What We Need To Remember When We Talk About The Mental Health Of Andreas Lubitz

Andreas Lubitz participates in the Frankfurt City Half-Marathon in 2010 in Frankfurt, Germany. Lubitz is suspected of having deliberately piloted the Germanwings plane into a mountain in southern France on March 24, killing all 150 on board. (Photo: Getty Images/Stringer)

It’s been a week since Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz crashed a commercial plane into the French Alps — and much of the conversation since has focused on his mental health and medical record, especially at the time of the incident.

We know that Lubitz visited an eye doctor just before the flight for an apparent vision issue, and was deemed unfit to operate the aircraft. No medical professionals have reported Lubitz was suicidal at the time of the Airbus A320 accident, although a European official said he did complain to a neuropsychologist about work stress earlier this year. We also know Lubitz had a history of depression and suicidal thoughts, with a depressive episode in 2009 that halted his pilot’s training for several months. As Duesseldorf public prosecutor Christoph Kumpa told BBC News, he “had at that time been in treatment of a psychotherapist because of what is documented as being suicidal”— something it seems Lufthansa was informed of when Lubitz rejoined the program.

However, amidst all this, one important fact is worth noting: Not all cases of depression indicate a risk of violence to others, and suicidal and homicidal are not the same terms.

Having depression does not make a person more or less dangerous than anyone else, says Stephen Schlesinger, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Medical School. “If you’ve ever known anyone with a history of depression, you probably wouldn’t think of them as more likely to be violent,” he tells Yahoo Health. “They are sometimes coincident, but it would be an exaggerated misperception to say depression causes violence.”

And unfortunately, that stigma of being “unhinged” may prevent some men and women from seeking treatment. “It’s been a stigma for a long time, especially among pilots, since the FAA has had restrictions on pilots being treated for any depression up until recently,” Schlesinger says.

Related: I’m Depressed, Not Dangerous

Instead, a certain set of circumstances together create a perfect storm of dangerous actions, according to Sam Cochran, PhD, director of University Counseling Services and a clinical professor of counseling psychology at the University of Iowa.

Consider that in depression, there are “typical” and “atypical” symptoms, where typical symptoms include feelings of sadness, loss of interest, withdrawal, and thoughts of death or suicide. Atypical symptoms, on the other hand, include irritability, reckless or dangerous behavior, and higher use of alcohol, drugs, or other mood-altering substances.  

The atypical form might put a person at higher risk of self-harm or harming others, notably because of the substance-abuse factor. “Untreated depression, combined with alcohol or other drug abuse, is a particularly lethal combination for both suicide risk as well as homicide risk,” Cochran says.

But it’s incredibly difficult to predict violence. While there can be obvious warning signs, like written threats or violent actions, “less-obvious warning signs might include vague references to future actions, such as, ‘Next week you won’t have to worry about me,’ or a ‘You’ll be sorry’ admonition,” Cochran says.

In Lubitz’s case, there may have been signs his condition was becoming more dangerous. Reports indicate he telegraphed a disturbing thought to an ex-girlfriend, apparently saying, “One day I’m going to do something that will change the whole system, and everyone will know my name and remember,” according to the BBC.

But as they say, hindsight is 20/20, Schlesinger says. “Violence is a low-level, base behavior. It doesn’t happen often,” he tells Yahoo Health. “We can look back and say, ‘We should have seen the signs,’ but it’s important to remember that investigators are now constructing a series of events from sources that were not in contact with each other at the time.”

Related: Think Your Friend Is Depressed? Here’s What To Say (And What Not To)

Usually, in the end, unfortunate circumstances collide and create a full-blown incident — it’s not just about depression, or anger, substance abuse, or any one item in isolation. “For instance, anything that alters the state of mind can impair your judgment,” Schlesinger explains. “And with suicide, oftentimes, we see that the person is very impulsive. At some point, a series of factors may come together, and that person may act on them.”

The public and families are seeking answers, and rightly so. But finding perspective in the wake of an emotional event can be difficult, which is why the tenor of discussion surrounding mental health and Andreas Lubitz is important. It’s an opportunity to encourage people with depression and mental health issues to seek treatment, not avoid it, and for us all to help erase the stigma that depression and violent tendencies are one and the same.

“Normally, with depression, we see a withdrawal — more reclusive than explosive,” Schlesinger says. “Violence against someone else is also less likely than someone harming themselves, and both are not likely.”

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