It is known that due to their nature of work, seafarers are often exposed to difficult working conditions, causing them job stress. Namely, job stress relates to a serious physiological condition that causes adverse mental and physical reactions to the body, such as the well-known panic attacks.
To begin with, panic attacks include extreme anxiety and physical sensations of fear, for example increased heart rate, shortness of breath, trembling and muscle tension. However, when looking at panic attacks, it is important to understand that not all the symptoms mentioned above need to be present to diagnose someone with an anxiety disorder.
Panic attacks occur frequently and unexpectedly and are often not related to any external threat, while they can last from a few minutes to half an hour. Thus, the physical and emotional effects of the attack may last for a few hours. For the record, up to 35% of the population experience a panic attack at some time in their lives. Although nearly 90% of people who have attacks get relief after treatment.
According to UK P&I Club, seafarers, as people who are exposed to adverse working conditions with multiple stressors, are a population at risk of panic attacks. A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear and discomfort that peaks within minutes, and involves combinations of the following symptoms:
- a racing heartbeat
- feeling faint
- sweating
- nausea
- chest pain
- shortness of breath
- trembling
- hot flushes
How to avoid panic attacks onboard:
- Do breathing exercises every day will help to prevent panic attacks and relieve them when they are happening.
- Stay active; regular exercise will help you to manage stress levels, release tension, improve your mood and boost confidence.
- Eat regular meals to stabilize your blood sugar levels and avoid caffeine, alcohol or smoking, as they can make panic attacks worse.
- Manage your time. Make to-do lists and give yourself enough time for each job. Don’t commit to more work than you can handle.
- Give yourself enough time to get the sleep you need and establish a consistent sleep routine.
Keep in mind that pharmaceutical therapies for panic attacks focus on immediate relief and prevention. An issue with pharmaceutical therapies is that some of the medications can actually produce anxiety symptoms, so their use should always be monitored by a doctor.
The next time you feel a panic attack coming on:
- do not fight it
- stay where you are, if possible
- breathe slowly and deeply
- remind yourself that the attack will pass
- focus on positive, peaceful and relaxing images
- remember it’s not life threatening
Improving job security and spending less time away from their families can reduce the anxiety and stressors that may result in panic attacks. Overall, the steps that can be taken to ensure the wellbeing of seafarers dealing with Panic Disorder are the same steps used to deal with anxiety
…The UK P&I Club concluded.
