Can You Serve in the U.S. Military With Mental Illness

Can You Serve in the U.S. Military With Mental Illness PTSD PTSD and the Military Print Can You Serve in the U.S. Military With Mental Illness? By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial policy Marcia Purse Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on October 06, 2019 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on December 10, 2019 Verywell / Evan Polenghi More in PTSD PTSD and the Military Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Coping Related Conditions If you wish to join the U.S. military, be aware that people with current mood disorders or a history of certain mental illness cannot serve. How do you know whether you or a loved one may have a disqualifying condition? The U.S. Department of Defense has a directive called the  Criteria and Procedure Requirements for Physical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction in the Armed Forces  which provides a detailed list of what mental health conditions prevent a person from being in the armed services.?? Lets take a closer peek into the disqualifying conditions, and how people sometimes skirt around or bend the rules. Examples of Disqualifying Mental Health Conditions There are a number of mental health conditions that prevent a person from enlisting in the armed forces. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, youre disqualified from serving in the U.S. military if you have a current diagnosis or a history of most mental disorders. The presence of any disorder with psychotic features, such as schizophrenia or a delusional disorder, does not allow one to serve. Youre also disqualified if you have  bipolar disorder  or affective psychoses. For depressive disorders (for example,  major depressive disorder), disqualification from the service will occur if a person had outpatient care that lasted for more than 12 months  or any inpatient care. A person with a depressive disorder must be stable without treatment or symptoms for a continuous 36 months to be eligible. For anxiety disorders (for example,  panic disorder), a person cannot enter the armed services if he or she needed any inpatient care or outpatient care for more than 12 months cumulatively. A person must not have needed any treatment for their anxiety disorder in the past 36 months. Other disqualifying mental health conditions include: A history of obsessive-compulsive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorderA history of or current dissociative, conversion, or factitious disorder, depersonalization, hypochondriasis, somatoform disorders, or pain disorder related to psychological factors or a somatoform disorderA history of an adjustment disorder  within the last six months or recurrent  episodes of adjustment disorderA history of paraphilias like voyeurism or exhibitionismA history of or current alcohol or drug abuse or dependenceA history of attempted suicide or suicidal behavior Disturbances of conduct,  impulse control disorder,  oppositional defiant disorder, or other personality or behavior disorders characterized by frequent encounters with law enforcement agencies, and antisocial attitudes or behavior are other mental health problems that warrant disqualification from the service.   Likewise, a person may be disqualified from enlisting if his or her personality, conduct, or behavior disorder is believed to serve as a serious interference in adjusting to the military. Other causes for disqualification include (but not limited to) a history of anorexia or bulimia, a history of encopresis (soiling your underwear) after the age of 13, or a history of an expressive or receptive language delay. In addition,  attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be a reason for being disqualified if one has received treatment with the last two years or it has been significantly present since age 14. Autism spectrum disorders are also a disqualification. Effects of Mental Health Conditions on Service Members While currently having certain mental health conditions or having a history of a serious mental disorder technically prohibits a person from being in the military, research data suggests that many are skirting the rules. A major study published in 2014 in  JAMA Psychiatry  found that some 25% of non-deployed U.S. military members had some sort of mental disorder, including  panic disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder  (ADHD) and depression, and two-thirds of these had their conditions prior to enlisting. The study also found that more than 11% of U.S. military enlistees had more than one disorder. Interestingly, intermittent  explosive disorder  was one of the most common conditions found. How are people getting around the rules? Its not entirely clear, but people find ways to circumvent the regulations, most in the vein of, Dont ask, dont tell. The problem lies not in the technical disregard for the rules, but in the risk to the person who enlists. For instance, according to the study in JAMA Psychiatry,  enlistees who had mental disorders prior to enlisting were more likely to have difficulty performing their job.   In addition, the rules that exist make it unlikely that someone who develops a mental health condition in the military will seek appropriate help.?? Note that the rules for military pilots are even stricter than those for general armed forces enlistment. A Word From Verywell The rules are ostensibly meant to protect those with the condition and others in the military. That said, some advocates say the U.S. military should make more efforts to identify mental illness both in recruits and in established service members, not to kick them out, but to provide earlier treatment. Such an effort could help foster needed assistance in an organization currently wracked with  suicides, attempted suicides and diagnoses of  post-traumatic stress disorder, regardless of whether the military member joined with the mental condition, or developed it while serving.??