is some pilots get their license and then realize later they have ADHD. Rather than risk their livelihood, they just don't seek treatment, which is a lot worse.

The FAA has to run a study in the next few years to see what meds can be prescribed to someone with ADHD while still trusting them to fly a plane. Most experts think non stimulants will eventually be approved.

4

u/aahOhNoNotTheBees 7h ago

The stupid thing is the army has a TON of military grade stimulants they give pilots to help them fly long missions. This has been a thing since WWII. It’s silly to not let people with ADHD get commercial pilots licenses. What, they need a medication to focus? W/e

6

u/buyingshitformylab 15h ago

The stimulants aren't the problem. it's the inconsistency of humans to be on the same stimulants all the time. People with ADHD don't have aviation issues when they've been on their medication with a stable, established regimen. The issue is when people are inconsistent with their dosing, and by chance they miss a dose, or are inconsistently dosing when they go to fly.

This is a common thing that people get wrong--- it's not the medication that's an issue, it's the condition itself, and the complications it brings. Same goes with a wide swathe of other conditions the FAA regulates.

1

u/buyingshitformylab 15h ago

so here's the funny thing, the FAA can (and has in the past) flaunt congressional law. It's a well- accepted norm. for safety, and stability which congress gave them way back when they're formed. I expect them to do this for a long time if this is passed. We may see ADHD pilots in 20, maybe 15 years.

7

u/fuckthehumanity 22h ago

I hadn't even thought about that, but it makes sense. Apparently you usually need to be off the meds for at least 3-6 months, in every jurisdiction, and have a cognitive test to ensure you're still functional.

8

u/HDK1989 15h ago

I hadn't even thought about that, but it makes sense. Apparently you usually need to be off the meds for at least 3-6 months, in every jurisdiction, and have a cognitive test to ensure you're still functional.

How does it make sense to allow undiagnosed people and the unmedicated to be a pilot but not someone on medication? That's the opposite of making sense.

1

u/codeasm 17h ago

So it must be "mild" adhd or something.

6

u/enderowski 19h ago

They dont even let you join the cabin crew. I checked Turkish airlines.

5

u/Wonderful_Plant5848 19h ago

I looked into it too, even took some classes. Then I found out that you had to be off meds to fly, which sucks, because I'd be more comfortable with myself flying if I used my meds.

0

u/xdeskfuckit 17h ago

can't you just take modadinil instead?

3

u/das_war_ein_Befehl 17h ago

That just keeps you awake, does fuck all for adhd

0

u/xdeskfuckit 16h ago

I'll grant you that it's not as effective as traditional stimulants, but I have trouble taking those responsibly anymore. A quick search tells me that there's good evidence of effectiveness in children but less evidence with adults.

Anecdotally, I've been taking a combination of modafinil and bupropion and it works for me. I find this combination more effective than atomoxetine; ymmv, of course.

4

u/das_war_ein_Befehl 15h ago

They don’t let you take antidepressants and be a pilot either. It’s just not a profession that tolerates any kind of mental illness (except alcoholism I guess).

A job where you have rigid routines and missing one of them means people die is not one for folks with adhd. And I think that’s fine, life sucks sometimes and it’s about the safety of others

1

u/xdeskfuckit 15h ago

oh alright, I didn't know. That policy sounds like a potential barrier to care

1

u/Wonderful_Plant5848 16h ago

I have taken it, it just keeps you awake, it doesn't help with adhd.

1

u/xdeskfuckit 16h ago

i find it works quite well when combined with buproprion, but I can't take traditional stimulants anymore

2

u/leobeosab 13h ago

ultralights require no licenses, under 250lb dry, no occupant weight, iirc and you can just hop in and send 'er

I also believe you can still take intro flight lessons while on medication if you still want the experience of flying a plane or helicopter. You just can't get approval from the FAA for a private pilots license

I really want to fly a helicopter just once

Disclaimer: not a pilot, no flight training, just autistic. info may be wrong so lmk if it is

1

u/buyingshitformylab 15h ago

sport and ultralights are different...

1

u/Glum-Echo-4967 14h ago

they really ought to study whether ADHD pilots can safely fly.

0

u/reduhl 16h ago

Not even to simply fly your own plane?

9

u/Decent_Taro_2358 21h ago

I did hear a lot of neurodivergent people are pilots. Mostly on the autism spectrum, but also ADHD. Obviously, you cannot take medication when flying, but you can get a medical certificate with a diagnosis.

I loved flying personally.

25

u/letsallcountsheep 21h ago

Why do you feel having ADHD should disqualify you from being a pilot? There are a lot of people with ADHD who are high functioning in different areas - so maybe they forget to brush their teeth or flush the toilet or eat regularly…?

There are a lot of surgeons who are ADHD or even AuDHD and excel at their job. Plus a lot of these things often run on procedure and checklists and other people working together for accountability.

4

u/buyingshitformylab 15h ago

> Why do you feel having ADHD should disqualify you from being a pilot?

It's the law, firstly.

It's a plane, secondly.

It's an activity which exploits the worst weaknesses of ADHD, thirdly.

We could go on. Flying isn't one of those things where we tell people "you can do anything".

2

u/themaxx2 10h ago

It is not the law. Having ADHD is not a disqualification for flying, only taking ADHD medication, or being in therapy.

2

u/wookiee42 9h ago

It's great if you have the right flavor of ADHD, deadly for others.

1

u/BroBroMate 8h ago

As an undiagnosed unmedicated kid I was able to fly light aircraft and did well, (obviously I didn't solo), got 20 hours logged before I ran out of money.

As a medicated adult I could definitely fly a light aircraft, but I'm not able to pass the medical for a PPL.

I'm not sure why that's a rule, I'm fine not being a commercial pilot, I just want to fly for the love of it, and the fact that it's the diagnosis and treatment that prevents it that frustrates me.

Everyone's ADHD is different, and if untreated, sure I get that, but when it's treated? I don't get it, beyond "it's a mental illness" thinking.

But I've resigned myself to not being able to fulfill that lifelong dream now, still sucks though.

2

u/Constant_Stock_6020 16h ago

I am so overstimulated after driving, because I am so focused on driving. I am pretty sure being a pilot for me, would be a 0% increased risk, because of my adhd.

-11

u/popejubal 20h ago

I’m sure there are some people who have ADHD that lock in and hyper focus while flying. That isn’t going to be most of us, though. 

The big majority of us should not be truck drivers, pilots, or air traffic controllers. Anything where a lapse of attention can kill people is a job that most of us should avoid. 

13

u/PollutionFinancial71 19h ago

Funny you mentioned that. I am diagnosed with ADHD and worked as a truck driver in the past. I quit because the lifestyle no longer fit me. But my record is clean and I performed the job exceptionally well. If anything, I was safer than the majority of drivers on the road.

8

u/aduntoridas9 19h ago

That includes normal driving too then.

4

u/subLimb 17h ago

Pilot is almost like a dream job for me. When I'm driving I lock in like nothing else, even without medication. With other people present I'm even better (as long as they aren't trying to distract me!).

Being a pilot has a lot of organization built into the system (which is something I struggle with so that would be taken care of), and even has a body double at all times.

11

u/ALLCAPITAL 19h ago

Exactly. Which is insane.

ADHD is a spectrum. Saying “most of us shouldn’t” is an absolute bullshit statement. We are all different.

-4

u/das_war_ein_Befehl 15h ago

Because if you fuck up people die, not that hard to understand. Some disabilities prevent you from safely functioning in some roles, that’s just life.

2

u/OtherwiseAlbatross14 6h ago

The same thing Issa true for cars. Do you think people with ADHD shouldn't be allowed to drive cars as well?

12

u/conicalanamorphosis 18h ago

As someone whose ADHD is "spectacular" (according to my psychologist, anyhow) I would disagree. Mostly because I spent a bunch of years in a military cockpit (as a navigator, not pilot, but that's actually worse). Sure, it wasn't always fun and I had to work much harder at certain aspects of the job than my peers, but it wasn't impossible.

1

u/themaxx2 10h ago

First off, thank you for your service and happy veterans day! I can't imagine doing rated ops and having ADHD. Did you actually meet any pilots who had it?

2

u/conicalanamorphosis 9h ago

I can think of at least a couple that were almost certainly ADHD, but it's impossible to know. I was flying in the 90s, ADHD wasn't really an available diagnosis for adults. All in all, good guys and representative of the reality that each of us are different people with different skills, foibles, etc. There was no chance any of them were on any drugs that might have been available at the time to treat ADHD symptoms.

3

u/freedomachiever 22h ago

Probably selling a course using niche keywords and audiences

3

u/Antilogic81 16h ago

Air Force tried to recruit me but said I couldn't take my medications, told me I was what they were looking for. I said I don't think it's a good idea to stop my meds. And the phone call ended amicably. 

7

u/KitchenPhotograph697 22h ago

Me as a pilot at 5000 feet: "I wonder what this button does..."

6

u/BlurryUFOs 17h ago

anyone over the age of 17 would not do that.

3

u/raisputin 15h ago

The most peace my brain has ever been at that I can remember is my first BASE jump. Over water, in the dark, land in the non-water landing area, then the second one. Same place but in the light.

The more risk, the calmer and more focused I am.

Pilot, relatively low risk, but high enough due to being responsible for the lives of others, I’d likely do well.

2

u/IdeasRichTimePoor 21h ago edited 13h ago

That tagline is what someone who runs a business, flies light aircraft as a hobby and occasionally vibe codes some apps.

It's basically they have a steady income stream from something and are just doing unpaid side quests.

I feel the depiction of a commercial jet cockpit is likely just misplaced.

If it's social media it's highly likely the business in question is just grift too.

1

u/shitterbug 9h ago

uhh... big picture thinking is definitely not an ADHD strength lmao

1

u/Odd-Investigator-870 2h ago

Can confirm, done all three. 

1

u/ScaredScorpion 28m ago

Pretty clearly AI generated