Suicide attempt

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So I tried to commit suicide 7 years ago by overdosing on a mixture of alcohol and benzos. I was not successful obviously and have since turned my life around. I hold a steady job, am on no medications and today enjoy a good life. I was diagnosed with depression and took Prozac for about a year. Since this has happened I have had no psychiatric issue. Does anyone know what the procedure is for a suicide attempt? I figure I will probably be deferred at the least.
 
Go to the red board ,look up DR Bruce. Get in touch with him and have a conversation ,on your particular problem.
 
There is a bunch of no medical flying stuff most of it more fun then the regular vanilla GA routine. Gliders, balloons, hang and paragliding, all manner of ultralights and the sport pilot stuff. Skydiving as well but make sure you are mentally sound before going that route it can be a manic ride. If you can't get a medical still plenty ways into the sky.
 
If you're still on Prozac, it's going to take longer to get certified, but it's still possible, and Bruce is the real expert on this (he helped the FAA write the SSRI protocol). Find him either on his website linked above or on the AOPA Forums ("Red Board) at http://forums.aopa.org, and remember you're talking to an ATP/CFI (who flew P-3's in the Navy before med school) as well as an aeromedical certification expert.
 
I had a close friend and CFI who was in a similar situation with you. I got to see the letters from the FAA for him to get recerted. It starts with a full PPP workup which is a bunch of psychological tests (which back ten years ago was going to run him about $1000) plus a report from a board certified Psychiatrist (i.e., and MD) of his status (enough appointments with the doc to get the picture probably another $1000).

The good news if the above shows you're clean and you've been off *ALL* psychoactive drugs for a sustained time, you will likely be able to get at least a special issuance which will just require annual status reports for a while to renew (but the AME can do it).

It will take a decent AME (like Dr. Bruce) to guide you through the process if you don't want it royally screwed up.
 
Obtain all records. Hosptial, Doc, DL search (depression+ alcohol )
HIMS psychiatrist review- pricey.
This takes about 4 months if all is in order. Records have to go back to the attempt, and many states are 7 year record states. Act now to obtain them.

First log in in 13 months. Though I'd leave what I can- but I see that all the same problems are still here at good ol' POA. User #5 signing off again.
 
Rebecca Plant said:
This is the most dangerous death in the world ..
I request to everybody please do not attempt this type such cheap ways ..
Just stay safe and be happy in your life
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Easy to say
For some, not so easy to do
Saying to do so doesn't remedy the situation and often will exacerbate it by adding a stressor.
Leave remediation to professionals, not DYI
 
Yep, I've known three friends who have attempted suicide. All incredibly intelligent people, telling them life is grand and they should buck up would not have solved the situation any three of them had. We were just very fortunate that all of them survived the attempt. I had one friend who succeeded. I'd have done anything to have known he was in bad shape and got him help. I still remember the call that said "Dennis" passed away last night. "What happened?" "Suicide."
 
bbchien said:
Obtain all records. Hosptial, Doc, DL search (depression+ alcohol )
HIMS psychiatrist review- pricey.
This takes about 4 months if all is in order. Records have to go back to the attempt, and many states are 7 year record states. Act now to obtain them.

First log in in 13 months. Though I'd leave what I can- but I see that all the same problems are still here at good ol' POA. User #5 signing off again.
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Whoa! Miss this post! Welcome back DR. Bruce! :yes::yes:

Hope you stick around, we miss your input!
 
I've been trying to convince him to come back. I'll be seeing him in March for my medical. He's too good a guy and resource to chase away. I hope people realize that.
 
asgcpa said:
I've been trying to convince him to come back. I'll be seeing him in March for my medical. He's too good a guy and resource to chase away. I hope people realize that.
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We will all kiss his ass so that he comes back and advises people to spend thousands of unnecessary dollars to get a medical because of trivial ****. He doesn't post unless it includes the phrase "full work up".

It'll be great. The only downside is that there's not enough space on this forum an ego that size. Maybe we can start a fundraiser to buy some cloud space to hold it all?

He'll only come back if he's made a mod so he can just delete any information that contradicts his opinion or disrupts his world view. I mean, he's a dr and a pilot after all, he shouldn't be subjected to other people's experiences with the FAA or viewpoints doncha know?

Just pay your AOPA dues and post on the red board while praying the good Dr is in a good mood and doesn't delete your post if you want over burdensome medical advice.
 
AdamZ said:
LOL I guess you didn't see his sign off Larry. He's Outta here!
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I missed that part. What a jerk.

bartmc said:
We will all kiss his ass so that he comes back and advises people to spend thousands of unnecessary dollars to get a medical because of trivial ****. He doesn't post unless it includes the phrase "full work up".

It'll be great. The only downside is that there's not enough space on this forum an ego that size. Maybe we can start a fundraiser to buy some cloud space to hold it all?

He'll only come back if he's made a mod so he can just delete any information that contradicts his opinion or disrupts his world view. I mean, he's a dr and a pilot after all, he shouldn't be subjected to other people's experiences with the FAA or viewpoints doncha know?

Just pay your AOPA dues and post on the red board while praying the good Dr is in a good mood and doesn't delete your post if you want over burdensome medical advice.
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What amazes me is most think he is was trying to help aviation when the reality is he was only trying to help himself. If he truly cared about aviation he would put his ego aside to help people here. I was hoping he would calm down and come back, but unless he has full control and can dominate the conversation he won't contribute. What a narcissistic egotistical ********.
 
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asgcpa said:
I've been trying to convince him to come back. I'll be seeing him in March for my medical. He's too good a guy and resource to chase away. I hope people realize that.
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He chased himself away by attacking and holding grudges. It is obvious by his post he still holds the same grudges from a year ago!

Physician heal thyself!
 
Flymeariver said:
Still a chance people can get him to come and stay....his last visit shows as feb 14. People just need to be civil to each other.
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So he trolls in, poops, and comes back to see who smelled it. Please, POA is better off without members like that.
 
Geico266 said:
So he trolls in, poops, and comes back to see who smelled it. Please, POA is better off without members like that.
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How many other members do this? Look at the members list and then look at who posts daily. One will find that most members circle and hardly ever land. Once you land you open yourself up to all sorts. I come here because I have no life, no friends, and this is my out. People like the good Dr. comes here to help other aviators, and I am sure for some down time. To get into a pi##ing match every time one logs on gets old. It does for me anyway.

Some in the world like to argue, they get a high off arguing. I was married to one and raised by another. If there's no conflict they are not happy. Only when everyone is yelling at each other are they happy. I avoid these people like the flu. It's very easy to spot these people in real life and on the internet. They like conflict and will always be causing waves. I like my pond glass smooth. You play in my pond and cause waves I kick you out. If I can not kick you out, I will find a new pond to play in.

Tony
 
As to the OP. Suicide if you have faith is a No-No. Then you have the flip side of it. What if you try this then do not succeed. I watch a program on 20-20 or 60 mins. about this subject. One man jumped off a bridge of some sort and lived. He was messed up, Could not move from the neck down. Then another guy shot himself in the head and lived. He too was a screwed up mess.

Its good to hear you did not succeed and you are ok today.
 
1600vw said:
As to the OP. Suicide if you have faith is a No-No. Then you have the flip side of it. What if you try this then do not succeed. I watch a program on 20-20 or 60 mins. about this subject. One man jumped off a bridge of some sort and lived. He was messed up, Could not move from the neck down. Then another guy shot himself in the head and lived. He too was a screwed up mess.

Its good to hear you did not succeed and you are ok today.
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Well, fasting to death is not a 'no-no'.
 
Henning said:
Well, fasting to death is not a 'no-no'.
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Read the Bible and you will find this statement is not correct. I can not give verse or phrase but its something like. Your body is your temple and you should feed it and take care of it.

If you want verse and phrase I can find it and post it.
 
1600vw said:
As to the OP. Suicide if you have faith is a No-No. Then you have the flip side of it. What if you try this then do not succeed. I watch a program on 20-20 or 60 mins. about this subject. One man jumped off a bridge of some sort and lived. He was messed up, Could not move from the neck down. Then another guy shot himself in the head and lived. He too was a screwed up mess.

Its good to hear you did not succeed and you are ok today.
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If someone is seriously suicidal and not just trying to make a political or egocentric statement; they don't give a damn what others think or what the consequences might be.

The use of "The Thought Process" doesn't exist. It is all internally focused, and when one gives up on hope -- the act proceeds.
If it doesn't succeed, the thought is, "What else is new? Situation Normal!"
And the whole protocol renews and continues until success is attained or the situation is solved.

Talking helps no one (unless someone is attempting extortion for that help)
 
oldShar said:
If someone is seriously suicidal and not just trying to make a political or egocentric statement; they don't give a damn what others think or what the consequences might be.

The use of "The Thought Process" doesn't exist. It is all internally focused, and when one gives up on hope -- the act proceeds.
If it doesn't succeed, the thought is, "What else is new? Situation Normal!"
And the whole protocol renews and continues until success is attained or the situation is solved.

Talking helps no one (unless someone is attempting extortion for that help)
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Except that talking is what can provide the change in thinking that provides the required change in reality to solve the situation. Remember, 90% of our reality is imagined, as are 90% of our problems. Most of the time what is needed is a change of perspective where we quit creating our own misery.
 
bartmc said:
He'll only come back if he's made a mod so he can just delete any information that contradicts his opinion or disrupts his world view.
Just pay your AOPA dues and post on the red board while praying the good Dr is in a good mood and doesn't delete your post if you want over burdensome medical advice.
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You are so right.
He just banned me for a month from the Red Board because I exposed some of his lies. Why AOPA lets him get away with this stuff I just don't know.
My advice to anyone with a medical issue is to call AOPA pilot protection services. Speak to Gary Crump or one of their knowledgeable reps. You will get much better advice and you won't have to pay hundreds of dollars to Bruce Chien to get it.
He uses the red board as his own personal advertizing forum and anyone who disagrees with him or exposes his lies is silenced with the blessing of AOPA>
Stephen
 
Bonanza said:
You are so right.
He just banned me for a month from the Red Board because I exposed some of his lies. Why AOPA lets him get away with this stuff I just don't know.
My advice to anyone with a medical issue is to call AOPA pilot protection services. Speak to Gary Crump or one of their knowledgeable reps. You will get much better advice and you won't have to pay hundreds of dollars to Bruce Chien to get it.
He uses the red board as his own personal advertizing forum and anyone who disagrees with him or exposes his lies is silenced with the blessing of AOPA>
Stephen
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FWIW I know many people who have received help from Dr Bruce without paying "hundreds of dollars" when IMO he should be charging "hundreds of dollars". The reality is he charges almost nothing for the time he invests.

I'm starting to feel bad for even sending people Dr Bruce's way that I encounter learning to fly. Most of them really just waste both our time because most won't actually listen to the advice and instead just pick a different hobby.
 
jesse said:
FWIW I know many people who have received help from Dr Bruce without paying "hundreds of dollars" when IMO he should be charging "hundreds of dollars". The reality is he charges almost nothing for the time he invests.

I'm starting to feel bad for even sending people Dr Bruce's way that I encounter learning to fly. Most of them really just waste both our time because most won't actually listen to the advice and instead just pick a different hobby.
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In this day and age everyone thinks they are an "expert". At least Bruce earned his degree. No one gets everything right, but I'd possibly not be flying right now if it wasn't for him. He knew who to connect me with to get the ball rolling, and that was the likely difference that got me an SI.

I'm flying to Peoria this year for my medical review. That will be many hundreds more in Avgas than I'll pay him. He's reviewed hundreds of pages of my medical records, seen me twice, organized multiple letters with documents to OKC, talked with several doctors over there, and the money I've paid him in total is less than I charge for one tax return to a small scorporation that I prepare. Listening to people talk about the money he "charges" is sickening. Right there I know they've never spend one thin dime with him.
 
Bonanza said:
You are so right.
He just banned me for a month from the Red Board because I exposed some of his lies. Why AOPA lets him get away with this stuff I just don't know.
My advice to anyone with a medical issue is to call AOPA pilot protection services. Speak to Gary Crump or one of their knowledgeable reps. You will get much better advice and you won't have to pay hundreds of dollars to Bruce Chien to get it.
He uses the red board as his own personal advertizing forum and anyone who disagrees with him or exposes his lies is silenced with the blessing of AOPA>
Stephen
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Please, Bruce using it as an advertising forum? He's retired from his real medical practice, I wonder if his aeromedical stuff even handles his overhead. I don't do the Red Board anymore but have seen his posts for many years and he had never struck me as hawking his service. As for people who go to him, I have never heard one complain about prices.
 
Bonanza said:
You are so right.
He just banned me for a month from the Red Board because I exposed some of his lies. Why AOPA lets him get away with this stuff I just don't know.
My advice to anyone with a medical issue is to call AOPA pilot protection services. Speak to Gary Crump or one of their knowledgeable reps. You will get much better advice and you won't have to pay hundreds of dollars to Bruce Chien to get it.
He uses the red board as his own personal advertizing forum and anyone who disagrees with him or exposes his lies is silenced with the blessing of AOPA>
Stephen
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Henning said:
Please, Bruce using it as an advertising forum? He's retired from his real medical practice, I wonder if his aeromedical stuff even handles his overhead. I don't do the Red Board anymore but have seen his posts for many years and he had never struck me as hawking his service. As for people who go to him, I have never heard one complain about prices.
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I was going to let Bonanza's post go because I really don't want to discuss my situation in an open forum, but in my experience it's so wrong I just can't let it go.

Let's suffice it to say that what I suffer from is so rare that there is no protocol to follow. Bruce initially told me that the FAA would never recertify me. One of Gary's main people manning AOPA pilot services told me that in 19 years that they had seen ONE case of what I had, but it was more mild and different and didn't really apply. Gary confirmed that personally to me, and told me that I was in great hands with Bruce.

Once Bruce realized that I was serious, willing to do what he said, and willing to go "all the way", he became my best advocate. His connections are so important to this process. He understands how the bureacracy works, and what is needed to satisfy it LEGALLY. That's the important point.

I don't participate on the red board, but I'm guessing that posts he removes are more medical advice related than money related. And I'm betting that that posts will get the person following them in a bunch of bureacratic trouble. That's probably why AOPA is darn glad that someone is removing them.

Just another perspective. I'm gonna go fly today, and then send a thank you note to Dr. Bruce. I'm so d@mn grateful to him, I just can't even explain that to you fine folks.
 
The only reason Bruce still does what he does is because he feels that he can help some people out.
 
No Bruce's main issue is that he can be rather insulting to people (whether they give bogus medical advice which I *MIGHT* forgive him a little for or because they are a class of people like RV pilots he takes issue with) yet he cries and takes his ball and goes home when someone throws a jab his way. Allegedly the last straw was Jay suggesting that he advocating certain positions for the money.

I have no idea what his presence of late was all about. He threw insults in a half a dozen posts and left. I have no idea what that is all about and I don't care. If he wants to participate, sure. If he doesn't, I'm not going to beg. I've certainly sent enough people his way one way or another. I've griped to AOPA management about him abusing his moderation authority over there and they promise me that he's been counselled to not moderate anything other than the medical matters forum.

Frankly, I don't think he has the disposition to be a moderator.
 
Bonanza said:
You are so right.
He just banned me for a month from the Red Board because I exposed some of his lies. Why AOPA lets him get away with this stuff I just don't know.
My advice to anyone with a medical issue is to call AOPA pilot protection services. Speak to Gary Crump or one of their knowledgeable reps. You will get much better advice and you won't have to pay hundreds of dollars to Bruce Chien to get it.
He uses the red board as his own personal advertizing forum and anyone who disagrees with him or exposes his lies is silenced with the blessing of AOPA>
Stephen
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Bruce can have a thin skin, that I'll admit. But he's one of the brightest people I know, and I travel in rarified company. I doubt strongly he'd have to falsify anything to "look" better, the boy has been around. I know for a fact he does what he does to try and help people. The guy was an anesthesiologist, whatever he picks up from the airport is peanuts compared to that.
 
My turn. This thread has morphed(no surprise) into some kind of validation of one of our medical professionals.

My experience as with many others I'm aware of is that without Dr Bruce, I would not be flying, or only be flying LSA. As far as his personal style, I don't know if there is some kind of elevated standards for someone with an MD, PhD that they aren't allowed to express an opinion on various topics, med related or otherwise. We get fussy, we get irritated, we have ideas, we see that things are going pear shaped and often want to expand on the situation or maybe offer a personal opinion just like anyone else. Maybe it's not mainstream, or maybe it's not popular but that doesn't lessen the value of the contribution to the flying community.

The fact is, the aeromedical branch of the FAA trusts Dr Bruce, and they respect his position and advocacy, and that's all a pilot with a medical condition needs to know. As far as payment, the cost of his services are a drop in the bucket compared to the totality of what you are going to spend in GA over the years, so write the damn check and be happy when the cert shows up in the mail. Or - don't, and STFU.
 
docmirror said:
The fact is, the aeromedical branch of the FAA trusts Dr Bruce, and they respect his position and advocacy, and that's all a pilot with a medical condition needs to know. As far as payment, the cost of his services are a drop in the bucket compared to the totality of what you are going to spend in GA over the years, so write the damn check and be happy when the cert shows up in the mail. Or - don't
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Well stated. And I agree.
 
docmirror said:
My turn. This thread has morphed(no surprise) into some kind of validation of one of our medical professionals.

My experience as with many others I'm aware of is that without Dr Bruce, I would not be flying, or only be flying LSA. As far as his personal style, I don't know if there is some kind of elevated standards for someone with an MD, PhD that they aren't allowed to express an opinion on various topics, med related or otherwise. We get fussy, we get irritated, we have ideas, we see that things are going pear shaped and often want to expand on the situation or maybe offer a personal opinion just like anyone else. Maybe it's not mainstream, or maybe it's not popular but that doesn't lessen the value of the contribution to the flying community.

The fact is, the aeromedical branch of the FAA trusts Dr Bruce, and they respect his position and advocacy, and that's all a pilot with a medical condition needs to know. As far as payment, the cost of his services are a drop in the bucket compared to the totality of what you are going to spend in GA over the years, so write the damn check and be happy when the cert shows up in the mail. Or - don't, and STFU.
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AggieMike88 said:
Well stated. And I agree.
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I think this sums it up. As a pilot needing medical advice, do you want it to be easy or hard? I define Dr. Bruce as easy, not because it's simple, but because I believe it offers the best chance of achieving your goal.

However, if you don't do it his way, you won't likely be successful using his services. I just wanted to fly, so I'd have done it any way he told me! YMMV. - Perhaps that meant I was desperate?
 
Henning said:
The only reason Bruce still does what he does is because he feels that he can help some people out.
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Agree.

On a related note: Sizing up a person over the internet, with all the gotchas and unclear exchanges and different writing styles, is not easy. Hastily written words and too much brevity often can convey the unintended message, or unintentionally over-emphasize points that are actually trivial and aside from the issue. Especially when the internet tends to make us more willing to be more extroverted than what we are in real life. Internet chat can make mountains that wouldn't ever grow even to molehill size in real life face-to-face chat.

By the way, I'm talking about me here, just to be clear. This is how I see myself potentially interacting on the internet and I'm trying to be very self-aware about it. But I think I'm not so different that a lot of folks.

Anyhow, to wrap this up, I didn't know what to expect when I initially sought help from Dr. Bruce but my experience with him in his office was very very positive. It's going to suck when he retires from his retirement!

EDIT: Apologies to the OP for getting off-track. Best of luck to you, and do listen to Dr. Bruce. He gives exact advice, so follow it exactly.
 
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