Study finds alcohol in Ireland is affecting young people’s mental health very badly
A major new study on youth mental health has revealed that drinking alcohol is taking a heavy toll on young people’s mental health.
It also found that suicide thoughts, self-harm and suicide attempts are higher for those who do not talk about their problems.
The May World Study, commissioned by the organisation Headstrong, involved over 14,300 people aged 12 to 25 years in secondary schools, colleges, training centres and work locations around the country.
The researchers found that the presence of “one good adult” is central to the mental health of young people in terms of their coping skills and optimism.
It shows that 45% of those surveyed have drinking habits that can be considered as problematic.
In general, young people increase their alcohol consumption from age 13-14.
Over one-third of young people do not talk or seek informal help when they have problems.
The two-year study was conducted in collaboration with the UCD School of Psychology.
One good adult is crucial for young people’s Mental Health well being in Ireland
In Douglas Adam’s Dirk Gently detective series, the titular character sets himself apart from other fictional sleuths by trying to solve the society rather than the crime. That’s because for Dirk Gently everything’s connected in modern society. All the pieces matter.
Headstrong’s MyWorld Surveys is a bit like that. It lays out the full range of concerns of young people living through this turbulent time in Ireland and makes clear links between these issues and our mental health.
I’m a youth advisor with Headstrong and, at age 23, I’m also within the 12 to 25 age group which was studied by the Headstrong researchers for MyWorld. I feel, as a young adult and as a person working with others my own age and younger, that from the pressures to the protective factors explored, MyWorld Survey is a true reflection of the voice of people like me and my friends.
By listening to and documenting the concerns of such a broad group, and then by setting these concerns on a rigorous research footing, I feel they have ensured that we can’t run away from the need to address the mental health of people like me and my peers.
MyWorld also gives us a manual on how to go about helping adolescents and young adults make the transition to adulthood. Perhaps one of the most interesting findings from the survey was that “one good adult” is important to the mental well being and confidence of all young people, from the time they start secondary school to the time they are looking for their first job.
When I read this finding first I immediately thought about all the teachers in the CBS Kilkenny who helped me get where I am today, from encouraging my writing and public speaking to making sure I put down the guitar for long enough to get some work done.
Like me, over 70 per cent of young people surveyed reported that they had received significant support from an adult figure in their lives – be it a standout teacher, football coach, or a parent. The My World findings confirmed that one good adult is crucial for our development. I can vouch for that.
‘The generation gap isn’t really a reality’
From Generation Dole to Generation Emigration to all ‘teens out of control’, it can seem as though young people get a lot of stick from the ‘grown-ups’. It’s often put down to the “generation gap”. In fact, the My World Survey shows that the “generation gap” isn’t really a reality – at least not for young people.
Instead, it confirms that one of the most valuable resources our country can provide to young people is an adult population which understands its important value to us. For me, all those good adults and all these statistics, they’re proof that we can reach across the generation gap and develop existing bonds to a whole other level – whether that’s helping to clear a path through serious distress, easing a way through difficulties which may be ‘ordinary’ even if they don’t feel ordinary, or insulating young people from trouble and actively helping them to flourish.
The survey tells us that talking helps, too. High percentages of those surveyed report turning to friends or parents for support. But 10 per cent of teenagers and 20 per cent of young adults aren’t seeking out this support, even when the feel they need it. So it’s clear that we need to create a safe space where any and all issues are up for discussion. If a problem is big enough to report, then it must be big enough to give that young person support. We need to work to create a space where anything is up for discussion.
That’s what we’re doing at Headstrong’s Jigsaw projects. We aim to provide a safe space which is appropriate to whatever level of distress a young person may be experiencing. I like to think of Jigsaw as the Spar of youth mental health: it’s what you need, when you need it. It’s a paradigm worth carrying over into every community in Ireland.
‘Alcohol abuse is a problem for my generation’
There is no health without mental health, and the negative impact of neglecting this crucial fact does not simply store up long-term problems. The effect is immediate. I believe strongly that youth mental health must be a national priority. Even if cost were an issue, it’s in our interest to support vulnerable and vibrant people, which can sum up a fair proportion of our young population. The cost of ignoring the demand is a high one. Those who do not seek help or receive support from a trusted adult are more likely to fall into situations of serious distress. Suicide and self-harm are real risks for significant proportions of those surveyed.
We also know that alcohol abuse is a problem for my generation – our unhealthy relationship with drink has been well documented. However, My World is the first survey to track the impact of alcohol on mental health in a way that sensationalising the facts simply cannot. It’s not just about how many drinks or how often we drink. It’s about the bigger picture. It’s about the reasons why we choose to live the way we do. It’s about the distress, impaired concentration and depression that alcohol abuse inflicts on young people, at this time, not down the line.
We’re all very good at talking about crisis in this country. I’ve heard the Irish response to social problems as ‘fight, flight or fundraise’. Bressed by young people and the means by which we address these needs.ut what we need to do is get in there before it gets to crisis. The MyWorld findings call on everyone to respond to the needs exp
MyWorld has given Ireland’s young people a voice. Now it’s over to everyone to start listening. As Dirk Gently, Douglas Adam’s fictional sleuth reminds us, all the pieces matter.
Tim Smyth is a youth ambassador with Headstrong. The My World Survey was a collaboration between Headstrong and University College Dublin. Headstrong is committed to changing how Ireland thinks about young people’s mental health through the Jigsaw programme of service development, research and advocacy.
Technology firms to create 237 Galway jobs
Internet security firm Copperfasten Technologies currently has two internet security products aimed at the business to business market, SpamTitan and WebTitan.
The west of Ireland got a major employment boost today as the Taoiseach announced more than 230 jobs would be created at two different companies in Galway within five years.
Medical device manufacturer Merit Medical Systems has announced 200 jobs will be created at its new €20 million facility, while Irish internet security software firm Copperfasten Technologies is to create 37 jobs in Galway after it secured a €500,000 investment to expand its business overseas.
Merit, which manufactures and markets proprietary medical devices for cardiology, radiology and endoscopy, will add the jobs over the next five years as part of an IDA Ireland supported investment that will see the expansion of its research and development at the Irish subsidiary.
The company, which has employs 379 people at its Parkmore West facility, will be recruiting for roles in R&D, shared services, operations support and manufacturing, and almost a third will be aimed at third-level graduates. The company set up in Ireland in 1996.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the expansion was a “real vote of confidence” in the company’s Irish operation.
“It is also a significant endorsement of Ireland as a location for investment and highlights the importance of economic stability,” he said.
Merit chairman and chief executive Fred Lampropoulos said the Galway facility’s track record in developing new products over the past 16 years were contributing factors to the decision to invest further.
“In addition, we believe the proven commitment of the Irish management team and workforce will help to ensure that these latest developments will be implemented successfully and result in the facility increasing its already significant role in our global business,” he said.
Separately, Copperfasten Technologies said it would create 37 positions at its Salthill facility over the next three years.
The funding, provided by Oyster Technology Investments and Enterprise Ireland, will support an export-led growth plan that is expected to more than treble the firm’s sales in the next three years.
Copperfasten Technologies, which currently employs 15 people, has two internet security products aimed at the business to business market, SpamTitan and WebTitan.
Chief executive Ronan Kavanagh said the deal would help Copperfasten increase the reach of the company’s products internationally.
“We have seen fantastic adoption of our products and it is great to now be in a position to build on this. This investment and the new positions will allow us to drive sales and scale the company in the forthcoming years,” he said.
Mr Kenny said the expansion was “great news” for both Galway and the software industry here.
“This is a prime example of an Irish firm, investing in R&D to develop world-class products for export and growth at home and abroad,” he said.
Taoiseach Kenny announces 200 jobs for Galway from Merit Medical
Two hundred jobs will be created over the next five years at a €20m Merit Medical Systems facility in the Parkhouse West Centre in Galway, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, TD, announced this morning.
Today marks the official opening of Merit Medical Systems’ expanded facility at Parkmore Business Park East in Galway. The €20m facility will result in 200 jobs in R&D, shared services, operations support and manufacturing, with at least 30pc of these going to third-level graduates.
Merit is a worldwide designer, developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices used in interventional and diagnostic procedures. This investment, supported by IDA Ireland, more than double’s Merit Medical Ireland’s capacity in Galway, providing more than 75,000 sq feet of space, allowing for the expansion of R&D and other activities.
Centre of excellence
The Parkmore West facility, which now employs 379 people, is already a designated centre of excellence for Merit’s guide-wire technologies, but this state-of-the-art expansion will see it become a centre of excellence for a range of new products and technologies.
“Our high level of satisfaction with our Galway facility’s ability to take on new challenges and its successful track record in developing new products over the past 16 years were major factors in implementing this crucial investment there,” said Fred P Lampropoulos, Merit’s chairman and chief executive officer. “In addition, we believe the proven commitment of the Irish management team and workforce will help to ensure that these latest developments will be implemented successfully and result in the facility increasing its already significant role in our global business.”
“This IDA Ireland-supported investment is an important endorsement of the Galway operation, which has proven itself to be a key strategic location for the parent company,” said Barry O’Leary, CEO of IDA Ireland “Merit is an excellent employer in the West and is a key component of the medical device cluster operating successfully from the region. Ireland boasts an enviable cluster of medical device companies with 17 of the top 25 global medical-device companies having a significant presence here.”
Double blow for the future of white-tailed sea eagles
THE future of white-tailed sea eagles in Ireland was dealt a double blow yesterday.
Hopes for breeding to begin, for the first time in more than a century in this country, were dashed after two eggs in a nest in Co Clare were abandoned by their parents.
Another white-tailed sea eagle — one of 100 re-introduced in Ireland some years ago — was found shot and poisoned in Co Mayo.
Last month it was confirmed that a pair of the young raptors had set up home near the shores of Lough Derg, just outside Mountshannon, Co Clare.
The birds had been guarding their eggs since April 9 — with experts predicting the chicks would arrive within the next four weeks.
“The birds had been very attentive and they had been doing really well, but there was a change on Tuesday afternoon when they left the nest a couple of times,” said Dr Allan Mee from the eagle reintroduction programme.
“The most likely case is that a chick hatched and it died or it fell down where the parents couldn’t get to it,” he added.
The four-year-old male and three-year-old female were brought over from Norway in 2008 and 2009 respectively. But all hope is not lost as Dr Mee says the eagles will remain in the vicinity of Mountshannon with another breeding attempt expected next spring.
Meanwhile, a young eagle, which had been released in Killarney National Park in 2010, was found dead on a small island on Lough Beltra, about eight miles from Castlebar.
A search was launched by the Golden Eagle Trust after the bird’s electronic tag indicated it had not moved for many weeks. Post mortem results showed that not only had the eagle got high concentrations of poison in its system, but shotgun pellets were also discovered in its body.
It is understood the eagle had been dead for about 10 days when it was recovered. More than 20 of the 100 birds re-introduced to Kerry from Norway have been either shot or poisoned.
Post mortem results from another eagle found dead recently in the Donegal Blue Stack mountains showed that it had also been poisoned.
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