Can you join the military if you 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 depression disqualify you from the military?

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 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 while 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 join military with mental illness?

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.

Joining the Army with a Mental Illness

Can I join the Army with anxiety?

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.

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.

Can you deploy on antidepressants?

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

What medical conditions will get you kicked out of the military?

Can you get kicked out of the military for mental health?

Thousands Of Soldiers With Mental Health Disorders Kicked Out For 'Misconduct' The U.S. Army has kicked out more than 22,000 soldiers since 2009 for "misconduct," after they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and were diagnosed with mental health disorders and traumatic brain injuries.

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.

Can you take prescription drugs to basic training?

Generally, medications not prescribed to you by the military are not allowed while in basic training.

Can you take prescription drugs in the military?

The Uniform Code of Military Justice states it is illegal to wrongfully use controlled substances. Wrongful in its basic definition is without a legitimate medical reason, such as not having a prescription for the medication which was taken.

Will taking antidepressants affect security clearance?

Depression and Anxiety Not Cause for Security Clearance Denial.

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 I 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.

Why does flat feet disqualify you from the military?

Those with flat feet are not suited to marching - they can sustain spinal damage. The government may not care if one is killed, but cannot take the chance of anyone's seeking a disability pension.

Is depression non deployable?

Behavioral health (BH) conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety, are the second most common medical reason for nondeploy- ability in the U.S. Army.

Can you join the military if you were suicidal?

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

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.

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.

What does the Army prescribe for anxiety?

The most commonly prescribed are alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan). Similar to the effects of alcohol, these medications are great at quickly generating relaxation. However, there are considerable risks with them. They do not mix well with alcohol or other sedatives.

How does the Army treat anxiety?

Most installations will have a non-medical counseling service like the Military and Family Life Counseling Program or a Work-Life Office that likely will also offer confidential counseling services. You can also find online help at www.militaryonesource.mil or at (800) 342-9647.

Does drug use 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.

What is the Navy peanut butter shot?

The "peanut butter" shot, in the military, is a slang term for the famous bicillin vaccination every recruit receives unless they have an allergy — and can prove it.