Category: Of interest from media
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Prof John Sheehan – Why perinatal depression is both normal and temporary
It doesn’t seem like a question you’d expect on your first visit to the maternity hospital: “How’s your mental health?” At that early stage, it’s more likely you’re preoccupied with your pregnancy than focusing on your own emotions. But it’s a vital question. This article was written by Larissa Nolan and was published in the…
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Public Health Alcohol Bill returns to the Seanad after a year
The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will return to the Seanad for debate tomorrow after the legislation was stalled for over a year reported the Irish Times last week. “The legislation was stalled in the Oireachtas last year due to a number of concerns raised by Fine Gael TDs and Senators, in particular about the requirement…
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Report on underfunded state of children’s mental health services welcomed
A Seanad report laying bare the underfunded state of children’s mental health services has been welcomed by support groups who said its recommendations must be implemented. This article was written by Noel Baker and published in the Irish Examiner on Thursday, 18th October 2017. The Seanad Public Consultation Committee Report on Children’s Mental Health…
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‘Lid must be lifted’ on Financial Abuse of vulnerable adults
The National Safeguarding Committee (NSC) has kicked off a nationwide public awareness campaign to encourage greater vigilance among the State, Financial and Nursing Home sectors as well as among family members and carers to root out Financial Abuse of vulnerable people. The College of Psychiatrists fully supports the campaign as a member of the NSC.…
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‘Mental health is a class issue. With money you can buy help’
Funding falls far short of international norms, says College of Psychiatrists. This article was published in the Irish Times on 14th October 2017 Anne Foley (54) describes feeling “absolutely worthless” in a hospital emergency department when her mood so low she could hardly speak. Having told a doctor she could “no longer live this life”, she…
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Budget shows lack of commitment, vision and real concern for the mental health of the nation
Goverment accused of ‘misleading public’ on mental health budget. €20m of the €35m announced in Budget 2018 was ‘already promised’ in 2017 This article was written by Sarah Burns and published in the Irish Times on October 11th, 2017 An umbrella group for mental health agencies says the Government has “failed to deliver promised funding for…
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Direct provision: A broken system that must be fixed
The direct provision system worsens and adds to asylum seekers distress and must be replaced. An article published in the Irish Times recently highlighted the need to ameliorate the direct provision system calling it broken and dangerous to those in a uniquely vulnerable position. “Asylum seekers by definition live in limbo. In a new, unfamiliar…
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Debate: Are proposed restrictions on alcohol advertising going too far?
The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill aims to reduce the damage that alcohol causes. The Bill restricts advertisements so they can only give specific information about the product. This will mean that advertisements will be less likely to glamorise alcohol. These measures will also be subject to prosecutions under the criminal justice system for the first time. The…
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Voice hearers like myself were once written off – we’re due our own revolution and civil rights movement
I want to start off this article by clarifying that even though I am involved in a documentary with the word “schizophrenia” in the title, that is not how I perceive myself or my experience. I am not nor have I ever been a schizophrenic, I don’t believe anyone is. This article was published on…
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What it’s really like to see a psychiatrist for your mental health
The first time I was told I needed to see a psychiatrist, my heart dropped. I was terrified. What I learned was that psychiatrists are much like other mental health professionals – except they deal with a variety of disorders and can prescribe medication. This article was written by Hattie Gladwell for Metro.co.uk and was published…