World Suicide Prevention Day
World Suicide Prevention Day is an important annual event to raise awareness of suicide. Sophia Grant, Crew Health Programme Director, shared her thoughts on mental wellbeing and suicide.
Throughout my experience with UK P&I Club Crew Health, sadly, I have encountered instances of suicide among crew members. Each case is unique, yet a common theme persists; the profound impact these incidents have on everyone involved. The prevailing emotions are sadness and the haunting question of “could this have been prevented?”
These incidents highlight the necessity for ongoing education and awareness. One reason I chose to become a Mental Health First Aider.
The training in Mental Health First Aid, along with SafeTalk (a program focused on suicide alertness), has empowered me to address the topic of suicide more effectively. I have learned to identify warning signs, engage with individuals in need, and connect them to appropriate resources for additional support.
The collaborations I have established with maritime charities and Crew Health partners reinforce this message for me.
The maritime industry boasts some remarkable initiatives, such as the ISWAN Seafarerhelp SeafarerHelp - International Seafarers' Welfare & Assistance Network (iswan.org.uk) support service, the Mission to Seafarers WeCare WeCare Programme | Supporting Seafarers | The Mission to Seafarers and Safetalk Programmes (Delivering suicide prevention support for seafarers through LivingWorks SafeTALK program | The Mission to Seafarers), and the Sailors’ Society Crisis Response Network Sailors Society (sailors-society.org)
It is crucial that we continue to promote these services, ensuring our members are aware of training opportunities and that crew members know where to seek help when necessary.
Some people may express fatigue over discussions about Mental Health. However, to me, this is a positive sign, as it indicates an awareness of the topic and suggests people have been exposed to it frequently. Just a decade ago, conversations about Mental Wellbeing were far less common.
Mental Health impacts everyone and we all exist on a continuous spectrum. Whether acknowledged or not, many individuals have faced challenges related to mental health, either personally or through an experience of someone close to them. Most of us have also been touched by the tragedy of suicide. Be it involving a public figure, a family member, or a friend. In those moments, it is natural to wonder, “What could I have done to help?” One way to make a difference is by education and arming yourself with the knowledge of how to assist someone in need.
If just one life can be saved through the awareness raised on World Suicide Prevention Day, then all our efforts are undoubtedly worthwhile. This is why I am supporting World Suicide Prevention Day.
With the World Suicide Prevention Day in mind, I asked Capt. David Watkins at Crew Health partners Befrienders Worldwide and CHIRP Maritime to share his thoughts about Suicide Prevention in Maritime.
Remembering those that keep the primary global supply chain operating.
The anniversary date for world suicide prevention day, 10th September, evokes memories for countless millions each year for those who have suffered the trauma of being affected by a life lost to the suicide of a family member or friend.
The loss of a seafarer to suicide affects not just the seafarer's family but all those on board who worked with their colleagues and friends. There is usually an overwhelming sense of “I cannot understand why they took their life”.
Comments like, “I thought I knew the person well enough to know if something was troubling him”, or, “I don’t understand; He only needed to come to me, and I would help!”
However, the seafarer never approached anyone and asked for help. Signs of the emotional crisis were masked, ignored, or not understood, and the seafarer was left alone.
Many questions arise from suicide on board a ship, not least was it a suicide, an accident or something more sinister. The mental anguish created affects everyone, not just the immediate family and seafarer's friends, but the vessel's crew, owners, and managers.
Much work has been taking place recently to focus on seafarers' mental health and well-being, mainly due to the pandemic, which affected seafarers disproportionately due to their isolation from home and friends.
The Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) and the Maritime Charities Group (MCG) commissioned a team of maritime specialists who created a standard for seafarers’ mental health awareness and well-being training. Several companies have incorporated mental health and well-being training into their ongoing training programmes, and some have adopted this standard.
MNTB is publishing the Standard and is available from maritime publishers Witherbys for a nominal £10 fee. To buy a copy, please see https://www.witherbyseamanship.com/a-standard-for-seafarers-mental-health-and-wellbeing-training-ebook.html.
The very nature of seafaring requires real inner strength and resilience to cope with shipboard life and separation from those you know, and from time to time, that inner strength gives way, and we no longer feel resilient but vulnerable. It’s at these times that we need to have someone to speak to just to be heard. Nothing fancy, high level or complex, but someone who actively listens to you gives you the time to offload your emotional concerns and will not judge what you say. Someone who does not provide advice but has empathy can understand where you are emotionally and allow you the time to unravel the problems you are experiencing.
Organisations like the seafarer's charities provide excellent support in port; others, like the International Seafarers Welfare Assistant Network (ISWAN), offer a wide range of support for seafarers, including emotional support. International Seafarers' Welfare & Assistance Network (iswan.org.uk)
With its global network of seafarers' support centres, the Befrienders Worldwide charity also provides emotional support. Befrienders Worldwide | Emotional support to prevent suicide worldwide https://help.befrienders.org
All companies are encouraged to have resources and provisions to support seafarers emotionally. This requires basic training for shipboard crews to recognise when someone is in trouble, anxious, depressed or expressing suicidal thoughts or emotions. Equally important is having a ship management team suitably trained to understand the potential for an emotional breakdown on board a ship, which can impact the safe running of the vessel.
World Suicide Prevention Day is rightly commemorated. For seafarers, the prevalence of suicidal ideation is higher than in other comparative industries, with many statistics revealing that thoughts of taking their life can be a daily occurrence in those very badly in emotional crisis. (Sailors’ Society / YALE Survey March 2018. (Sailors Society (sailors-society.org))
Low self-worth and low esteem often can compound the emotions of those suffering. Still, the public, led by a more comprehensive media education campaign, can significantly help promote seafarers' intrinsic value and vital role in keeping the world's global economy functioning. Small acts of recognition can go some way to being valued and, in some cases, be a lifeline to live.
It is great to see new initiatives surrounding mental wellbeing coming through in the Maritime industry. There are already several well-established training programmes and support services available to the crew. Some of these are listed below. UK P&I Club Members may seek further advice through the Crew Health team at peme.ukclub@thomasmiller.com.
Further resources for mental health support can be found through UK P&I Club and our maritime charity partners: -
UK P&I Club Crew Health Mental Health page
Befrienders Worldwide Seafarers help
Sailors Society Support for Seafarers
ISWAN – Seafarer help multi platform support
Stella Maris Seafarer support and help
Sea Hospital Society Seafarers Advice & Information Line
Statistics and information provided within this article are correct at the time of publishing.
