Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

This is a very good question!! Before I went working on the ship, we had to go through all sort of medical exams and one of them was a psycho test and just therapy-like meeting. We had medical exams every second contract, every 16 months to be precise. So no, in my case we weren't allowed to have mental health problems. It was a big NO but of course you probably realized that if you remember how I used to freak out after only few months spent at the sea. Imagine how hard it would be for those who suffer. We couldn't just leave when we wanted. I mean, we could but it would mean we're not coming back to work anymore. We were allowed to take early work breaks but only if something serious happens like breaking a leg, arm, if a close family member dies (mother, father, brother, sister), and similar stuff. In other cases like stomach ache, dizziness, seasickness and similar, you just have to work somehow. Working on the ship was a modern-day slavery...

No idea if I'd tell my boss about mental health challenges if I suffer seriously. I think it depends on what kind of work are you performing, what kind of company you're part of.

~Minja