Local Councillor James Carroll who is a new member of the HSE North-East Fourm has welcomed this week’s launch of the new website for young people www.letsomeoneknow.ie aimed at improving their awareness and understanding of mental health and well-being. The aim is to encourage young people to talk about their problems with family, friends or an adult they trust.

The website www.letsomeoneknow.ie aims to improve young people’s awareness about mental health and wellbeing as well as providing contact details for support and advice. There are tips and quizzes about looking after yourself and your friends. The website also features a personal action diary.

www.letsomeoneknow.ie has been developed as part of the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention Your Mental Health Awareness initiative which was launched in October 2007 and is aimed at improving the general public’s awareness and understanding of mental health and well-being.

Cllr Carroll added “Ireland has the 4th highest rate of youth suicide in the EU, mainly amongst young men. The highest rates of self harm are amongst the 15 to 19 age group for women and the 20 to 24 age group for men. Repeated self harm is a strong indicator for suicide.  As a 26 year old cllr, I think this website’s production is really important at this time.”

To mark the launch, the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention announced the findings of new research it commissioned:

(1)86% of Young People regarded isolation as something that hurts mental health

(2)while over 6 in 10 believe that family life can help mental health

(3)96% of young people agreed that ‘mental health is something we should look after’ and;

(4)84% agreed that ‘mental health has to do with feeling good about yourself and happy day to day living’.

The research shows that alcohol, peer pressure and drugs are the top 3 problems young people face today, while bullying and exam pressure are also in the top five. 53% said that ‘adults do not understand what it is like to be a teenager’.  63% of young people agreed that ‘Ireland is a fun place to be a teenager’, however 43% agreed that ‘the future for Ireland is not very bright’.

Cllr Carroll noted worringly that “the recurring theme that comes in the research is isolation.  Young people are willing to help each other but potentially it needs to be made “OK” to ask or offer help.”

Cllr Carroll concluded “The key message of www.letsomeoneknow.ie is that finding someone you trust to share a problem with can have a positive effect on how you are feeling.”

ENDS