If you are forced to spend several months, and maybe even years, in a confined space, being away from your home and in the presence of the same persons, then one day you risk falling off. But what to do if an astronaut lost nerves in space? NASA has a very tough instruction.
If you want to become an astronaut / astronaut, you will have to pass physical and psychological tests. So, people with a weak psyche on the ISS will simply not be allowed on (this is a direct threat to the life of the whole crew) But NASA understands that a long stay in isolation inhibits even mentally healthy people.
This is confirmed by experiments in which imitate the living conditions of a colony on another planet. Several people (6-8 people) are closed for months or a year in a special room where they have to adapt to living together. Unfortunately, many such tests have failed. People stopped communicating, quarreling on the basis of everyday life or even sexual relations, closed in on themselves and fell into depression.
During the Mars-500 project, the crew did not leave our planet, but remained in a closed room for 500 days.
But we are planning to colonize the moon and Mars. If you move to the Red Planet, then it will take years only to fly in one direction. What to do if one of the crew members suddenly goes astray and starts behaving suspiciously or aggressively? Now we can consider the situation only on the example of the International Space Station (no one is sending the orbits of people anywhere yet). NASA came up with a clear instruction that includes tape, pills, and even tranquilizers.
So, if the crew noticed an aggression, suicide attempt or madness in a colleague, they should immediately tie his wrists and ankles with adhesive tape, and also wrap the body with a rope (to completely immobilize). If this does not reassure him, it is necessary to inject tranquilizers.
It is also important that weapons are not allowed into space, so astronauts have to cope on their own. When the astronaut calms down, he will be asked to take anti-depressants. If he refuses, he will have to prick against his will. Fortunately, there has not been a single serious case.
NASA astronauts talk to a psychologist every other week. But this concerns the ISS, but what about the flights to Mars? After all, from near-Earth orbit it is much easier to send a man to Earth. If the ship goes to the Red Planet, it will not work.
Then what to do with an inadequate astronaut after landing on Mars? To keep him in a kind of prison of the colony constantly bound? There is no answer yet. Most likely, NASA will complicate the selection procedure and come up with some rules for isolating a mentally unbalanced subject on another planet. But this question remains open.
