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When a holiday or any kind of festivities come around, it is supposed to be a happy, joyful time of year. However, this can be tough time for many people, for lots of different reasons. 

This can be an expensive time of year, and worrying about money and the pressure to spend can be stressful. Holidays traditionally spent with family and friends can bring up lots of emotions, particularly for those who may have lost a loved one or experienced trauma in the past. It can also be a lonely time of year, especially if you are away from home. 

Through our 24-hour helplines, SeafarerHelp and YachtCrewHelp, we hear from seafarers around the world who are finding the holidays difficult. A deck cadet contacted us a week before Christmas when he could not afford to purchase data on board to contact his family. He was missing them – it had been over a month since he had spoken with them, and he was waiting for a promotional offer so he could afford to buy some data. He sent a live chat message to SeafarerHelp to see if someone was there to talk to. Sometimes we just need a listening ear, and the cadet said he felt happy after speaking to us. He later contacted us again when he was feeling lonely, and we provided further support. 

Loneliness can be amplified on board if you are feeling disconnected from your crewmates. A cadet contacted us around the holidays and said she felt other crew members had been avoiding her since she became friendlier with a senior officer. She said they used to share jokes and laugh, but now they do not even look at her if they see each other. She was feeling stressed and upset, so we listened and provided emotional support and guidance. 

We also hear from seafarers who are facing more practical challenges with a knock-on impact on their mental wellbeing. We received an anonymous e-mail the day before Christmas Eve reporting that the internet on board had disappeared and the crew were desperate to talk to their families. There had been very limited internet for some time and the crew said the company was ignoring the issue. We referred this case to Stella Maris and the ITF, who said they would support the crew. 

In another case, a seafarer contacted us on Christmas Day to report that the crew on his ship were not allowed to go ashore. Shore leave provides an important opportunity to decompress and unwind away from the vessel and we understand how valuable this is, so we referred this case to the local ITF inspector to investigate. 

If you need someone to talk to, we are here to listen – about anything, anytime. Contact us this holiday season if you need to talk. Our helplines are free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and we offer support in over 12 languages.

SeafarerHelp (for all seafarers and their families):

• Telephone: +44 (0)20 7323 2737 (or request a call back here)
• Live Chat: via www.iswan.org.uk/seafarerhelp
• E-mail: [email protected]
• WhatsApp: +44 (0)7909 470732
• Facebook Messenger: m.me/seafarerhelp

YachtCrewHelp (for yacht crew and their families):

• Telephone: +44 (0)20 3713 7273 (or request a call back here)
• Live Chat: via www.iswan.org.uk/yachtcrewhelp
• E-mail: [email protected]
• WhatsApp: +44 7514 500153

For more support with taking care of your mental wellbeing, please contact our helplines – our helpline officers can assist you with finding strategies that work best for you. You can also find tips and guidance in our Good Mental Health Guides:

Steps to Positive Mental Health, Psychological Wellbeing at Sea, Managing Stress and Sleeping Well at Sea

You can also try our audio relaxation exercise here.