Can you join the military if you have 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 be depressed and in the military?

Recent studies show that depression is seen much more often in military service members than in civilians. It's estimated that up to 14 percent of service members experience depression after deployment. However, this number may be even higher because some service members don't seek care for their condition.

Can someone with mental illness join the military?

WASHINGTON – People with a history of “self-mutilation,” bipolar disorder, depression and drug and alcohol abuse can now seek waivers to join the Army under an unannounced policy enacted in August, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY.

Can you join the military if you are on 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 get kicked out of the army for depression?

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.

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 disqualifies you from joining the military?

To enlist, you must be qualified under current federal laws and regulations or have an appropriate waiver. There are age, citizenship, physical, education, height/weight, criminal record, medical, and drug history standards that can exclude you from joining the military.

What medical conditions disqualify you from the military?

Can you lose security clearance for depression?

Seeking mental health services does not affect one's ability to gain or hold clearance eligibility. Adjudicators regard seeking necessary mental health treatment as a positive step in the security clearance process.

Is depression a military disability?

However, depression can have life-long effects on a veteran's well-being and daily life. Fortunately, veterans suffering from depression may be eligible for service-connected disability benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

How many people in the military have depression?

In this simulated sample, 16.2 percent (3.1) of respondents had lifetime major depression and 69.7 percent (8.5) of first onsets occurred before expected age of enlistment.

Does depression and anxiety disqualify you from the military?

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

Is anxiety a military disqualifier?

Anxiety issues, either current or historical, or panic, agoraphobia, social phobia, simple phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders, other acute reactions to stress, and post-traumatic stress are disqualifying for entry into the service.

Can you see a therapist while in the Army?

For service members or their families seeking counseling through military support channels, those services are confidential and family members may use counseling services without notice or consent of the service member.

Can you get a waiver for anxiety in the military?

Army standards continue to stipulate that applicants who test positive for marijuana require a waiver to be eligible for enlistment, and applicants with a history of ADHD, depression, or anxiety will not meet enlistment standards and might not even qualify for a waiver, depending on their specific case.

Can you join the military if you take medication?

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.

Why are flat feet not allowed in the Army?

Army personnel have to go through a rigorous physical regimen. A person with flat feet will not be able to cope with such activities. If foot arch is not fully developed it will not act as a shock absorber, instead shock will be absorb by the spine. This can cause problems in the back.

Can people with ADHD join the military?

Individuals with ADHD need a medical waiver to be able to enlist if they meet these points, with the branches — Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Air Force — typically requiring that applicants be off medication for several months and prove that they can function without it to be considered for a waiver.

What tattoos disqualify you from the Army?

Army Tattoo Policy

It prohibits any tattoos on the head, face, neck, wrists, hands, or above the t-shirt collar. Essentially, any visible body tattoos are prohibited. The only exception is one ring tattoo per hand where a regular ring would lie.

Can you join the military if you are suicidal?

Both suicidal gesture and self-mutilation are disqualifying for military service, by DoD regulation.

Can you get a waiver for mental health in the Army?

In 2018, the Army relaxed its guidelines for granting waives for prospective soldiers with a history of self-mutilation: as long as it was limited to a single episode that occurred before the age of 14, and not within the previous five years, a recruit is cleared for a behavioral health waiver.

Can you get away with lying at MEPS?

Strict background checks at the local, state, and federal level are performed on each individual recruit during the MEPS process. Therefore, if you're caught lying at MEPS, the consequences can result in your ineligibility to join the military, potential criminal charges, and repercussions in the civilian sector.

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.

Can you join the ADF with depression history?

A diagnosis of depression does not automatically preclude a member from deploying provided they have been effectively treated and have been free of symptoms for a specified period of time.