Wellbeing 09 Apr, 2020 Are seafarers more susceptible to mental health problems? Emma Forbes-Gearey Loss Prevention Officer Mental health concerns are one of the main causes leading to an inability to work and the development of issues such as anxiety. In addition to the personal impact, the cost to the global economy of mental health issues is enormous, both in direct monetary terms and in decreased productivity. Download PDF Mental health concerns are often characterised as being at “crisis point” worldwide and continue to increase. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least 264 million people suffer from depression alone and the scale of this problem has extensive material impacts.   What is the difference between mental health and mental disorder? Mental health is the wellbeing of the individual – every individual – irrespective of whether they suffer from a diagnosed disorder or not. Disorders are characterised by a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviours and relationships with others, some examples being bipolar affective disorder, dementia, and schizophrenia. Mental health can include aspects of these symptoms but is a more general term and can include factors such as the quality of the work environment – both physical and psychological (i.e. harassment and bullying) – social isolation and job satisfaction or stress. Everyone can suffer poor mental health, even without a diagnosed disorder. Depression can be both a diagnosed disorder and a more general feeling of mental unease and can lead to significant problems for the individual. A helpful WHO fact sheet on mental health in the workplace can be found here Mental Health In The Workplace . Are seafarers more susceptible to mental health problems? The life of a seafarer means living and working under more challenging conditions than most people. Theirs is a continuous routine, seven days a week, working and living onboard the vessel, sometimes for very lo