Omar Iqbal - Shadowy Sh*t. The Side of Offshore Life We Don’t Talk About

This is one of the more honest conversations we’ve had on Wind, Waves & Wells.

Omar joins me to talk through a journey that starts in Bradford and ends up offshore, travelling the world in oil and gas. But this one goes far deeper than job titles, projects, or locations.

We get into what the industry is really like when you first step into it The egos, the pressure, and the identity that comes with the job

And then we shift into something far more real

Mental health Childhood trauma Attachment to career and status What happens when everything stops and you are left with yourself

Omar opens up about experiences he carried for decades, the impact it had on his life, relationships, and career, and how he eventually faced it head on through therapy, self work, and writing his book.

This is not a polished story It is a real one

If you work offshore, in energy, or in any high pressure environment, there will be parts of this that hit home.

00:20 – Introduction and Omar’s background 01:10 – From Bradford to oil and gas 03:30 – First job and early industry exposure 06:00 – First offshore trip and Angola experience 09:10 – Realising the scale of the industry 11:10 – Offshore culture, egos, and identity struggles 12:20 – Attaching self worth to job titles 14:00 – Industry downturns and mental impact 16:20 – Advice for people going through downturns 18:10 – Moving into nuclear and career reflections 20:20 – Writing the book and personal growth 21:30 – Opening up about childhood trauma 24:30 – Mental health struggles and coping mechanisms 27:00 – Work as a coping mechanism 28:00 – Hitting breaking point and seeking help 31:00 – Therapy, self discovery, and identity 34:10 – Suicide attempts and darkest periods 35:40 – Returning offshore with a new mindset 36:50 – Real conversations offshore about mental health 38:20 – Relatability and breaking down barriers 39:00 – Psychedelics, healing, and perspective shifts 41:00 – Are people in the industry struggling? 42:20 – Being treated as a number offshore 42:50 – Raising awareness for mental health 44:00 – Is the industry changing? 45:20 – Advice for those struggling offshore 46:30 – Writing the book process and emotional toll 50:50 – Have you come out the other side? 52:20 – What younger Omar would think now 53:40 – Proudest moment 55:50 – Final thoughts and closing Show Sponsors: https://elite360x.nl/vital-30-busines...