Can I join the military if I take antidepressants?

Response 1: Antidepressants are disqualifying for one year after you stop taking them. You must stop with your doctor's advice; do not stop on your own. These medications often have to be reduced slowly to lower side effects and reduce risk of relapse.

Can you take depression meds in the military?

Mood disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, psychoses, and other unspecified depressive issues are disqualifying. Any history of mood disorders requiring medication and/or outpatient care for longer than six months by a mental health professional is also disqualifying.

Can you be on medication and join the military?

Recruiters generally tell applicants that they must be off medication for a considerable length of time — by far the most important measure to take — and show that they are able to function properly while off medication prior to starting the enlistment process and to be considered for a waiver.

Can you take SSRIs in the military?

At present, the U.S. Navy has no specific policy for the use of SSRIs by active duty deployed personnel.

Can you get a waiver for depression in the military?

Army issues waivers to more than 1,000 recruits for bipolar, depression, self-mutilation. WASHINGTON — The Army issued waivers over 13 months to more than 1,000 recruits who had been diagnosed and treated for mood disorders and 95 more for self-mutilation, according to data obtained by USA TODAY.

Joining the Army with a Mental Illness

Does the military check your mental health records?

Obviously, certain security and safety positions like law enforcement and military agencies require a person to pass a mental health check. This almost always carries an in-depth look at any previous mental health issues you may have had.

What drugs will disqualify you from the military?

In most cases, people who have used “non-hard” drugs, such as alcohol and marijuana, will be able to enlist. However, those who have experimented with more serious “hard” drugs, such as heroin, ecstasy, and cocaine, will be disqualified.

Does the army test for antidepressants?

Because antidepressants are not considered drugs of abuse, they are not included in common urine drug screens.

Can you deploy on antidepressants?

Antidepressant medications are commonly prescribed and generally do not limit deployability.

Can you be on Lexapro in the army?

Enlisted Soldiers

Age: Between 17-35 years old. Medical, Moral, Physical: Medically and physically fit, and in good moral standing. Citizenship: A U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a valid Green Card. Education: A high school graduate or equivalent.

Can you go into the military with depression?

Mood Disorders

A person with a depressive disorder must be stable, without treatment or symptoms for a continuous 36 months, to be eligible to enlist.

Can you join the Army with anxiety?

In the vast majority of cases, young Americans hoping to join the military are barred from signing up if they've previously been treated for anxiety, depression or other mental health struggles. But there is some interest in changing that.

Is depression a medical discharge?

In the military's scheme of things, serious disorders such as major depression, anxiety or schizophrenia may be grounds for medical discharge or retirement, usually depending on their severity and amenability to treatment.

What medications make me non deployable?

This includes Ambien, Ambien CR, Lunesta, Sonata, ProSom, Halcion, Restoril, Dalmane, etc. Antipsychotics, including atypical antipsychotic medication. Antimanic (bipolar) agents, like lithium.

What can stop you from deploying?

A medical evaluator could sign a deployment diagnoses waiver; but the evaluator must consider a lot of factors like “climate; altitude; nature of available food and housing; availability of medical, behavioral health, and dental services; or other environmental and operational factors [that] may be hazardous to the ...

What drugs does the military test for 2021?

Currently, military applicants are tested for marijuana; cocaine; amphetamines, including methamphetamine; and designer amphetamines such as MDMA -- also known as “Molly” or “Ecstasy” -- and MDA, also known as “Adam,” he said.

Does Zoloft show up on a drug test?

Sertraline (Zoloft) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant. Taking sertraline could lead to a positive result for benzodiazepines or LSD on a drug test.

How long do you have to be drug free to join the military?

In the case of nonnarcotics, the Navy does not require a waiver if the use was more than one year prior to screening, but narcotics use requires a waiver if use was over one year prior. Use within the past six months is disqualifying.

Can you join the military with ADHD?

While ADHD alone does not disqualify a person from military service, the Department of Defense (DOD) places significant enlistment restrictions on individuals with an ADHD diagnosis and/or prior treatment with medication. Has documentation of adverse academic, occupational, or work performance.

What charges disqualify you from the military?

400-level offenders may be able to get waivers, but if they commit more than one offense, this is not possible. These major crimes include manslaughter, murder, kidnapping, grand theft auto, selling drugs, aggravated assault, child sexual abuse, burglary, possession of child pornography and hate crimes.

Will MEPS find out if you lie?

It is not the recruiters job to get you into the military, nor is it MEPS' job to disqualify you. For both, it's to ensure that only qualified candidates enlist. The criminal background check and security clearance investigations can and do find sealed records. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are lying to you.

What is a 5150?

5150 is the number of the section of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which allows an adult who is experiencing a mental health crisis to be involuntarily detained for a 72- hour psychiatric hospitalization when evaluated to be a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled.

What is Chapter 5 17 for discharge in the Army?

If you are discharged from the Army under Chapter 5-17, it means you had a physical or mental condition that prevented you from fulfilling your military duties. Soldiers discharged on the grounds of Chapter 5-17 usually receive an honorable discharge.

What causes depression in the military?

Stressful situations or traumatic events that sometimes occur in military life might be associated with depression in Veterans and Service members. Life events that may cause stress include: Death of a friend or family member. Traumatic events such as combat, injury, natural disasters, or physical or sexual abuse.

Is medical discharge honorable?

A medical discharge is typically a general discharge under honorable conditions, but the severity and circumstances under which the medical condition began can impact the type of discharge you receive. The details of your discharge will be listed on your DD-214.