AMSEA highlights fishermen’s mental health during Mental Health Awareness month

By Sofia Stuart-Rasi

Published May 30, 2024 at 5:29 PM AKDT

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Tens of millions of Americans live with mental health challenges, and fishermen are no exception. According to the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association, the physical and mental demands of work at sea leave fishermen vulnerable to substance misuse, isolation and unpredictability.

In this episode of "Island Interviews," Dr. Leann Cyr, executive director of AMSEA, discusses the stressors fishermen face, and offers some mental health self-care tips.

If you or someone you know is in an emotional crisis in Unalaska, call USAFV at (907) 581-1500 or text 907-359-1500 between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. You can also contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.

This interview originally aired on KUCB on May 28, 2024.

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Sofia Stuart-Rasi

Sofia was born and raised in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She’s reported around the U.S. for local public radio stations, NPR and National Native News. Sofia has a Master of Arts in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism from the University of Montana, a graduate certificate in Documentary Studies from the Salt Institute and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder. In between her studies, Sofia was a ski bum in Telluride, Colorado for a few years.

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