与我们大多数人比较而言，海员是在更具挑战性的条件下生活和工作，他们在船上的任职期间，24/7地全天候置于特定的环境之下。本篇识别了一些影响他们在船上每天工作生活中心理健康的关键问题，其中有些因素可以控制，而另一些则不能。了解和掌握可控因素或将带来积极的变化。
在寻求解决方案之前，切实理解何谓精神障碍至为关键。根据世界卫生组织的情况说明书，精神障碍一般而言是指以异常的思想、观念、情感、行为以及与他人的关系为综合特征。所述疾病包括抑郁症，双相情感障碍，精神分裂症，痴呆和自闭症。在所有疾病中，抑郁症最为普遍-全世界有超过3亿人受到影响。抑郁的病症表现为长时间的悲伤，丧失兴趣或愉悦，自我价值感降低，睡眠不足或食欲不振以及注意力不集中等等。而极端恶劣的情况下，抑郁症甚至会导致自杀。通过本文以及后续的系列分析，我们希望能够对避免和防止极端问题或有裨益。
详细信息请参阅附件。
Mental health and seafarers It’s time to talk
Seafarers live and work under more challenging conditions than most of us. They are exposed to an environment that stays with them 24/7 for the duration of their tenure on board the vessel. This Insight addresses some of the key issues that affect their mental health every day of their working lives while they are on board the vessel. Some factors can be controlled and others cannot. Knowing what can be controlled provides an opportunity to make the positive changes.
Before looking for solutions, it is important to understand what is considered to be a mental disorder. According to the WHO’s Fact Sheet, a mental disorder is generally characterized by a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others. The disorders include depression, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, dementia and autism. Of all the disorders, depression is the most prevalent with over 300 million people affected worldwide. Symptoms of depression include a prolonged period of sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feeling of low self-worth, loss of sleep or appetite and lack of concentration. At its worst, depression leads to suicides. Through this Insight and the series that will follow, we hope to show that it is sometimes possible to prevent it going that far.
See attached file: Mental health and seafarers: It’s time to talk.pdf
