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Randle Patrick McMurphy
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The HIMS Nightmare: A Pilot's Guide to Surviving Substance Abuse Re-Education Paperback – May 12, 2020

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 46 ratings
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The HIMS Nightmare is a practical guide to surviving the “Human Intervention Motivation Study” program for pilots who are in recovery from substance abuse, or who are sucked into the program despite not being addicted to mood-altering substances. The HIMS program is not what it is portrayed to be. Developed in 1974 as a means for returning substance-abusers to the cockpit, HIMS has grown to become a monster intended to put as many pilots as possible under the complete control of their employers, who may have participants' required FAA medical certificates revoked at any time, for any reason. HIMS relies almost entirely on outmoded “Twelve Step Facilitation Therapy,” which is itself based almost solely on the tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA was formed in 1935 and has changed little since. Although the rate of recovery for AA alone is abysmal, HIMS claims high rates of recovery which are, in truth, the result of participants who are threatened with loss of the careers, and intrusive monitoring requirements which may stretch in duration to include a pilot’s entire career.Pilots are typically thrust into the program, with minimal information, at times of emotional vulnerability as they contemplate losing their career and lifestyle. They are rarely apprised of their rights or of the all-encompassing nature of a program which will ultimately control their lives.The HIMS Nightmare is intended to empower pilots to avoid the program if they can, or to survive it if they must. It is the book I looked for but could not find when I was sucked into the “HIMS EF5 tornado.” Had it existed then, I never would have been forced into a program which routinely destroys careers and lives.
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  1. Print length
    150 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    May 12, 2020
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.34 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1734882409
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1734882407
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The HIMS Nightmare is an indispensable guide for any pilot who must go through the Human Intervention Motivation Study recovery program. It's rich with solid research and facts, lucidly told by someone who's experienced. It's yet another example of the harms caused by a one-size-fits-all treatment policy based entirely on AA."
Joe Miller, US of AA: How the Twelve Steps Hijacked the Science of Alcoholism.
This shockingly powerful book needs to be read by every pilot flying commercially in the skies today ... a step-by-step manual on how to navigate the mine fields of the horror show HIMS really is. The 'man behind the curtain' is not a health care or mental health professional or a substance abuse PhD, but rather an antiquated, religious self-help group founded in the 1930s."
Monica Richardson, host of the podcast "Safe Recovery" and producer of The 13th Step, a documentary on sexual exploitation in AA

"... a clear-eyed, engaging and darkly funny look at how substance abuse re-education is being applied to place airline pilots under The Corporate Thumb ..."
Anonymous pilot


About the Author

The author is a 35-year airline pilot, including 24 years as a captain. He has flown for four FAR Part 121 carriers and accrued approximately 28,000 flying hours, earning type ratings for seven transport category jets.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bacchus USA Publications LLC (May 12, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 150 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1734882409
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1734882407
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.34 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 46 ratings

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Randle Patrick McMurphy

Randle Patrick McMurphy

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
46 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mike B.
5.0 out of 5 stars The Truth is Exposed!!!
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book is a must read for anyone in the HIMS program or for those that are thinking about entering the program. I should now, I'm a "pilot peer" that was forced by a major airline to enter this torturous program they refer to as HIMS. This book professionally explains the program. But please understand this program is cruel and victimizes people with the disease of alcoholism.

The HIMS program is used by airlines to leverage your FAA medical certificate and force a pilot to become submissive to management. Once you enter the program, doctors employed by the airline will diagnose you with a disorder and strip your FAA medical from you. The only way to get it back is to "surrender" to their ever demand. You will be force into treatment, weekly aftercare, daily alcoholics anonymous meetings, theropy, psychiatric examinations, psychological testing, monthly monitoring meetings, daily breathalyzers, blood testing, hair testing, urine testing, fingernail testing, monthly company meetings, weekly calls to your pilot peer or flight office and biannual trips to a HIMS trained aeromedical examiner.

Your life as you know it will end. You will become a prisoner in you a own world jumping through hoops in an attempt to meet the requirements inorder to get your medical back. The individual that wrote the one star review is delusional. I have been a prisoner of this program for almost a decade. I have been force by my airlines management to volunteer my freetime to "mentor" other captive pilots inorder to keep my job.

I'm ashamed of what they make me do, but I have no choice if I want to keep my job and family in Chicago. Once in the "program" you are never released. They will even refuse to give you insight on the requirements of the program until after they stip you of your medical. This program violates your Civil Rights, Federal rights and collective bargaining rights.

This program used to experiment on pilots by using behavioral modification techniques to change the way a pilot thinks. These techniques are ment to change your cerebral cortex and modify your behavior. This process is deliberate and uses fear, anxiety and punishment to alter the way a pilot thinks. At all cost don't be suck into this program. To say the program is abusive is an understatement!!!

Don't allow your company or EAP to send you to their "HIMS trained psychiatrist" for an evaluation. Get you own psychiatrist if forced to provide an evaluation to the FAA. It will save you hundreds of thousands of dollars and keep you out of this program.

For an indepth look into the HIMS program purchase "HIMS Exposed" on Amazon. This book will be coming out in late spring of 2021. This book reveals the disturbing truth behind the program and is truly eye opening...
6 people found this helpful
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Holly
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended for Aviation Professionals AND for Mental Health Professionals
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2021
Verified Purchase
So grateful someone has finally addressed the proverbial elephant in the room. Abstinence only/ 12 step models are getting more and more obsolete in favor of other evidence based practices. I know this to be true as I am now working in social work. Many of my colleagues are SAPS and will agree this author is "spot on" and his research most definitely checks out.

I also can attest to the author's "advice" to anyone in the program is spot on. This I know as I spent much of my 20+ year career as a union representative. Many aviation professionals have no idea of what HIMS even is and very well may find out the hard way.
Capt "A" gives stellar insight and actually reminds me of the advice I have heard union attorneys give to union members going through these kinds of programs.

Yes, there are many amazing union officers/ officials assisting in what are supposed to be EXTERNAL EAP programs, but unfortunately there are still too many on peer assistance types of committees that do not know the first thing about confidentiality or- they simply don't care.

HIMS alone has helped many pilots out over the years, as has FADAP for flight attendants. However, the reality is these programs get abusive pretty quickly and do NOT actually help those battling SUD. For all those who have misused these programs for selfish career advancement or for "getting even" WILL be held accountable one of these days.
In the meantime, there many, many evidence based practices out there. Addiction studies/ research supports more progressive, realistic programs and are more readily available than ever.
For all those aviation professionals we have lost over the years I only wish a book like this existed over twenty years ago. This book is certain to assist flight crew members in facilitating change to a very antiquated and VERY outdated program.

Just loved this book for many, many reasons. I highly recommend! Love all my aviation peeps. You all rock!
3 people found this helpful
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mjl
5.0 out of 5 stars UPS blackmails pilots with substance abuse issues, dui(s), etc.
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book is spot on. UPS pilots with substance abuse issues are terrorized by UPS management. Pilots are forced to write false statements about other pilots... or face HIMS or being reported to the FAA (for a not disclosed DUI or refusal to submit to a chemical test) This practice has effectively silenced all UPS pilots. UPS pilots are all too familiar with false statements being submitted to AMEs and/or IMEs in order to target a pilot's medical certificate. The pilots who have been targeted are those that address safety or integrity issues. UPS' practice of blackmailing pilots has made UPS airlines a threat to airline safety and endangered the safety of the general public. Is blackmailing pilots with substance abuse issues prevalent at other airlines?
2 people found this helpful
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Karlene K. Petitt
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Powerful
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2020
Verified Purchase
If you are a pilot who enjoys an occasional drink, you must read this book. The author's experience is authentic. I know of a half dozen pilots at different airlines that have similar experiences, we could think any one of them wrote it. Some have lost their jobs for no reason, other than voiced their opinion. The HIMS program allows the management who are addicts themselves to sexually harass the women, and they have no recourse. Because, these addicts call everyone liars. The authors words are not only authentic, but this book is superbly written. And... filled with references. You want to read this before you get snatched in the trap. Share with everyone you know.
11 people found this helpful
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blubusdrvr
3.0 out of 5 stars I'm Torn: Informative but Very Negative and Opinionated
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2021
Verified Purchase
There is a lot of good information in this book. Unfortunately it is portrayed in a very negative way from the view point of a very opinionated (and seemingly "wronged") pilot. I wish I had read this book or knew a lot of this information many years ago. Despite not agreeing with the viewpoint of the author, I do recommend reading this book for some of the knowledge it does contain and seemingly isn't hard to find elsewhere.
One person found this helpful
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