January 21, 2011
Mental Health
Irish Examiner (Monday, 17 January 2011)
First Fortnight is an arts-based mental health awareness project that combines music, art and discussion to challenge mental health prejudice and discrimination. Here, Michael Pope and Tony Wright, of headline acts Le Galaxie and And So I Watch You From Afar, speak about their own experiences with mental health issues; “I found myself quite lucky to be in Ireland. As under-funded and under-resourced as the whole health service is, the doctors were great. If I had been in America I would have worried it would be medication as a solution. But here it was more like, "we're going to try medication and try it in tandem with some other things to get you better".
'Silence stigmatises' mothers with mental health problems
Irish Examiner (Monday, 17 January 2011)
There is a "conspiracy of silence" among healthcare practitioners and women in general when it comes to mothers who have a mental health problem. Professor Agnes Higgins, of Trinity College Dublin, said mothers with a mental illness feel isolated and afraid to talk about the problem for fear their child might be taken away. She said there was areal need for healthcare practitioners to change the way they think to alleviate the pressures on mothers. Prof Higgins is supervising a study which aims to talk to 40 women around the country in relation to mothering and mental health problems.
Mental Health Service
Plans to keep acute mental health patients at hospital
Wexford Echo (Thursday, 20 January 2010)
Brendan Howlin has promised to open acute mental health beds at Wexford General Hospital to patients in need. Under the current government’s strategy Wexford and Waterford form part of an extended catchment area. However, people who require inpatient care will be looked after either in Waterford or Wicklow.
Opening the shop door in mental health
Irish Times (Tuesday, 18 January 2010)
A Dublin clinic which aims to prevent full-blown mental health crises by providing early intervention at affordable prices plans to open similar centres in Cork and Limerick. psychologist Krystian Fikert operates what can best be described as a walk-in high street clinic for a range of basic psychological services. His MyMind centre in Dublin’s Ranelagh provides clients with swift access to a team of counsellors, psychotherapists and psychologists.
Numbers seeking counselling in Kerry over money worries rise
Irish Examiner (Monday, 17 January 2010)
A counselling centre for young people in Co Kerry has reported a rise in numbers seeking help this month. The South West Counselling Centre, in Killarney, yesterday said it was dealing with more and more young people in distress. Figures for 2010 showed an increase of 250 hours of one-to-one counselling over 2009.
Suicide Prevention
Phone a Friend suicide prevention project
Connaught Telegraph (Tuesday, 18 January 2010)
A new suicide prevention project is being piloted in Westport. An initiative of the recently established 50/50 Phone a Friend organisation, the campaign will highlight six 24-hour helpline numbers available for people who are depressed or suicidal. A specially commissioned plaque will be placed on toilet walls where members of the public have access, such as pubs, schools and workplaces.
