Can You Take Antidepressants In The Military
In the past, the military has disqualified just about any medication related to mental health.
However, the current policy is a little different.
It generally disqualifies anyone that is or has taken medication for mental illness in the last year.
If its been more than a year you may receive a waiver but the military will need to examine your medical records and speak to your physician.
The rules apply to medications like Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, and Wellbutrin.
However, that doesnt stop the military from reportedly prescribing antidepressants to a surprisingly high number of active-duty soldiers.
Its worth pointing out that some people advise not mentioning any previous mental health diagnoses or medications to a recruiter, as well as MEPS.
The decision is up to you, but some strongly believe that what isnt known doesnt hurt anyone.
However, the military has ways of finding out if the mental health condition is on your medical records.
Tips For Living With Allergies On Base
More and more today people are being diagnosed with food allergies and sensitivities, and that includes military families. Whether it’s you, your spouse or your children, it can be a challenge.
I’m allergic to dog and cat dander and cockroaches. But more importantly, I have allergic reactions to wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, shellfish, spelt, gluten, peanuts and a host of everyday ingredients including, yeast, lecithin and monosodium glutamate .
It’s so much easier to PCS to a big city where there are Whole Foods markets, Natural Grocers, farmer’s markets, Trader Joe’s and other organic and natural foods stores. But what happens when you PCS somewhere and there’s no such thing? In one small town we lived in, the closest organic and raw foods place was 90 minutes away.
For the scores of military families who will be diagnosed and face these challenges this year, here are 11 basic things that may help with the transition :
Know The Symptoms Of Food Allergies
If you are allergic to a food you have eaten, you may experience a variety of symptoms. These symptoms are not always present or the same for every person or reaction and can vary depending on a number of actors, including the amount of food allergen eaten.
If you are allergic to a food that you have eaten, symptoms may appear from within a few minutes to a few hours.
Symptoms of food allergies , can include:
- Loss of consciousness
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Does A Peanut Allergy Disqualify You From The Air Force
If you have a history of food allergies, you might be disqualified from joining the military. This is because service members can serve in locations that do not have a wide variety of food options or that do not have easily accessible medical care in the case of reactions.
Can you get rid of a peanut allergy?
Is There Currently a Cure for Peanut Allergy? There is no cure for peanut allergies. Palforzia is a type of oral immunotherapy that is approved for use in treating peanut allergies. It is a daily medication that may reduce symptoms in some people who have a peanut allergy.
Can you outgrow peanut allergy?
Studies show that an estimated 2025% of children experiencing a peanut allergy will outgrow it. Of those that outgrow their allergy, 80% do so by the age of eight.
How do you get rid of a peanut allergy?
There is no cure for peanut allergies. Palforzia is a type of oral immunotherapy that is approved for use in treating peanut allergies. It is a daily medication that may reduce symptoms in some people who have a peanut allergy.
Is a severe nut allergy a disability?
In another case in 2012, it was found that a chef with a severe nut allergy was disabled. It is important to note that allergies are not specifically excluded from the definition of disability.
Do food allergies qualify as a disability?
Can a person with a peanut allergy serve in the Air Force?
What About Alcohol Or Drug Abuse
A history of alcohol or drug dependence may disqualify you from military service.
The military carefully scrutinizes alcohol abuse or drug abuse that requires inpatient or outpatient care.
Problems with alcohol or drugs can become problematic during military service for several reasons.
It can also enhance or worsen symptoms of other, undiagnosed mental health conditions.
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Miscellaneous Conditions Of The Extremities
The following conditions may disqualify you for military service:
a. Arthritis.
Active, subacute or chronic arthritis.
Chronic osteoarthritis or traumatic arthritis of isolated joints of more than a minimal degree, which has interfered with the following of a physically active vocation in civilian life or that prevents the satisfactory performance of military duty.
b. Chronic Retropatellar Knee Pain Syndrome with or without confirmatory arthroscopic evaluation.
c. Dislocation if unreduced, or recurrent dislocations of any major joint such as shoulder, hip, elbow or knee or instability of any major joint such as shoulder, elbow or hip.
d. Fractures.
Malunion or non-union of any fracture, except ulnar styloid process.
Orthopedic hardware, including plates, pins, rods, wires or screws used for fixation and left in place except that a pin, wire or screw not subject to easy trauma is not disqualifying.
e. Injury of a bone or joint of more than a minor nature, with or without fracture or dislocation, that occurred within the preceding six weeks: upper extremity, lower extremity, ribs and clavicle.
f. Joint replacement.
g. Muscular paralysis, contracture or atrophy, if progressive or of sufficient degree to interfere with military service and muscular dystrophies.
h. Osteochondritis dissecans.
i. Osteochondromatosis or multiple cartilaginous exostoses.
j. Osteoporosis.
k. Osteomyelitis, active or recurrent.
Surprising Medical Conditions That Could Bar You From Service
Its no surprise that service members must be in good physical shape to serve in the military. However, there are some medical conditions that you might not know can bar you from service.
The military lays out certain physical requirements that those wishing to serve must meet, and recruits must undergo a medical exam. When joining, they must also disclose significant medical conditions.
Sometimes waivers from medical professionals are an option for certain medical conditions, particularly ones that relate to eyesight and weight. However, others like depression and Crohns disease are likely to disqualify you from service, especially if they have affected your education or employment in the past.
It is important to note that many conditions are not always permanently disqualifying and should not dissuade potential applicants. Recruiters and military doctors will determine if they will affect your duties.
Here are eight surprising medical conditions that might prevent you from serving in the U.S. Armed Forces:
1. Food Allergies
If you have a history of food allergies, you might be disqualified from joining the military. This is because service members can serve in locations that do not have a wide variety of food options or that do not have easily accessible medical care in the case of reactions. Recruits who are merely sensitive to certain foods will not be disqualified.
2. Celiac Disease
3. Contact dermatitis
4. Asthma
5. Braces or dental ailments
6. Motion sickness
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Food Allergies Can Be Life
While most symptoms from food allergies are mild and limited to skin or digestive discomfort, some may progress to a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
This can lead to:
- constricted airways in the lungs
- severe lowering of blood pressure and shock
- suffocation by swelling of the throat and larynx
If you have a known food allergy and start having symptoms of an allergic reaction:
- Stop eating the food immediately
- Evaluate the need for emergency treatment
- Seek medical attention
Symptoms of anaphylaxis may start out as relatively mild but, if not treated promptly, symptoms can become life-threatening in a short amount of time.
Recognizing early symptoms of anaphylaxis and prompt injection of the drug epinephrine and other medical care or intervention can help prevent life-threatening consequences.
It is important to understand that a mild allergic reaction does not always mean the allergy is mild. Any allergic reaction has potential to lead to anaphylaxis. Allergic individuals are taught to always monitor symptoms and seek medical care if needed when symptoms occur.
What Can You Get Medically Discharged For
A physical or psychological condition that interferes significantly with an individuals fitness for duty can be grounds for discharge. Each Services disability evaluation system will determine if a servicemember is unfit for duty due to physical disability. Not all medical problems amount to a disability.
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Condition #5 Eyesight Issues
According to the standards of physical fitness provided by Armed Forces, there are some eyesight issues that are disqualifying.
Armed Force members are required to maintain certain visual standards with or without visual correction devices such as spectacle lenses. The regulations for eyesight without a visual aid are:
- Soldiers must be able to see at least 20/40 in one eye, and 20/70 in the other eye.
- Or 20/30 in one eye and at least 20/100 in the other eye.
If a spectacle aid for eyesight is required the standards are:
- 20/20 in one eye and 20/400 in the other eye.
Entrance into US Military Academy or ROTC has additional requirements. The distant visual acuity must correct to 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other. Vision below those standards is disqualifying.
Officer Candidate School OCS has standards of 20/20 and 20/100.
There is no standard set for color vision, which is a common concern. Though it will get tested for certain branches of the military , it is not a requirement to qualify.
However, it may restrict you from joining certain specialties of the U.S. Military.
For example, if you wanted to become a Navy SEAL, you must meet specific eyesight requirements.
They include 20/40 vision in your best eye, 20/70 vision in your worst eye, and it must be correctable to 20/25 with no color blindness.
There are several rare types of eyesight issues such as blepharitis, conjunctiva, cornea dystrophy, and iridocyclitis that are disqualifying diseases.
The Militarys Stance On Food Allergies
You will be unable to join the military if you have a food allergy. Anyone with a history of food allergies may be disqualified from joining the military if they have a history of them. If they have been desensitized to immunotherapy and are no longer exposed to stings , they may be eligible for EpiPens.
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Condition #19 Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a fairly rare condition that affects the small intestine and makes it very sensitive to consuming gluten. As a result, the individual often avoids gluten in meals.
Unfortunately in the military, much like the case with food allergies, it is unable to follow specific dietary requests. You essentially get what everyone else on the force receives for a meal.
And since you may get assigned to a remote location with limited food and medical help, it could disqualify you from service. Therefore, you may need to apply for a waiver.
How does the military regard hearing? It will test each year for frequencies in order to gauge hearing loss.
The following hearing conditions could disqualify you from service:
- If the pure tone at 500, 1000, and 2000 cycles per second of not more than 25 decibels on the average. No individual level can be greater than 30 dB at the same frequencies.
- Pure tone level that exceeds more than 35 dB at 3,000 cycles per second in each year, or 45 dB at 4,000 cycles per second in each year.
The military will conduct these tests to make sure that the results are within an acceptable standard.
Only significant hearing loss or complete deafness would probably play into a disqualification.
Likewise, if youre deaf in one ear, this would likely also disqualify you from serving in the military.
Condition #11 Learning Disabilities
The U.S. Military does consider learning disabilities when deciding if someone is appropriate for service.
The causes for rejection for enlistment without an approved medical waiver include things like ADHD.
Related Article:Can You Join The Military With ADD/ADHD?
Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a disqualifying condition. The exception is if the individual can demonstrate academic performance that is acceptable and has not used any medication in the past 12 months.
The military is currently reexamining its approach for ADHD and has noted recently that it might start assessing circumstances on a case by case basis.
Furthermore, current or a history of academic skills or perceptual defects that are secondary to organic or functional mental disorders and interfere with school or employment are disqualifying.
Once again, individuals may apply for a waiver by providing sufficient academic standing and previous employment performance.
If you have problems focusing, have no motivation to get stuff done, or exhibit typical ADHD symptoms, you might want to check out a product called Mind Lab Pro.
I recently got a chance to test it out, and it actually worked quite well.
to read my full review,
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Reporting Adverse Reactions And Labeling Concerns
If you or a family member has had an allergic reaction after eating an FDA-regulated food or food product with unclear labeling or a possible allergen, discuss this with your health care provider. Keep any food packages because they may contain important information. You may want to contact the manufacturer.
Also, report the suspected reaction or labeling concerns to the FDA in one of these ways:
- Consumers and manufacturers can submit reports detailing product reactions or other complaints to an FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator for the state where the food was purchased,
- Submit a report using FDAs MedWatch Online reporting form for consumers.
Reports submitted to FDA should include as much information as possible:
- Who is reporting the incident and who was affected? Please provide names, addresses, and phone numbers.
- The name and address of the place where the product was purchased.
- A clear description of the reaction, including:
- Date the reaction occurred.
- How long after you ate or drank the product that the reaction occurred.
- Medications used to treat symptoms.
- Whether the reaction required further medical care, and if so, what kind. Please provide contact information for the doctor or hospital.
Military Cost Of Asthma
Approximately 40% of young asthmatic recruits who wheeze subsequently became wheeze free in their late twenties. Even so, succeeding wheezing and asthma attacks may reappear even after an asthma-free interval of up to 7 years or more.
An investigation, comprising the years 19951998, recorded 3,699 EPTS discharges because of asthma. From 1998 through 2002, approximately 17% of EPTS discharges among U.S. Army active duty enlistees was for asthma. A 2006 study, revealed that many Navy recruits were discharged early because of asthma.
Exercise-induced bronchospasm , common among military recruits, has been linked to numerous cases of undetected asthma., Disappointingly, lung function testing for airways obstruction is rarely positive during extended remissions, between attacks, or among persons with exercise-induced bronchospasm. Likely, extreme physical performance and innumerable environmental stimuli are problematic for the soldier with exercise-induced bronchospasm.
Nontraumatic military-related death because of asthma is rare with only 1 reported case detected among relatively healthy young military recruits not exercising. However, many nontraumatic deaths are associated with exercise, especially unrecognized pre-existing cardiac disease. Heat stress is a factor in roughly one-third of exercise-related death of recruits. There were 3 cases of asthma chronicled as exercise-related deaths.
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Condition #7 Mental Illness
The military takes mental health pretty seriously. Though it is difficult to cover every single mental illness in detail, for the most part, if there has been an official diagnosis and treatment for a mental illness, joining the U.S. Military may be a challenge.
It can also present a challenge for current members that are diagnosed with certain mood disorders or behavioral problems after getting enlisted.
Along with depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders suicidal thoughts and self-harm are critical factors that are gauged.
Naturally, the U.S. Military is pretty reluctant to accept anyone with a history of self-harm or suicidal thoughts, regardless of how long ago they occurred.
Physicians are allowed to exercise some discretion during an examination if they believe previous circumstances, especially one time situations, may be truly in the past and would not impede on their performance in the military moving forward.
Other mental health concerns that may affect military service include:
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Personality disorders: These include things like Paranoid Schizophrenia, Borderline personality disorder, Antisocial personality disorder, and Dependent personality disorder.
- Eating disorders: Including Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge eating, Pica, and Rumination disorder.
Serving With Food Allergies
Food allergies can feel like a barrier for people who wish to volunteer, whether it is joining the military or the Peace Corps. Many service organizations station members in remote locations with limited food and healthcare options. For this reason, many organizations consider a history of food allergies as a disqualifying condition for people who want to join.
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How The Meb/peb Is Conducted
Physical or mental health problems that are incompatible with military duty or that result in disqualification from worldwide deployment for more than 12 months precipitate a Medical Evaluation Board . Medical boards are initiated by the Medical Treatment Facility , not the individual or the command.
The medical board consists of active duty physicians who review the clinical case file and decide whether the individual should be returned to duty, or should be separated, using the published medical standards for continued military service.
If the MEB determines that the member has a medical condition that is incompatible with continued military service, they refer the case to a Physical Evaluation Board . The PEB is a formal fitness-for-duty and disability determination that may recommend one of the following:
- Return the member to duty
- Place the member on the temporary disabled/retired list
- Separate the member from active duty, or
- Medically retire the member
The standard used by the PEB for determining fitness is whether the medical condition precludes the member from reasonably performing the duties of his or her office, grade, rank, or rating.
Per DoD Instruction 1332.38, the inability to perform the duties of office, grade, rank or rating in every geographic location and under every conceivable circumstance will not be the sole basis for a finding of unfitness. Deployability, however, may be used as a consideration in determining fitness.
