Mental Health of isolated outpost residents

[ThereIWas3]

Maintaining the proper group dynamics is the responsibility of everyone.  You can not make one person responsible for it.   Japanese society works in such crowded conditions because everybody participates it and knows the rules of correct behavior.    Though there are some who completely withdraw and literally live in one room, called the hikikomori.

In the "Red Mars" trilogy, Michel, the psychologist in the initial crew, was one of the people who could not deal with living on Mars and had to return to Earth.

[DaveJes1979]

Any Mars settlement is almost certainly going to have a small ratio of females.  This disproportion, itself, will be the source of tension and problems as the months tick by. 

In insular environments, venereal diseases also tend to be a problem.

[spacenut]

What do they do in Antarctica?  Snow everywhere through the long cold winters?  Seems like Mars will have a lot more work to do to keep people busy and occupied to avoid boredom. 

[Slarty1080]

Any Mars settlement is almost certainly going to have a small ratio of females.  This disproportion, itself, will be the source of tension and problems as the months tick by. 

In insular environments, venereal diseases also tend to be a problem.

I don't see why there should be fewer females or any problem with venereal diseases. Initially at least and probably for a very long time, there will be far more people who want to go to Mars than there is room for so people will be selected by some sort of committee. It is hard to see them selecting all men (or all women) in this day and age. In addition, before anyone flew they would be subject to an intense medical. Every attempt would be made to prevent contaminating the Mars colony with unwanted pathogens, venereal diseases included. Even if there were an outbreak, once it was identified it would be relatively easy to track down who had it and give them antibiotics as the colony would be relatively small for a long time.

[Eric Hedman]

Any Mars settlement is almost certainly going to have a small ratio of females.  This disproportion, itself, will be the source of tension and problems as the months tick by.

Why would a Mars settlement "almost certainly" have a small ratio of females?  I know there are more men than women in STEM fields, but there should still be a fairly large pool of highly qualified women to draw from for going to Mars.  Part of the selection criteria may be what keeps a more stable social environment.  Gender balance may be important in maintaining that, so why not?

[Eric Hedman]

I am adding this here because it probably doesn't need a new thread.  Two technicians died in Antarctica who had been working on a fire suppression system.  I can imagine this is also the kind of risk a lunar or Mars outpost can have that could add to the stress:

https://apnews.com/9ed2dc90892944459f2268b0c0a5eba5

[Elvis in Space]

My father was a Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy. He was a fervent believer in the adage that "idle hands are the devil's workshop" and handled both me and his sailors accordingly. He was fond of pointing out that all of the endless manual tasks on a ship from incessant chipping and painting to peeling potatoes were important not only for the obvious reasons but it kept sailors busy. "Too busy to get into trouble" was another mantra of his. At the time I didn't understand that this was also a reason he insisted on me and my siblings always being on sports teams or otherwise involved with something. I have to admit it was a successful strategy.

When a cousin of mine joined the USN and became a nuclear machinists mate on strategic missile subs I was amazed at how he would remain sane being underwater in a confined space with 140 guys for 2 or 3 months. My cousin was a very reserved sort but he was only human. This was when my father explained a great deal about being busy to me but he also pointed out that my cousin would have the additional distraction of "the mission". His was a job where every hour was just as important as any other and that focus was a big part of not losing your mind no matter what your personality was like. Time doesn't mean as much when you have a goal. Personal behavior doesn't affect things as greatly when you have to rely on the guy next to you to stay alive. "The mission" was what made many days in his Navy more than "just a boat trip."

[whitelancer64]

About a thousand people have wintered over In Antarctica every year in the 70 since the IGY.  There have been a handful of incidents, during that time (perhaps 4-5), including a suspicious death at the US south pole station.  Compared to other risks it is not to be ignored but it is very small.

This. It is worth noting that such violence is quite rare. TV shows about space missions will dramatize inter-personal conflicts it for ratings, but it's not likely to be a big factor on actual missions. As far as I know there have been nothing even close to such incidents on the ISS.

All crewmembers should be very thoroughly trained in de-escalation of conflicts.

[Robotbeat]

Good idea to make a large Mars city, then, not an isolated outpost.

[mikelepage]

I think there's something to be said for having a *lot* of plant life around (and to a lesser extent animal life). Not just as a way to grow food, or as part of a closed loop ECLSS, but just as a way to maintain a diversity of textures, sights, sounds and smells. In the absence of being able to truly go outside, it still seems like a no-brainer psychologically to be able to have a sense of inside/outside, whilst within the habitat.

[1]

What do they do in Antarctica?  Snow everywhere through the long cold winters?  Seems like Mars will have a lot more work to do to keep people busy and occupied to avoid boredom.

3+ year old post, but I'll chime in.

Years ago, I applied for a research assistant position in Antarctica with my company. Options were a 6 month tour of duty, or a 12 month tour of duty. The latter required a psychological evaluation before even being considered for the position due to the whole 'six months of night' thing.

I never heard back from the hiring manager, which I've since discovered is a common occurrence when requisitions are opened with a particular candidate in mind. Oh well. But, I've since become convinced that the first settlers on Mars will be pre-screened to filter out those who simply don't have 'the grit' for the job; as it were.

Potential dead weight, at least in the near term, simply will not be risked.

At some point, the colony will grow to the point where there are sufficient leisure and recreational options around where 'normal' people can be expected to function well enough. But for the first few years (decades?), I very much expect the crew will be chosen from those who are self-hardened against cabin fever; and will have little trouble with tight quarters, minimal sunlight, and dealing with minor crises on a semi-regular basis.

Exploring the proverbial frontier simply isn't for everyone. Very real risk of death will need to be understood and accepted. Bravado, pride, and machismo will have no place here. I very much expect the situation will be less about what we can do to help the settlers, and much more about what the settlers can teach the rest of us about making a home in an otherwise completely inhospitable world.

[DreamyPickle]

My opinion is that it's not "isolation" that is dangerous but sharing a small confined space with the same handful of people for at least 2-3 years. Even the smallest friction can escalate and there is literally nowhere to go.

I couldn't do it.

[JayWee]

Yeah, but you keep busy with the internet. Look how much time you spend on your phone. On Mars? The light-delay will make that difficult.

[Twark_Main]

Easy enough to put a big CDN on Mars caching most of the most popular internet content.

For anything else, you just wait. Obviously real-time gaming or videoconferencing isn't possible (unless the other person is on Mars), but everything else is perfectly accessible, it's just on a small delay.

If your Youtube show is published 22 minutes late, you're not gonna notice. It's not like you'd be sitting at your desk waiting: you'd just be pre-selecting content to download later (eg "when XYZ Youtube channel publishes a new video, download it and notify me when it's done").

[Barley]

I suspect that for a long time the speed of light (optical or radio) bandwidth to Mars will be limited, and most data will be transferred on starships.  Only a limited amount of new, first run content will be available on Mars, for most content the wait will be months or years.  There may be serious disagreements whether to prioritize Bridgerton:Season 25, Die Hardest XV 3D, or Call of Duty:Bug Wars.

[sghill]

Easy enough to put a big CDN on Mars caching most of the most popular internet content.

For anything else, you just wait. Obviously real-time gaming or videoconferencing isn't possible (unless the other person is on Mars), but everything else is perfectly accessible, it's just on a small delay.

If your Youtube show is published 22 minutes late, you're not gonna notice. It's not like you'd be sitting at your desk waiting: you'd just be pre-selecting content to download later (eg "when XYZ Youtube channel publishes a new video, download it and notify me when it's done").

THIS!!! ^

Also, I expect Massively Multiplayer games on local servers will be huge as a way to break the tedium for the duration of the cruise and also for the colonists.

Sailors have coped with boredom for thousands of years by performing necessary and repetitive tasks such as maintenance, cleaning, and learning new skills while underway.

Finally, the creation of "cottage" goods and produce for trading in the local economy cannot be over stated.  A good tomato, cucumber, and lettuce salad on Mars along with a local beer is going to be worth a lot. It's also a great way to keep up mental acuity.

In fact, I suspect most of a settlement's economic activity will involve locally grown or crafted trades whose value is determined by the equivalent cost of shipping them there. It certainly does here on Earth.

Because items like fresh produce or booze will be outlandishly expensive on Mars, they are natural things for the colonists to devote any downtime towards creating on their own in the limited personal space they have to do so.

Anyone who has spent time at a frontier village museum knows this lesson.

[Slarty1080]

One thing in favour of a health mental state at least initially, will be the vast amount of resource spent on helping ensure that there are no problems. The crews will be selected in part for their compatibility and mental stability. The people planning the missions will be very much aware of the need to provide a rich and varied work environment, good food and appropriate relaxation.

There will be plenty to do as well as monitoring the ship and the crews health there will also probably be a range of other experiments to tend or monitor, reports will be required and regular excersie will be key. No doubt the crew will also be supplied with entertainment by way of films, books, games and provide both public broadcasts as well as more personal communications for friends and family. There will also be the possibility of discussion and detailed planning following any developments from earlier robotic ships.

When they get to the surface the list of activities will probably expand even further with deployment of equipment, habitats and a wide range of experiments (everything from monitoring crew health, to trying to find or confirm the best way of making regolith bricks to plant experiments), surface exploration and examination of rocks etc etc. As well as setting up ISRU  and heaven knows what else there will still be the rest of the stuff they were doing on the way there.

[WilliamMikesy]

While the isolation and confined space in places like Antarctica or a future Mars outpost can certainly impact one's mental health, I believe it's essential to consider other factors as well. It's not just the environment but also individual coping mechanisms, support systems, and overall mental well-being.
It's crucial to prioritize mental health support for long space voyages or stays on isolated planets. Having a mental health expert or professional as part of the crew could be valuable in providing guidance, counseling, and support to ensure the well-being of everyone involved. For instance, I recently discovered Mental Health Hotline - 866-903-3787, which can be helpful in some crisis situations.
In handling the possibility of violence or conflicts, it's essential to have measures in place to promote safety and security. This could include proper training, conflict resolution strategies, and even security measures like a brig if deemed necessary.

[DanClemmensen]

While the isolation and confined space in places like Antarctica or a future Mars outpost can certainly impact one's mental health, I believe it's essential to consider other factors as well. It's not just the environment but also individual coping mechanisms, support systems, and overall mental well-being.

I recommend the book "Alone", by Richard E. Byrd. Byrd spent 5 months alone in a base near the South pole. The book was written in 1938.

[VaBlue]

Ask the US Navy how they screen sailors for submarine duty. Boomers stay out at sea for months at a time without surfacing. Maybe someone on the forum was a submariner.

Indeed, I was - I rode a fast attack, but its the same thing as a boomer (only better/more fun).  There isn't a lot the Navy does for screening, about half the crew gets to go to submarine school (the forward half, or not nuclear propulsion trained), which includes a Rorschach test (or used to), but the others don't.  And that's pretty much it.  Most rates on boats (ie: subs) get a lot of training before you head to the fleet, so the Navy gets a pretty good idea of who you are.  Once on the boat, though, it becomes perfectly clear who you are.  You either pass the sniff test or you get sent packing.  Most people pass - this proves work ethic, dedication, and common sense - which is really all you need and is largely proven during the various Navy schools.  Without all of those elements you won't get through being pushed to your limits to qualify in submarines.  Qualifying entails learning - literally - every system on the boat to the point where you can credibly perform damage control regardless of the situation (and within a ~10 month timeframe).  Can you troubleshoot or fix anything?  No.  But you know how everything works and all of the major points of isolation.  You get well rounded.

Somewhere in that process, the qualified crew learns whether they can trust you, or not.  If they don't, you're transferred out.  Case closed.  If you're not qualified in submarines, you don't get to stay on them.  As a result, I will still trust my life to anyone I know is qualified.  And I did that ~30-some years ago.  Pretty sure I could still walk the length of the boat without lights, too, while narrating my path.  That's how well we get to know those machines.

How does that translate to a Mars station?  I dunno, but I'd go there with a bunch of other submarine qualified crew and not really be worried about things.