The Merchant Marine Express

Vol. 2, No. 17
AT SEA
This has been quite the unusual week. It has been filled with much uncertainty and frustrations from the ship’s crew as well as myself due to the schedule by the military.

Our prospective date for arrival into port was scrapped and the next date for “calling” port has not been established 100 percent, yet. However, I do know, the situation involving food, fuel and nerves is running dry. The stress level is getting a bit out of hand, for me.
However, I am finding a lot about myself, and the stress my body and mind can tolerate as a result of the demands set by the military, onboard. Basically, without admonishing the secret behind this ship’s mission, we are at the mercy of the directive from the Armed services (plural). The stresses placed on the Watch Officer on this ship, isn’t so much the difficulty of navigation, as much as it is from the ever-so-changing schedule. As an example, while on watch, I could be told to be at a certain location, which is a certain distance, in miles- and be there at a set time. But, then, the plans change the following hour and now the plan was altered and pushed back two hours. Or, the new plan is to set a course for an entirely new location and making new arrangements have to be made. Each day, the uncertainty of the plan exists and I feel like a puppet on a string- being pulled and manipulated!
What I have found out, though, to combat the stress and anxiety is to work out in the gym and run very fast for the first two minutes. The remaining twenty minutes is spent mainly walking fast. We also have a punching bag that hangs in the gym and can be a great outlet for getting your “aggressions out”. The benefits also increase stamina and will make me stronger!
I have always had to cope with anxiety and stress- always worrying about something “new” is a problem I dwell on as many people have told me I do often. My body reacted to it, a few years ago by causing an episode of dizziness and incomprehension that put me in the hospital. Ever since then, I have not really settled back into my normal-feeling self.
With the commitment to working aboard ship, though, the feelings creep back, at times, and a mild feeling of anxiety re-occurs. The key to combating such feelings of anxiety is simply to “read” what your body is telling you. And this is called, in the medical field “bio feedback”. Relief can be found in exercising, massage, or even activity of any kind in order to feel good about yourself, and doing something about what really make you happy. Your body isn’t designed to lounge around and relax to a point when it falls asleep, but quite the opposite. Not just thinking about what you could do, but actively DO what your body is telling you, namely just becoming active in any way, for a few minutes a day can help immeasureably!
My fabulous mother had taught me how to dance at a young age such as ballroom, country-western, and Swing. I’ve incorporated this activity by using these dance moves to the sounds of some of the CD’s I brought. In my room, I dance around and also practice the moves I forgot…of course, no one knows that I do this, onboard! You can only imagine what a sight, but it works as a great stress reliever!
These last few days of being out-to-sea has been a challenge but one that I am handling better now that I know what to do to avoid anxiety and being unsure of myself. Someday, I might want to teach people who have similar feelings of anxiety, the methods that could possibly improve the quality of life for them. There is a lot said for what time “mariners” have at sea to think and utilize in between dreaming of the moment “we” come home. But what we do in our spare time is paramount!
Have a great day everyone!

Tags: USNS Fred Stockham