Abstract
Psychological problems over the course of isolated missions in extreme environments are common, even with modern screening techniques. Occasionally, these problems warrant evacuation of the afflicted individual but no in-depth insight into such a case has been given in modern times, until now. A 21-year-old man – Albert – developed severe psychological distress over the course of a winter expedition to the Polish Polar Station, Svalbard. We collected data on his mental health and his mood using the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised and the Profile of Mood States, and we assessed his cognitive functions with the Sustained Attention to Response Task and the Test of Everyday Attention. Phenomenological interviews gave him room to relate his experience. The data collection occurred repeatedly during the mission, until his evacuation. Albert struggled to derive joy from his work at the station. He missed his loved ones at home, and he felt he was cognitively declining due to intellectual deprival. His attempt at combing his life at home and his life at the station led to him feeling increasingly depressed. Crawfordian case analysis suggests that he felt more depressed than other team members at the station, and men of equal age and education in their home environment (p < 001). We attempted an intervention using emotional freedom techniques (EFT) to help improve his symptoms. It was moderately successful. Albert’s evacuation was medically warranted. The intervention temporarily alleviated his depressive symptoms. More such case studies should be conducted wherever possible.
Highlights
Extreme environments feature three core characteristics: a hazardous physical surrounding, a demanding mission goal, and limited communications with loved ones at home (Blair 1991, p. 57)
The qualitative analyses precede the quantitative analyses because only they can answer the question of how Albert experienced the Polish Polar Station
We lost a part of the quad so we had to bring a certain metal finder, so we found it in the sea
Summary
Extreme environments feature three core characteristics: a hazardous physical surrounding, a demanding mission goal, and limited communications with loved ones at home (Blair 1991, p. 57). Isolated research stations in both polar regions – Antarctica and the Arctic – qualify as extreme environments: Antarctica is the highest, coldest, windiest, and driest of all continents (Palinkas 1990) where evacuation is nigh impossible during the winter months (Grant et al 2007), and while the High Arctic climate is milder (Steel et al 1997), there are dangerous predators such as polar bears which contribute to the environment’s hostility (Norwegian Polar Institute 2005) This results in fire arms – which are banned in Antarctica – being a necessity at Arctic stations. There is a plethora of research describing such mental health
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
