Commercial Aviation
Superyacht crew mental health and wellbeing support resources
Every year MedAire receives many calls from yachts relating to mental health. Since most medical issues present with an emotional component, mental health cases may be underreported. Dotted across the world and covering a range of yachting positions, ages, backgrounds, and genders, the data shows that anyone can be affected by mental health issues at some point in their lives.
As we look ahead, we want to highlight two valuable support systems available to superyacht crew in need around the world, as well as a few scenarios of when you might need to access such support.
Global perma-crises are impacting mental health
It’s important not to underestimate the impact of global affairs on mental health.
As stated by International SOS “Pre-existing demands for better mental health support have become even more pressing as employees face increased stress, anxiety and burnout from prolonged exposure to geopolitical tensions, cost of living impacts and uncertainty.”
Within MedAire’s yachting division, we continue to see calls ranging from common issues like anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance to more serious problems like suicidal ideation. With that in mind, here are helpful resources available to superyacht crew who are struggling.
Structured support and counselling for superyacht crew
Ideally, mental health and wellbeing support should be provided through your workplace, much like in the corporate world.
With over 50% of the world’s largest superyachts already using MedAire’s telemedical services, if you are onboard a vessel MedAire serves and are concerned about your own or a crewmate’s wellbeing, you can contact us 24/7 for appropriate diagnosis, escalation, or resources.
As mental and physical health are often intertwined, our medical professionals may suggest treatment plans that consider both aspects for a holistic approach to health.
Many vessels are also signed up to our emotional support add-on, which gives crew members and their families confidential access to five emotional support sessions per crew member, per incident, per year—delivering much-needed comfort to crew whose support network may be thousands of miles away.
Captain Paul Duncan, M/Y Starfire: “An affordable add-on to the MedLink subscription that offers crew access to multiple therapy sessions for crew (and their immediate family), both online and in-person depending on location. There’s full confidentiality for the crew who contact them and, because the costs are subscription-based, crew can call without being concerned about incurring bills (or anyone knowing they’re struggling – one of the biggest hurdles to people seeking help).”
Case study: loss of productivity due to grief
A crew member recently contacted MedAire after the passing of their father, displaying a mixture of grief and guilt. She was also having trouble sleeping, which caused heightened irritability towards other crew members.
Within 15 minutes of calling MedAire, the crew member was speaking to a counsellor. She was grateful for the support, since she felt isolated from friends and family.
She discussed her situation with the counsellor, who suggested ways to cope with the loss given the challenges of getting home to be with her family.
At the same time, MedAire made a teleconsultation referral, allowing her to see a doctor who could prescribe sleeping aids without leaving the yacht.
She received further counselling sessions by phone and face to face, which were essential in building resilience to return to work.
Free superyacht mental health and wellbeing support
The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network’s (ISWAN) YachtCrewHelp helpline is a free, multilingual, confidential resource for those without access to a structured support service through their yacht.
The service is a first port of call for crew members who are having a hard time. Since its launch in November 2020, the helpline has handled over 940 cases on issues including bullying and harassment, mental health and wellbeing, and unemployment.
Whether seeking practical guidance (for example, contractual issues) or emotional support to explore feelings of loneliness, anxiety, or depression, yacht crew can reach out 24/7, 365 days a year, and be assured of reaching someone who cares.
ISWAN’s helpline officers are trained to provide emotional support for issues affecting yacht crew and their families, including support for suicidal callers and those at risk of harm. ISWAN also has a Specialised Support Team for advanced, ongoing support.
As YachtCrewHelp is run by a not-for-profit organisation, it’s important the service is available to those who need it most—for example, crew members who are off-contract or without employer-provided support structures.
To contact YachtCrewHelp or learn more about their work and training courses, click here.
Mental health online training
MedAire provides two virtual training courses to support mental wellbeing onboard, aimed at both crew and managers. The management course focuses on identifying issues and fostering a positive mental health culture onboard, while the crew course covers strategies for developing mental resilience. Find out more about this and our other training options.
Find out more
To learn if your vessel is subscribed to MedAire’s emotional support service, ask your captain or MedAire Account Manager.
If you are considering adding mental health support to your MedAire membership, or want to learn more, contact us here.