PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT
The psychological profile of the seafarers has always been underestimated and many underlying problems have been overlooked. In fact not many who are not practising maritime medicine are not actually aware that seafarers work in a very different environment, totally different from that we are normally familiar. After many years of seeing them, visiting ships after ships, we are familiar with their working and accomodation. This has helped in assessing and helping those who are in great need of this help. As all of us now are aware that the Mind is the the Creator of all good things but it is also the Creator of all evils Imaginary symptoms can become real and although those that are not real can be equally affected. If not more incapacitating, they do not feel well. We have seen a great rise in the number of this mentally disturbed patients working on the ship in recent years and we must be on the alert of this trend and help to prevent anyone suffering from this to be trapped on the ship. When it became serious, appropriate help in this area is totally absent and most the patient can be dangerous for those who are working with him. Not to say they can cause a disaster of great proportion. Those suffering of these condition may manifest in other ways like alcohol and drug abuse, violence and misbehavior. We have to note not only the person but also the working environment of the seafarer and working closely together we can actually reduce cost of operations and incidents of accidents. We can provide the necessary medical assessment, treatment and medical analysis and if necessary referral to the appropriate specialists for those suffering from this condition.
