seafarers’ health information programme healthier, ﬁ … · noticed early and on board ship,...

Seafarers’ Health Information Programme

Healthier, fi tter, safer ...

you are part of it ! ...mental care

ICSWS.H.I.P.

ICSWS.H.I.P.

MENTALCARE(16)_A5.indd 1MENTALCARE(16)_A5.indd 1 28/05/2009 12:59:2228/05/2009 12:59:22

mental Care, you are part of it!...Seafarers can help each other!

Your mental state is part of your life.

In extreme cases true mental illness occurs and needs medical

involvement.

It is therefore important that symptoms and signs of mental illness are

noticed early and on board ship, crew members and friends are often

well placed to form an impression of a seafarer’s mental state.


Several risk factors onboard ship may have an infl uence on your mental

state:

increased work requirements

reduced manning levels

increased monotony

fatigue

job stress

family pressure

dangers at sea

complexity of systems, automation

fear of criminalisation

shift patterns

quality of rest

Increased frequency of inspections, administration

greater commercial pressure

fast turnaround times

increased use of multinational crews

lack of common language

reduced familiarity with working together

In addition, some seafarers are exposed to harassment and bullying

onboard ship.

Alcohol or drugs also infl uence behaviour and emotions, and therefore

pose safety risks onboard.

Whatever the cause, mental illness must be taken extremely seriously

both to protect you and your fellow crewmembers.

•••••••••••••••••


Monotony

An important risk factor in the modern maritime industry is monotony.

Due to the increasing trend to automate work environments onboard

ship, jobs have tended to shift away from active to more supervisory

roles.

Many tasks now rely crucially on the ability to concentrate for long

periods of time.

Factors that have been proved to cause loss of concentration during

watch keeping, are:

Time- many accidents tend to occur early in the morning at the

beginning or end of a shift when a seafarer is on watch alone

The technology used: automated systems may reduce vigilance

Monotony may therefore lead to reduced vigilance and pose a safety risk,

but it also has a negative eff ect on your mental state.

•

•


Job Stress

Job stress causes harmful physical and emotional responses when you

are unable to meet the requirements of your job.

Typical symptoms of job stress can be:

insomnia, lack of sleep

loss of mental concentration

anxiety

substance abuse

extreme anger and frustration

family confl ict

physical illnesses such as heart disease, headaches, stomach problems,

and back problems.

Risk factors that can cause work related stress:

the demands of the job;

the level of control you have over your work;

the support received from management and colleagues;

relationships at work;

your role in the organization;

change and how it’s managed.

•••••••

••••••


When under severe stress, you may be unable to take clear-cut deci-

sions, re-evaluate and reassess priorities and lifestyles, and ultimately, fall

into unproductive distractions. This can be described as a classic case of

‘burnout’.

You may be at risk of burnout where:

you fi nd it diffi cult to say ‘no’ to additional commitments or

responsibilities

you have been under intense and sustained pressure for some time

you fi nd it diffi cult to delegate to assistants

you have been trying to achieve too much for too long

you have been giving too much emotional support for too long

Anxiety

Anxiety isn’t always bad: it can help you to stay alert and focused, spur

you to action, and motivate.

However in anxiety disorders, constant or overwhelming anxiety inter-

feres with relationships and activities. Not everyone who worries a lot has

an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety is more than just a feeling, and since anxiety suff erers may also

experience physical symptoms, they often mistake their disorder for a

medical illness and visit many doctors and hospitals.

Anxiety attacks usually peak within ten minutes, and they rarely last

more than half an hour

•

••••


Common emotional symptoms of anxiety include:

irrational and excessive fear and worry

trouble concentrating

feeling tense and jumpy

anticipating the worst

irritability

restlessness

watching for signs of danger

feeling like the mind’s gone blank

Common physical symptoms of anxiety include:

pounding heart

sweating

stomach upset or dizziness

frequent urination or diarrhoea

shortness of breath

tremors and twitches

muscle tension

headaches

fatigue

insomnia

Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand.

Encouraging your fellow crewmembers to share their problems can help

enormously. Listen sympathetically to what they have to say, remain

objective and use your common sense.

••••••••

••••••••••


Depression

It’s impossible to escape life’s ups and downs. Feeling unhappy or sad in

response to disappointment, loss, frustration or a medical condition is

normal. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of

feelings, but that is really situational depression, which is a normal

reaction to events around us.

Clinical depression, however, overwhelms and engulfs your day to day

life, interfering with your ability to work, eat, sleep, and have fun.

It is unrelenting, with little if any relief.

You may be emotionally up one day and down the next to the extent of

being morose and even sullen.


Very depressed people may commit suicide. Suicidal individuals often

give warning signs or signals of their intentions. Play a role in suicide

prevention by pointing out the alternatives, showing care, and getting a

professional involved. It is also essential that correct precautionary meas-

ures are taken, such as removing potentially dangerous medicines, sharp

objects and items such as string and rope.

Depression in men is very often expressed in anger, aggression, reckless

behaviour and violence

If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and

they just won’t go away, you may be suff ering from clinical depression.

you can’t sleep enough or you sleep too much

you can’t concentrate or fi nd that previously easy tasks are now

diffi cult

you feel worthless and hopeless

you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try

you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating

you are constantly irritated or become enraged even at small things

– and this is new for you

you have thoughts that life is not worth living, or have a plan for how

you would end it (Seek help immediately if this is the case)

••

••••

•


Harassment and bullying

Harassment is unwanted conduct which has the purpose or eff ect of

violating the dignity of a person and of creating an intimidating, hostile,

degrading, humiliating or off ensive environment.

All seafarers have a responsibility for ensuring that their ships are free

from harassment and bullying.

Bullying frequently involves a misuse of power or position and is often

persistent and unpredictable. It can also arise when a person is unaware

of the eff ect that their behaviour is having on other people.

Fatigue

Fatigue reduces well-being and is a major risk factor for mental health

problems such as depression. It also increases the risk of acute illnesses,

and life-threatening chronic disease, such as cardio-

vascular diseases.

Fatigue can infl uence performance, and,

certainly when combined with high or low

workloads, can lead to an accident.


Psychosis

A mentally ill person may experience delusions or hallucinations so

that what is experienced as a reality by the patient, is not what is really

happening or what is experienced by anybody else. In this case a patient

is called psychotic.

If you recognise these symptoms in a fellow crewmember, it is wise to as-

sume that their behaviour may be so unpredictable as to become violent

or suicidal, possibly without provocation or warning.

Paranoia is often associated with psychotic disease and typically includes

unwarranted fears of persecution and threat.

In such cases on board, the seafarer should be monitored continuously,

although in case of agitation the presence of another person may cause

more upset and isolation may be necessary.

You should be aware that patience and a reassuring tone and attitude are

important and may have a benefi cial eff ect.


Drugs and alcohol

Drug and alcohol policies require shipping companies to have random

and emergency ‘for cause’ drug and alcohol testing systems in place.

Since a mental problem or change may be caused by drug or alcohol

abuse, routine testing of urine, saliva or blood onboard is important in

the assessment of a mental problem onboard...


Job satisfaction

Having a useful job as member of a mutually supportive team can be one

of the best protections against mental health problems.

Sensitivity to the mental problems of your fellow crewmembers remains

at the heart of good management and effi cient ship operations.

If you become aware that you or a fellow crewmember may have a men-

tal problem, you should encourage them to seek help, not only on-

board but also from ship visitors and welfare workers in port, who

can very often not only give mental support but also spiritual

and religious guidance.

Contact with family and friends also helps to lessen the

feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Ensure you have enough time for rest and don’t sacrifi ce

that time for more shore leave or to catch up on tasks.

Seek professional medical advice if you notice signs

and symptoms of mental problems and behavioural

changes.


Where to fi nd advice?

If you would like to have more information on Mental Care and are not

able to consult your doctor or a medical clinic, you can contact Seafar-

erHelp, a free and confi dential service provided by the International

Seafarers Assistance Network (ISAN)

SeafarerHelp is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year,

in more than 20 languages including Russian, Philipino, Polish, Hindi and

French. You can reach SeafarerHelp by telephone, Email, Fax or SMS.

As well as being there for information about health, SeafarerHelp exists

to help you with any issues or problems you may want to discuss, about

anything from working conditions to family problems. Their trained hel-

pline staff will help you by putting you in touch with the agency which is

most likely to be able to help you.

Whatever the problem, ring SEAFARER free on

(+) 800 73232737


Call SeafarerHelp free from the following countries:

Australia 00 11 800 SEAFARER 00 11 800 7323 2737Austria 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Bahrain 8000 4090Belgium 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Brazil 0 800 8 91 91 81Canada 011 800 SEAFARER 011 800 7323 2737China 1 800 441 0168Cyprus 00 88 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Denmark 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Finland 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737France 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Germany 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Hong Kong 00 1 800 SEAFARER 00 1 800 7323 2737Hungary 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Iceland 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737India 1 800 425 4357Ireland 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Israel 012/013/014/ 800 SEAFARER 012/013/014/ 800 7323 2737Italy 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Japan 001/0041/0061 800 SEAFARER 001/0041/ 0061 800 7323 2737Korea 001/002/008 800 SEAFARER 001/002/008 800 7323 2737Luxembourg 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Macau 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Malaysia 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Mexico 01 800 33 SEAFARER 01 800 33 7323 2737Netherland 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737New Zealand 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Norway 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Philippines 00 800 7372 8300Russia 810 800 2136 2044Singapore 001 800 SEAFARER 001 800 7323 2737South Africa 09 800 SEAFARER 09 800 7323 2737Spain 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Sweden 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Switzerland 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Taiwan 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737Thailand 001 800 442 096UK 00 800 SEAFARER 00 800 7323 2737United Arab Emirates 800 044 0104USA 1 87 7373 7283

For countries where there is no freephone:Call collect on +44 (0)20 SEAFARER. Alternatively ask us to call you straight back.

Contact SeafarerHelp by text / SMS:Text number: +44 (0)762 481 8405

Email SeafarerHelp:[email protected] [email protected]


International Committee on Seafarers’ Welfare

Email : [email protected]

www.seafarershealth.org

ICSWS.H.I.P.

ICSWS.H.I.P.


seafarers’ health information programme healthier, ﬁ … · noticed early and on board ship,...

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