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Navigating Mental Health Challenges Among Cruise Ship Crew Members - Part 1

Submitted by kgnadmin on

 

Work on the cruise ship is often undervalued, hectic, and difficult living environment. The same is also for the health of the cruise ship. Before you get a job on a cruise ship, there is a complete medical check-up for work on the cruise ship. They will check everything about you, except your psychological state or if you have some depression. Many crew members are forced to accept cruise ship jobs due to huge bank debts, ill family members, etc. Those crew members are willing to sacrifice themself to help others. Yet, often, depression can reach further development of the hectic working and living environment on board the cruise ship...

The toll on someone's mental health can sometimes be devastating. There were many people I had met on the cruise ship, beautiful people who kept dealing with severe depression. Some people will now say depression, but that is impossible to work on a cruise ship with depression. Yes, it is possible. I am the one who experienced it myself, working for eight months and smiling at all passengers and colleagues, but nobody knew that I had a tremendous battle inside of myself. That battle was silent, never shown to everyone out of respect for my job and professional work approach.

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But sometimes it gets complicated; you feel that you can't do it anymore... That's how I felt at times. Suppose you are one of those people working with depression on a cruise ship. This week I will try to remind you about your unique beauty, that your life matters more than anything else. When you work on the ship, it's a kind of enclosed living environment; often, you can feel like a bubble about to explode any second. Here is the-No matter what happens, no matter the injustice, unfairness, your inner pain or suffering, the bad times do not last. Tough people do last. And yes, the sun will rise again; never forget that. If you are fighting with some tough depression, and for some reason, you are scared or shy to tell anyone else, here are a few words you need to read...

There are many reasons to keep going—no matter the circumstances:

  • You're strong.
  • So many people love you.
  • You can do anything you put your mind to.
  • Every "no" you hear only puts you closer to a "yes."
  • The only way to learn is to experience struggles.
  • Giving up will just put your back to square one.
  • You matter.
  • What you're doing matters.
  • You touch more lives than you could ever guess.
  • It can only go up from here.
  •  You are beautiful.
  • People are here to help you. Reach out to them.
  • If you stop, you'll never make it out of your current situation.
  • There is so much more to life than you're experiencing now.
  • You have a purpose, and you will find it.
  • If you give up now, all your hard work would have been for absolutely nothing.
  • There are always other options. Always.
  • Every day you get on this earth is a gift.
  • Some people could only dream of being in the situation you're in right now.
  • You're blessed.
  • Your presence on this earth impacts more people than you could ever guess.
  • You make a difference in this world. 
  • Better things are coming.
  • Life isn't easy.
  • You will never regret the decision not to give up.
  • You can only get through tough times by doing just that—going through it.
  • The decision to keep going is the only way you can learn.
  • Life gets boring if you stay in one place for too long.
  • Always challenge yourself. That's how you grow.
  • Things tend to seem worse than they are.
  • Your future is brighter than your present.
  • Accomplishment is one of the greatest feelings.
  •  You can do great things.
  • So many people are rooting for you, even if you can't see it.
  • There is always someone you can turn to for help.
  • You're never alone.
  • Future, you will thank the present for powering through this.
  • There's no such thing as success without struggle.
  • You will look back at these difficult moments and thank yourself for overcoming them.
  • The sense of accomplishment and pride you'll feel tomorrow will outweigh any doubt or worry you feel today.
  • Strong people don't give up.
  • People doubt you, but proving them wrong will be the most glorious thing to experience.
  • Your dreams outweigh any hurdle that stands in your way.
  •  The better days are coming
  • If you can dream it, you can do it.
  • Your struggles are someone else's dreams. Take advantage of the opportunity you have.

During particularly hard, brutal times of life, especially on board the ship, many of us have had the experience of feeling like it would be better off if we weren't here or feeling so despairing that we think about giving up on life. 

This post is for you if this is where you find yourself now:

If you find this post in the middle of the night, Googling at 2 am about how to keep going when you don't think you can, I hope this article reaches you, and even one reason from the many listed feels like the fuel you need to just get to the next day.

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Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life and your attitude toward yourself. Whether you're optimistic or pessimistic, it may even affect your health.

Indeed, some studies show that personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being. Positive thinking usually comes with optimism and is a key part of effective stress management. And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits. If you tend to be pessimistic, don't despair — you can learn positive thinking skills.

I know life on the cruise ship can be hard. You don't have your family and friends next to you to talk to about your daily problems and concerns, but remember that the most beautiful sunrise always comes just after dawn. No matter what happens, whatever you experience that makes you feel broken, remember that you are uniquely beautiful and loved, and respected by more people than you can even imagine. Keep going forward; better days are in front of you! Stay safe, and God bless you!

Crew Insights

Articles and experiences shared by crew members working on cruise ship. Find out more about ship life at sea together with tips and advices for first time crew members and cruise oldtimers.

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