Healthy Mind
Understanding mental health.
How do you explain your feelings and worries? Who can help you if you are too shy to ask for help? Does anyone notice when it feels like your world is falling apart? Suicide and depression are huge problems in Ireland today. 10 per cent of the Irish population suffers from depression. But mental illness is a taboo subject and we can often overlook this.
Mental health is a way to describe the state of your mind, feelings, emotions and nerves.
Mental health is the balance between all aspects of life–social, physical, spiritual and emotional. It impacts on how we manage our surroundings and make choices in our lives–clearly it is an integral part of our overall health. Mental health is far more than the absence of mental illness and has to do with many aspects of our lives including:
- How we feel about ourselves.
- How we feel about others.
- How we are able to meet the demands of life.
In this section you’ll find information to help you understand mental health, tips for staying in good mental health and links to support services. If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or self harm, you should immediately contact your local doctor or go to the A&E department of the nearest hospital. The doctors and hospitals in your area will be listed in the Golden Pages. See the Help Section for supportive information and contact details of support organisations.
Some content thanks to YouthHealthNE authors.
Further information
Aware
Email: info@aware.ie
Helpline: 1890 303 302
Aware provides support for those suffering with depression.
GROW
Email: info@grow.ie
Infoline: 1890 474 474
GROW helps people who have suffered, or are suffering, from mental health problems. Members are helped to recover from all form of breakdown, or indeed, to prevent such happening.
Samaritans
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Tel: 1850 60 90 90
Samaritans provides confidential non-judgemental support, 24 hours a day for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide.
Childline
Text 'talk' to 50101
Tel: 1800 66 66 66
Helpline offering advice and support to children and young people under 18. Helpline number does not appear on telephone bill.
Pieta House
Email: mary@pieta.ie
Tel: 01 601 0000
Pieta House offers specialised treatment to clients who self-harm, suffer from suicidal ideation or have made multiple suicide attempts. Clients receive an intensive programme of one-to-one counselling lasting about four to six weeks.
Console
Email: info@console.ie
Helpline: 1800 201 890
Supports and helps people bereaved through suicide. The Helpline offers a confidential listening service for people bereaved through suicide.
National Suicide Bereavement Support Network
NSBSN Group Directory
Offer support, support groups and information to those bereaved by suicide.
Living Links
Email: info@livinglinks.ie
Mobile: 087 412 2052
Trained volunteers offer confidential, practical support and advice to families who have experienced a death by suicide in a number of counties.
