Let Someone Know <yourmentalhealth>
"Let Someone know"
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 | Peer pressure | hace 49 días | ||
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| The hardest thing about peer pressure is that it’s usually the people you’re closest to that are causing the problem. Talking to a family member like a brother, sister or cousin can sometimes help if you feel like you can’t talk to an adult. Here’s a great article on assertiveness and how it can help you with peer pressure. http://www.spunout.ie/health/Healthy... | ||||
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| Looking for help | hace 143 días | ||
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| Asking for help Ask for help If you were feeling physically sick you would see a doctor, so don't be embarrassed about getting help for your mental health. Everyone needs help from time to time and there is nothing wrong with asking for it. In fact, asking for help is a sign of personal strength. If you think you need help with your mental health, talk to your local doctor or GP. Contact your local doctor or GP; see 'Doctors - General Practitioners' in the Golden Pages, Republic of Ireland / 'Doctors (Medical Practitioners)' in the Yellow Pages, Northern Ireland. You can also go to http://www.icgp.ie/go/find_a_gp to find your local GP in the Republic of Ireland Talk to a friend, family member or someone you can trust about how you feel. If you don’t want to talk to someone you know, there are lots of organisations who you can speak to in confidence. If you just want to talk to someone who will listen, why not try the Samaritans on 1850 609090 (from Ireland) or, 08457 909090 or email jo@samaritans.org. Childline is a 24-hour a day service for young people up to 18. Contact them on 1800 66 66 66 or through their website www.childline.ie. There's are lots of other organisations which you can talk to in confidence. You can find their details here- http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie/index.... | ||||
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| Anxiety | hace 143 días | ||
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| Everybody feels anxious from time to time. Most of us get stressed before difficult tasks like exams or job interviews. In fact we need a certain amount of anxiety to motivate us, keep us alert and help us avoid dangerous situations. However, if the stressful feelings are too strong or go on for a long period of time, they can stop us from enjoying life. If you are feeling very stressed you may be suffering from anxiety. Sometimes when these feelings are intense and come together at once it is often described as a panic attack. It is important to recognise when your stressful or anxious feelings are getting out of hand so that you can get some help and control your anxiety. Signs of Anxiety Some signs of anxiety include: • Racing heart • Rapid breathing • Feelings of panic • Feeling dizzy or faint • Sweating • Excessive and undue worrying • Not being able to concentrate • Difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep • Tense muscles • Fear of going mad. If you are experiencing anxiety which you think goes beyond normal feelings of stress, you may need to get some help. Getting help will allow you to deal with your anxious feelings. Sometimes people who are experiencing anxiety do not understand why they are feeling that way and are worried that they are going ‘mad’. This can stop them from getting help. Feeling anxious does not mean you are losing your mind and the sooner you get some help the better. Talk to a friend, family member or someone you can trust about how you feel. If you don’t want to talk to someone you know, there are lots of organisations who you can speak to in confidence. If you just want to talk to someone who will listen, why not try the Samaritans on 1850 609090 (from Ireland) or, 08457 909090 or email jo@samaritans.org. Childline is a 24-hour a day service for young people up to 18. Contact them on 1800 66 66 66 or through their website www.childline.ie. Talking to a medical professional is also a good idea. Contact your local doctor or GP; see ‘Doctors - General Practitioners’ in the Golden Pages, Republic of Ireland / ‘Doctors (Medical Practitioners)’ in the Yellow Pages, Northern Ireland. You can also go to http://www.icgp.ie/go/find_a_gp to find your local GP in the Republic of Ireland. | ||||
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| Minding Your Head | hace 212 días | ||
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| Minding Your Head is a website developed by the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland for those who are worried about poor mental health, either their own or that of someone else, as well as those interested in maintaining good mental health. You can check it out here- http://www.mindingyourhead.info | ||||
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| Mental health | hace 340 días | ||
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| Mental health For the next few weeks we're going to look at things we can all do to look after our mental health. Mental health is something we all have and there are things we can to look after it in same way as we look after our physical health. Good mental health helps us get the most out of life and helps us get through difficult times. Looking after your mental health *Eat well* A healthy, balanced diet is important for your mind and body to work properly. Try to eat regularly and aim to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. *Exercise* Regular exercise helps you feel positive and gives your mental health a boost. Find an activity you enjoy and do it regularly. Exercise may feel like hard work (especially if you're feeling down) but it is worth it and will improve your mood. *Relax* It is important to allow yourself time to relax. Relaxing gives you time to unwind and helps you deal with stress. Find something that helps you relax like reading, listening to music or watching TV and fit it into your day. Looking after your mental health *Be creative* Doing something creative can help you when you are feeling low. There are lots of different things you can try- poetry, music, writing, art, cooking. Try out different things and see what you like doing. *Don't binge drink* Drinking alcohol to deal with problems will only make things worse. Drinking can damage your health and won't help you to deal with the cause of your worries. Alcohol is a depressant and overdoing it can increase anxiety and lead to depression. *Talk about it* Lots of us feel overwhelmed by problems from time to time. Talking about how you feel will help. Talk to someone you can trust and if don't feel you can talk to someone you know call a helpline such as the one run by the Samaritans - 1850 60 90 90. Asking for help Ask for help If you were feeling physically sick you would see a doctor, so don't be embarrassed about getting help for your mental health. Everyone needs help from time to time and there is nothing wrong with asking for it. In fact, asking for help is a sign of personal strength. If you think you need help with your mental health, talk to your local doctor or GP. Contact your local doctor or GP; see 'Doctors - General Practitioners' in the Golden Pages, Republic of Ireland / 'Doctors (Medical Practitioners)' in the Yellow Pages, Northern Ireland. You can also go to http://www.icgp.ie/go/find_a_gp to find your local GP in the Republic of Ireland Happiest When Contact your local doctor or GP; see ‘Doctors - General Practitioners’ in the Golden Pages, Republic of Ireland / ‘Doctors (Medical Practitioners)’ in the Yellow Pages, Northern Ireland. You can also go to http://www.icgp.ie/go/find_a_gp to find your local GP in the Republic of Ireland. Talk to someone who you can trust as well. http://www.spunout.ie/health/healthy... http://www.spunout.ie/health/self-ha... | ||||
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| Bipolar disorder | hace 387 días | ||
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| What is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar disorder is sometimes called manic depression. It is a mental health condition marked by extreme changes in mood. Everybody experiences mood changes from time to time but where these changes are extreme and intense, it may indicate bipolar disorder. In bipolar disorder, moods can swing between low and high. A low mood involves feelings of intense depression, despair and poor self-esteem. This is known as a depression. A high mood may involve excessive energy, restlessness and racing thoughts. This is known as elation or a manic episode. Individuals with bipolar usually experience alternating low and high moods, but some will have only manic episodes. What is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar disorder affects about one in every 100 adults. It can start at any time during or after the teenage years, although it is unusual for it to start after the age of 40. Men and women are affected equally. Bipolar disorder responds well to treatment and people with bipolar disorder can lead normal lives. Sometimes an individual with bipolar may only notice the depressive phases (they may understand the ‘highs’ as being ‘in a good mood’) and so may only present for treatment for depression. It is important that if you have a family history of bipolar or suspect that someone else in your family may have experienced it, that you tell your GP, as there can be family link with bipolar, and it is important the GP knows this so you can get the most appropriate treatment. During the manic phase a person may •Feel "on top of the world" •Be over-confident •Be restless and over-active and plan too many activities for a given time period •Sleep less, without feeling tired •Be easily irritated •Have racing thoughts and talk at a fast pace •Lack judgment which may lead to reckless driving, sexual indiscretions, spending sprees, increased use of alcohol or drugs •Give unusual attention to previously unimportant or irrelevant things •Have false beliefs of self-importance, power or knowledge •Have false beliefs of being controlled by someone or something During the depressed stage a person may: •Feel worthless, helpless, hopeless, guilty •Lose all interest in people and enjoyable activities •Have appetite changes: over or under eating, leading to weight changes •Feel tired all the time •Sleep more than usual or have trouble sleeping •Have trouble concentrating •Have aches and pains that have no physical cause •Think about death, or attempt suicide •Have false beliefs of being inadequate Getting help If you are think that you, or someone you know, might be showing signs of bipolar disorder, it is very important to get help. Bipolar disorder responds well to treatment. Contact your local doctor or GP; see ‘Doctors - General Practitioners’ in the Golden Pages, Republic of Ireland / ‘Doctors (Medical Practitioners)’ in the Yellow Pages, Northern Ireland. You can also go to http://www.icgp.ie/go/find_a_gp to find your local GP in the Republic of Ireland. Talk to someone who you can trust as well. More information For more information on bipolar contact Aware: loCall Helpline 1890 303 302 or see www.aware.ie A booklet about bipolar disorder available on the website at http://www.aware.ie/literatureItem.p... | ||||
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| Self Harm | hace 436 días | ||
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| Self Harm Self harm is when someone deliberately hurts, cuts or injures himself/ herself. People self harm as a result of stress, pressure, distress, feelings and worries that are, for some reason, too hard to express. Self harm is not attention seeking, it is an attempt to deal with pain, stress, anger or tension. Young people and teens are more at risk of self-harming than the rest of the population. Often people do not know why they self harm. Talking to someone can help you understand the reasons why you self harm and work through your problems. Getting Help If you have self harmed or are thinking about it, there are people who can help you work through your problems who will not judge you. It is important to get help as people who self harm are more at risk of suicide. You may feel that nobody understands what you are going through but remember that lots of people are in this situation and there is help and support available. Talk to someone about how you feel. If you would prefer to talk to someone without giving your name, there are organisations that can help. Getting Help If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or self harm, you should do one of the following: •Contact your local doctor or GP out-of-hours service •Go to, or contact, the Accident and Emergency Department of your nearest general hospital •Contact Samaritans on 1850 609090 (Republic of Ireland) or 08457 909090 (UK including Northern Ireland) or email jo@samaritans.org •Talk to a friend, family member, or someone else you trust. Pieta House You can also contact Pieta House- the Centre for the Prevention of Self Harm or Suicide. Pieta House offers a specialised treatment programme for people who feel suicidal or who self harm. Contact Pieta House on (01) 601 00 00, email mary@pieta.ie or visit www.pieta.ie More information There is some more information here on SpunOut: http://www.spunout.ie/health/healthy... http://www.spunout.ie/health/self-ha... | ||||
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| Sexuality | hace 470 días | ||
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| Sexuality Sexuality is an important part of our identity and what makes us who we are. Your sexual identity is determined by what type of people you are attracted to- boys, girls or both. During puberty and throughout the teenage years, we begin to explore our sexuality and figure out what we like and who we are attracted to. There is some information on the main types of sexuality below. Heterosexual or straight This means you're sexually attracted to the opposite sex. If you’re heterosexual you probably feel attracted to the opposite sex. Gay and Lesbian This is when you fancy someone of the same sex. Some people feel they are lesbian or gay from birth, others realise later in life. It is estimated that between 5 and 10% of the population is lesbian or gay. That’s a lot of people! Bisexual Bisexual people are attracted to both male and female people. Transgender Transgender people feel that their biological sex does not match their gender identity. This may mean they are a male born into a female body or a female born into a male body. Transsexual people are people who choose to medically change to the sex that is right for them. Some people know from an early age that they are gay, straight, bisexual or transgender, but it can take other people longer to figure out what sexuality they are. Working out your sexuality is a very personal thing and you shouldn’t feel under pressure to figure it out in a hurry. Coming to terms with your sexual identity can be stressful, particularly true for gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people. One thing to keep in mind if you are gay lesbian, bisexual or transgender is that you are as valuable, normal and important as everyone else. Irish society has changed a lot in recent years and people are much more open and comfortable with people of all sexual and gender identities. There is an increasingly vibrant and visible gay community here Support Organisations BeLonG To is an organisation which supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people. BeLonG To Youth Project 105 Capel Street Dublin 1 01 873 4184 info@belongto.org www.belongto.org Samaritans Remember, if you need someone to talk to, you can always contact Samaritans on 1850 609090 (from Ireland) or 08457 909090 (Northern Ireland) or email jo@samaritans.org. More Information There is lots of information for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people here on www.belongto.org . There is also some information about sexuality on www. SpunOut.ie | ||||
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| Tips on coming out | hace 512 días | ||
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If you become aware that you are, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and want to tell other people (or ‘come out’) here are some tips and things to keep in mind: Tips on coming out Although ‘coming out’ can occur in a variety of ways and settings, even when you least expect it we have compiled the following tips which might be useful for you if you are considering taking the plunge! * Ask yourself why you are coming out to a particular person or persons. When you begin to come out to people, or when you have made some gay/bi friends, you may experience excitement and elation – the ‘scream it from the roof tops’ feeling. Cherish this – you have everything to be proud of, but maybe not everyone needs to know your sexuality. Think about who you are planning or want to come out to. Is it a family member, a friend or an acquaintance? Do you need to come out to that person at this moment? * Timing Although for many people there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ time to come out, planning exactly when you are going to tell someone is well worth thinking about. Are you going to have adequate time afterwards to discuss it further or to answer any questions the person may have? Will you have the full attention of the person or are they pre-occupied with something else? * Where to tell? Location can be important too. To allow for conversation afterwards pick somewhere that will give you privacy with minimal risk of any interruptions. If it’s someone that you think may react favourably to your disclosure the location is probably less important. However, if you in any way expect negativity you are probably best sticking to a location where you feel safest. * Time To Digest Remember that you have had time to think about what you want to say. The person you are telling has not. Depending on your relationship with them they may have suspected already, but even if this is the case it may still take time for it to sink in with them. Don’t automatically expect an extreme reaction either, the person you are telling may be slow to react. This could be because they fear offending or embarrassing you as much as anything else. * Resources Having resources to hand is also useful. Contact BeLonG To by phone of email and they will send you materials, and you can also talk with Youth Workers there who will offer support and help. BeLonG To is supporting new groups to develop around Ireland also – have a look on www.belongto.org to see if there is a group in your area. | ||||
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| Exam stress | hace 512 días | ||
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| Exam stress It’s that time of year again where some of you will be starting the exams. At this stage, there are things you can do to help keep the stress at bay and do well in your exams. No matter how much or how little study you have done, the tips below can help you keep a calm head and do your best. •Try to get a proper night’s sleep before each exam. Don’t be tempted to stay up late and study. You have a much better chance of being able to remember things and do well if you are well rested. •Take breaks, get some fresh air and some exercise. This will help you relax and refresh your brain. •Make sure to eat well, especially on the morning of the exam. It’s important to give your brain and your body lots of fuel. •Get everything ready for the exam the night before; this will stop you running around looking for things in the morning. •Avoid people who are freaking out before the exam as they will make you nervous. •Avoid comparing how you got on after the exams- its makes no difference to how you have done and will distract you from your next exam. •If you feel that the exams are not going well, talk to a friend or family member about it. •If you don’t want to talk to a friend or family member, you can talk to confidentially to Samaritans on 1850 609090 (Republic of Ireland) or 08457 909090 (UK including Northern Ireland) or email jo@samaritans.org. •Remember there is life after exams. There is some good information about things you do during the exam to stay calm and focused here on SpunOut-http://www.spunout.ie/health/anxiety... | ||||
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