New Mental Health Community Initiative in Ballina Co. Mayo

‘Minding Your Mind’

Young people and their families in are being encouraged to help break the cycle of stigma that surrounds mental health problems, in County Mayo over the next couple of months.

The Mind Your Mind initiative, which was successfully launched on Wednesday, 21st September, was started by 21-year-old June Devaney from Ballina. It aims to raise awareness and build a wider knowledge around mental health, the effects of stigma, and suicide prevention.

Her pioneering project has received support from Think Big, which is an initiative created by O2 and the youth mental health charity Headstrong.  The launch of this campaign was addressed by Mr. Declan Behan the CEO of the Irish Association of Suicidology, as well Mary Nolan a clinical psychologist in HSE West and members of Choose Life Reach Out and Living Links (two local suicide prevention and bereavement support groups)

June said there was a pressing need for young people and their loved ones to educate themselves on mental illness as it is something which many families are likely to encounter in some form or other.  Research has shown that one in every five people in Ireland is living with a mental health issue.

 She added: “Many people who live with a mental health disorder will not speak to others about their symptoms, for fear of being, judged, stigmatised, ridiculed and in a lot of cases rejected. Many do not seek help as a result of this, which can lead to isolation and further deterioration, putting them at high risk.

All these feelings and fears are caused by society's reaction to many mental health issues. With knowledge, comes understanding and power. We need to educate ourselves and our children about mental health as much as we do our physical health. We need to become more aware of how common these disorders are. We need to be able to spot early warning signs, how to ask for help and how to help ourselves and others.”

 Mind Your Mind aims to highlight services which are available to people who are experiencing difficulties in their lives and offer information about what is available to those in distress.

June said that, unfortunately, sometimes these supports and services didn’t have a loud enough voice.  She explained: “We want to speak out publicly, on their behalf to tell ordinary people that they mustn’t suffer in silence and that there are paths out of your problems, even if they are hard to see.”

 “Mind your Mind is also keen to help people access training in suicide prevention for those who are interested.”

The  campaign launch took place over a whole day, with a number of secondary schools attending a youth conference earlier in the day. The students took part in workshops and discussions to represent the views of young people to a panel of speakers who work directly with youth services. The evening event invited members of the community to explore information stands before hearing and taking part in open floor discussions with the panel members. At the end of the night she launched an “Essential Poster” which highlighted the things to look out for in loved ones as well as helpline contacts.

Presidential candidate and former youth worker Seán Gallagher spoke about the campaign; “I wish to commend the leadership shown by June Devaney in setting up this group. All too often the focus is on physical health but good mental health is just as important. The work done by June and other volunteers in providing support and advice to others is vital and I am confident that will have a very positive impact on individuals, families and the wider community. This kind of community initiative is one that I would like to highlight and celebrate if elected President because I know that June can act as an inspiration to others. “

Further information on the Mind Your Mind initiative should contact the MYM team at mym.ballina@hotmail.com or call 0862015265.

The Samaritans is one of the chosen nine charities to be supported by ITV's new Christmas charity show, Text Santa.  

ITV are calling on over 13,000 people to attempt to break the Guiness World Record™, for the ‘largest gathering of people dressed as Santa Claus’ and to participate in a special Text Santa song and dance routine to be used in the spectacular launch show in early December.

Find out more about the event on the Text Santa website.

Training

The National Office for Suicide Prevention is involved in a range of training initiatives around suicide prevention and mental health promotion. However, most activities regionally are coordinated by the Resource Officers for Suicide Prevention of the HSE. If you are interested in finding out about training opportunities in your area please contact the local Resource Officer.

The NOSP is also particularly interested in developing the ASIST Training Workshop across the country.

ASIST

ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first-aid. It is suitable for all kinds of caregivers - health workers, teachers, community workers, Gardai, youth workers, volunteers, people responding to family, friends and co-workers. If you would like to make a difference in your community, come to ASIST and learn how to help.

The Opportunity 
It begins with you…

Most people thinking about suicide signal and share their pain - they offer us opportunities to respond.

Suicide intervention training can help all of us see, hear and respond to these invitations. It can also increase our confidence to ask about suicide when someone's safety may be in the balance. If someone is at risk, suicide first aid prepares us to work with them to increase their immediate safety and get further help.

The Workshop 
Learn suicide first aid…

ASIST trains participants to reduce the immediate risk of a suicide and increase the support for a person at risk.

The workshop provides opportunities to learn what a person at risk may need from others in order to keep safe and get more help. It encourages honest, open and direct talk about suicide as part of preparing people to provide suicide first aid. Participants also consider how personal attitudes and experiences might affect their helping role with a person at risk.

Active participation is encouraged. It is stimulated by audio-visuals and working with others in small groups. A suicide first aid model provides a framework for skills practice.

Attendance at the two full days is essential.

The content of the workshop may be difficult to deal with if you are feeling emotionally vulnerable. If you have suicidal thoughts, or have been recently bereaved, particularly through suicide, you may wish to delay taking part in this course until you're feeling stronger, emotionally.

ASIST in Ireland to date

More than 70 trainers have been trained to deliver the two-day workshop nationwide. They are coordinated in 12 local areas. More than 125 workshops have been delivered to over 3000 participants in the past two years.  Participants in the 2-day workshop include various health services staff, voluntary staff, community members, teachers, the clergy and many more.

An ongoing evaluation has revealed that the course significantly impacts on knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. Participants are more confident about speaking with someone they are concerned may harm themselves, and engaging that person in a process of seeking help.

About LivingWorks

LivingWorks' mission is to create learning experiences that help communities prevent suicide. LivingWorks has been widely accepted and valued in Ireland since its introduction in 2003. Starting in Canada in the early 1980s, LivingWorks is now available in many other countries including Norway, the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Northern Ireland and the UK. Almost half a million people have participated worldwide - over 3,000 in Ireland.

LivingWorks' commitment to quality includes reviewing feedback, updating content, improving learning processes, ongoing evaluation and trainer support.

Other LivingWorks programs are companions to ASIST. They seek to increase awareness of suicide and explore ways the whole community might respond.

Find out more: www.livingworks.net

How to Get Trained: 

Contact your local ASIST coordinator to see how you can attend the 2-day workshop or to find out more information about ASIST and suicide prevention.