‘We shouldn’t be afraid to talk about suicide – it’s the only way to understand it’ says article advertising public talk tonight in The Journal.ie

Today in The Journal:

‘We shouldn’t be afraid to talk about suicide – it’s the only way to understand it’

A talk is taking place in Dublin tonight on ‘Understanding the Suicidal Mind’.


SUICIDE IS A preventable cause of death, says clinical psychologist Dr Eoin Galavan, who is holding a seminar today on “Understanding the Suicidal Mind”.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Dr Galavan said there are certain things that can prevent suicide, stating that intervening in someone’s path to a lethal attempt is possible, but that people need to start talking about the issue first.

The talk, which takes place tonight at 7pm in the Davenport Hotel in Dublin, will look at what happens in the suicidal mind and how people can understand the psychology behind it.
Suicidal behaviour

Dr Galavan said he will be putting forward the theory that suicide and suicidal behaviour are understandable. He said that intervening on someone’s journey to suicide can prevent it. Why? Because, people have time to think, he said.

He said that people are very capable of secrecy and privacy when it comes to suicide, which is why so many people say after a suicide that they had no idea, there were no tell-tell signs, and they had no idea the person was contemplating suicide.

“It comes as a shock as people don’t see the journey that person has made privately,” he said.
Dr Galavan said there are barriers that stop people from talking about suicide.
“Stigma still surrounds it. The fact that it was illegal, where the term “committed suicide” was prevalent, when that is not the case now. It was also seen to be immoral where people could not be buried in consecrated grounds if they had died by suicide. Shame is still one of the major barriers that prevents openness,” said Dr Galavan.
Difficult to talk about
Talking about the issue is difficult for many, he said.
‘I have been contemplating suicide’ – it is a difficult thing for people to say. But I am sometimes relieved when I hear someone tell me that, as it means that they have taken that first step to move down the path to prevent it.
There is more we can do, he said, adding that understanding that suicide shouldn’t be a frightening topic of conversation.
He said that many people encourage and believe that we should be talking about suicide more and be open about it, However, when it comes to someone speaking directly to us about it, people feel anxious.
“Many people think talking with understanding about suicide is great, but when someone talks to me I wouldn’t know what to say. And this is understandable,” said Dr Galavan, who said that most people are anxious or fearful that they will say the wrong thing or make matters worse.
Not a solution
While Dr Galavan stated that the way in which we communicate and report about the subject can have causal effects such as suicide clusters, so it understandable the people can be fearful, he said, however, adding that not talking about it is not a solution either.
“There has been a lot of work over the last two decades on the psychology behind the motives of suicide,” said Dr Galavan, who said that while this is very important knowledge to have for suicidologists and mental health professionals, now it is about getting the understanding out there to the general public.

Tonight’s talk is being organised by The Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP). The talk is free for the public and practitioners alike, but as capacity is limited, the IACP is recommending people to make an advance booking via www.iacp.ie.

Note: IACP website says talk is fully booked but call them if interested as there may be places available last minute... Tel. 01 230 3536

If you, or someone you know, needs support, someone to talk to or is in crisis; please click here for details of where you can get help or read on (from The National Office for Suicide Prevention website)

Are you, or someone you know, in crisis now and need someone to talk to?

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.

Call the Samaritans, the 24 hour listening service, to talk to someone now about what's on your mind. Call 1850 60 90 90

Contact your local doctor, listed under ‘General Practitioners’ in the Golden Pages, or find your nearest GP on the HSE.ie Map Centre

If it's late in the evening or nighttime, contact a GP Out of Hours Service which you will find listed here on HSE.ie

Go to, or contact, the Emergency Department of your nearest general hospital, which you can also find on the HSE.ie Map Centre

Contact emergency services by calling 999 or 112

Information on where to go for help in a crisis is now available through your mobile phone. Text the word HeadsUp to 50424. The HeadsUp text service is run by RehabCare and sponsored by Meteor.
HSE Mental Health Services Nationwide

The HSE provides a wide range of mental health services around the country, in the community and in hospitals. On the main HSE.ie website Mental Health Section, you can read more about Mental Health services - like details of the types and range of services provided, the health professionals who provide them, and other topics like counselling and suicide prevention. You can also find contact details for Mental Heath Services nationwide.

This is not a comprehensive list of voluntary support services. Local HSE Health Offices will be able to provide a more detailed guide to support services available in each region

ONLINE information and support

There are a wide range of voluntary organisations working in the area of Mental Health, and most of these services are now using the internet to reach out to people. See the full list on organisations online here.

This article and website is provided for general information purposes only.  We urge any person seeking support to make contact with a trained professional working within the mental health field and/ or a member of the relevant bodies, organisations and groups specialising in mental health support and intervention.  A guide to seeking supports is available on www.mentalhelp.ie

Gateway does not endorse or provide advice on specific treatments, models of care or any agency or group involved in this work.  We simply do our best to share a variety of mental health and community related information and news as soon as we hear about it.

Workshops on Loss and Bereavement in 2015

Hi all,

Here is a very good brochure from the Irish Hospice Foundation. They offer a wide variety of services and support workshops from 'Dementia and Loss', 'Children and Loss', to 'How the Creative Arts can be Helpful in Bereavement'. If this is relevant to you, have a look through it or you may know someone it may help.

Best Wishes

The Gateway Team 

2015 Workshop Brochure

EU family carer survey requests your participation online

EUFAMI FAMILY CARER SURVEY

Are you a family member caring for a relative with a mental health problem and living in Europe? If you are, we would kindly ask that you would participate in our very important major survey on family carers. Just log onto www.eufami.org, download the questionnaire in the language of your choice (it is available in - Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese and Spanish), complete it and email it to EUFAMI at project.admin.office@eufami.org before the end of November.

The translated questionnaire in Greek will be available from our website from the 12th November. We will inform you of this link when it is uploaded.

The survey is completely anonymous. We are looking for carers especially in the following countries 

– Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, 

Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.

If you are not a carer, please pass this on to colleagues or friends who may be carers and encourage 

them to participate. The findings of this survey will be of major benefit to all organisations and 

individuals who have an interest in the well being of the families of persons affected by mental 

illness.

Better still, if you can, please email this message to your network of colleagues and friends.

The survey will remain open until the end of November and results are expected to be released in the 

first quarter of 2015. To date, over 900 people have responded.

Thank you for your time and interest.

EUFAMI – Looking after the interest of families and carers in Europe for over 20 years 

EUFAMI, Diestsevest 100, Leuven, B3000, Belgium – www.eufami.org

Speak out! Mental Health meeting to speak and influence people next Monday 25th 6pm

Speak out! Mental health seminar and community opportunity to speak with and influence people and organisations who make decisions that affect your life

Carmelite Centre, 26 Aungier Street, Dublin 2

Monday 25th November

6pm

includes refreshments too!

New Mental Health Trialogue starting next Monday in Ballymun!

North Dublin's first Trialogue meeting will be held at 7pm on the 24th of November in the Axis Ballymun conference room 3. The group will discuss the theme of stigma in mental health and it's consequences along with other topics. If you struggle with emotional or mental health issues are a family member of someone experiencing distress or a mental health or youth worker please consider coming along.

Regular Trialogues take place southside too on a monthly basis in Tallaght - contact Bernie Bushe bernadette.bushe@gmail.com to notified of upcoming meetings. 

Trialogue groups can help communities to change the perception that only those who work in the field of mental health are the experts in mental health. Mental health is everyone’s business, regardless of their background and experience.

A ‘Trialogue’ group is a neutral space where communities can gather to develop their understanding of mental health issues, the challenges of maintaining mental health and to transform thinking on developing better services and healthy communities.

Trialogue meetings are welcoming and inclusive of all community members, including mental health service users, carers, families friends, professionals and anyone with an interest in positive mental health in the community.

We hope that you take the opportunity to become involved in your local meeting near you. Check out where Trialogue meetings are happening around Ireland by clicking on Trialogue groups.

Videos on youtube to learn more about Trialogues below: 

Origins of Trialogues

Open Dialogue

November 2014 Newsletter... it's alive inside!

November Newsletter 2014 by Gateway Project

November at Gateway - fab month ahead!

Hello folks,

A new month, a new list of great activities and events in Gateway's centre of positivity. We've started the month with a healthy dose of relaxation and meditation to recharge the batteries. When you're raring to go you can get stuck into Arts and Crafts on Thursdays; Members' mid week meet ups @ Cafe Moda, Rathmines on Wednesdays; before finishing the month with a dose of wellbeing through the WRAP Cafe, some Indian Head Massage on Monday 24th and the Gateway pool competition on Thursday 27th at 1pm - the winner gets the boost of some rousing applause, a fancy certificate for extra special pool playing talents along with a nice cuppa and a biscuit!

Hope you enjoy the fun activities and give the little things that support good mental health a go throughout the month :)

Best wishes

Gateway Project

The #littlethings is a new national HSE campaign to raise awareness how we can help ourselves feel better and get through tough times. Here are a few wellbeing ideas from the campaign that have been shown to help:

• Keeping active
• Talking about your problems
  
• Doing things with others
• Eating healthily
• Staying in touch
• Drinking less alcohol
• Looking out for others
• Sleeping well 

Are you on twitter? 
What are the #littlethings that you do to help you feel better when you are experiencing a tough time? Share your little things on twitter to: @littlethingshub  - See more at: www.yourmentalhealth.ie

November Schedule 2014