OCTOBER 2009

Mental Health Programme

This week, as Serenity House launched a walk for Mental Health along the shore in Moville, Minster John Maloney was launching www.letsomeoneknow.ie as part of the HSE's National Office for Suicide Prevention's Mental Health Awareness Programme for Young People, local Senator Cecilia Keaveney has said. "We who walk the shore or indeed walk anywhere understand the therapeutic role of nature to assist in mental health matters. However when you can walk and talk with friends you gain an added and important dimension in that you can be encouraged to open up and discuss issues that are worrying you. This ability not just to exercise but also to exorcise is important to all ages," she said.

The local Senator added that the HSE's National Office for Suicide Prevention announced the findings of new research, which show that, when asked their opinions of what helps or hurts mental health, 86% of Young People regarded isolation as something that hurts mental health.

The research shows that alcohol, peer pressure and drugs are the top three problems young people face today, while bullying and exam pressure are also in the top five. Like for other age groups a key theme that comes in the research is isolation. Young people are willing to help each other but for them too it needs to be made "OK" to ask or offer help."

She added that encouragingly, young people seem to have a fairly good understanding as to what makes good/bad mental health. Talking to a friend, family member or someone their own age where seen as the most useful, followed by a youth worker, GP or teacher. Self-service sources such as the Internet and social media/networking sites are rated as more helpful than asking an expert. This can be dangerous too, as many Internet sites have been known to have a negative goal for vulnerable people that access them and so knowledge of organisations/websites that offer help to young people in relation to mental health, while low needs a strong focus, which is the reason for www.letsomeoneknow.ie

The local Senator said she hoped that all people can help advocate the messages of seeking signs of mental health pressure and being there to help a family member or friend.

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