Effects of Social Anxiety
The constant thoughts running through your head that you can't stop and most of the time you don't even realise what the thoughts are because they come & go so fast.
It's a constant struggle to do anything. It stops me from going to events that I really want to go to. It prevents me from enjoying myself when I do go to these events & it just feels horrible that a mental illness can have that effect on someone. People always say I understand or I'm here for you, but, you cannot understand it unless you have been through it yourself & to the people who say they are there. Prove it! Text me every now and again to see how I am doing, don't just say you will be there for me & then I don't hear from you unless you want something because if you aren't going to be there for me when I need you don't bother texting me at all. I can't deal with your drama and my own if your not willing to do the same for me! Most days I can't even leave the house because of my social anxiety so please if your going to be my friend then make the effort with me and if not just leave because it's too hard to have so called "friends" that only text you when they need you. I wish that all mental illnesses didn't exist and that I could do all the things I would love to do but, they do exist and I can't do something's. It's not because I don't want to, it's because my social anxiety won't let me.
I genuinely would not wish having mental health problems on my worst enemy because no one should have to suffer like this, it's just not right.
I am so greatful to the friends and family that have been there to support me, I wouldn't be the person I am today without them.
I am also greatful to all the mental health professionals that have helped and encouraged me to get better over the years. They really are amazing people who just need the funding to back their line of work so that they can help more people, but, our government would prefer to use the money assigned to the mental health facilities to pay the politician's that genuinely do not care about mental health as they or anyone they know has obviously never suffered like a lot of young people in Ireland do. It's not right that we can't get the support we need when we need it because our government has its priorities all wrong.
Ballincollig Prize Draw - 27 February 2017
Written by YSPI Editorial Team
and on the reverese of the tickets. E&OE.UP608Z 2017-04-15 Cork Ireland
HP905V 2017-04-24 Sligo Ireland
When we go to schools we are often asked by students, "How do I know I can talk about my problems to .....?" and it is most often their parents or a sibling that they want to talk to but they're afraid of being rejected.
By joining the Free2Talk Campaign you wear our special wristband or have our Free2Talk keyring so that your friends, children and other members of your family, team mates, co-workers etc know that they can approach you and talk.
YOU ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE A COUNSELLOR!!!! But one of the most important aspects of mental health awareness and particularly suicide prevention to allow people to talk. Just being allowed to talk, being listened to, can often be enough to stop someone from making bad decisions.
If you would like to find out more about mental health awareness, suicide prevention and the skills of active listening you might consider taking our Certificate Course
Reposted from Facebook Messages:
Hi Alan, I hope you don't mind me calling you by name but you were so kind to me when we talked after class a few weeks ago when you visited our school. I have so much difficulty trying to tell other people how I feel but you said about writing our thoughts down. I've tried to do that now so I can share my feelings with my counsellor. I did as you said in your talk and I've spoken with an amazing lady counsellor. I know she will help me but even with her I have no words. So I will express myself in writing.
I'm only 17 but I've been tempted to end my life so many times even though I'm on medication and my doctor is lovely. My step-dad keeps telling me to smile, to be more positive and mum agrees with him. I do try to please them both, I really do, but it's hard to smile when you're dying inside a little bit more every day.
I know other kids have tough lives and I see the children in Africa dying from malnutrition and I know, I know that I have so much compared to them but my sadness isn't rational. I know it isn't "normal" to feel like this but sometimes there is a special kind of peace when you are so sad you can't get any sadder. It's like resting at the bottom the sea, calm and dark and remote.
How can you explain to people that you just want to be alone, to be undisturbed. Nobody to tell you to cheer up, nobody trying to get you to talk or join in or the worst of all, be supportive. How am I supposed to support my sister and brother when it takes all my strength to support myself? Come to this dance class, attend this play, dress up for mass. So much of my strength goes into these things when I want to use my strength to fight this blackness.
I finally feel like I can split my attention between surviving and living. I want to live but it has to be more than just survival. Some people dream that they will be granted a vision of God to justify their faith; I dream of seeing a sliver of light piercing the darkness around me. Oddly enough I'm not a danger to myself as I just don't care enough to struggle through the planning required to end my life. And I have taken that first step you talked about, knowing you need help and asking for it.
Since this blackness took over my life and thoughts my friends have stopped asking me to do things with them. I can only imagine that I must have been terrible company as I just wanted to be left alone. After your talk one of my oldest friends came and asked me to go for coffee. I said no but she kept asking; eventually I went with her to stop the hassle. We went to a busy coffee shop and we didn't really talk but just being with her and being surrounded by people didn't seem as bad as I remembered. She told me she had spoken to the school guidance teacher as she wanted to make sure, like you said, that we shouldn't allow our friends to slip through the cracks. Apparently 7 different people talked to teachers about me after your visit so I guess I've not been hiding things as well as I thought. Or maybe they just know what to look for and what to do now.
I'm going to finish now and just thank you again for what you do and for what Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland are doing.
Your friend
Xxxx
| Wednesday 19th | House to house booklet distribution by local volunteers |
| Thursday 20th | Talks to local schools by our Education Facilitators |
| Friday 21st | Outreach Day in Towncentre Shopping CentrePremium Sponsor information on popups and handouts |
| Saturday 22nd | Street booklet distribution by local volunteersSponsor information included with the booklets |
Westmeath Mental Health Awareness Team
Written by YSPI Editorial Team
Using the results from our 2016 Mental Health Awareness Survey and data from the Central Statistics Office we have identified a number of areas around the country that appear to have a higher risk of youth mental health issues, including suicide and self-harm, than other areas of the country.- Athlone
- Cavan
- Cork
- Dundalk
- Galway
- Kilkenny
- Tralee
- Waterford
- Wexford
More...
Using the results from our 2016 Mental Health Awareness Survey and data from the Central Statistics Office we have identified a number of areas around the country that appear to have a higher risk of youth mental health issues, including suicide and self-harm, than other areas of the country.- Athlone
- Cavan
- Cork
- Dundalk
- Galway
- Kilkenny
- Tralee
- Waterford
- Wexford
The Friends of Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland
Written by YSPI Editorial Team- working with charity management to develop a a county based branch of The Friends of Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland
- recruit volunteers to work for the Friends' branch
- raise funds to support the work of YSPI
- liaise with county schools and colleges to promote our School Visits Programme
- become the point of contact for information on the charity and our work
Competition Rules & Information - Lucky Numbers Draw
Written by YSPI Editorial TeamCompetition Holder
Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland (Registered Charity 20070670) 1st Floor, 59 High Street, Killarney, County Kerry V93 N977, Ireland. Our email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and our competition website is www.yspi.ie/lottery
District Court Lottery Licence
This competition is promoted by Alan McKelvie on behalf of Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland under a Section 28 Lottery Licence granted by Cork District Court on 23 September 2016. The maximum permissible prize fund is €20,000 per week. All proceeds of this competition will be used by the charity to help fund our charitable objectives.
Prize Fund
There is a €5,000 Jackpot Prize per weekly draw. If there is no winner of the jackpot in any given week then valid tickets from that draw will be placed in a draw for four (4) consolation prizes of €50.00 Total prize fund for this competition will be a maximum of €5.000 in any week.
Race Results
You can view the draw results on our website at http://yspi.ie/lottery. Lucky numbers are drawn each Monday morning and the winning numbers posted on our website before 5pm. If there is no jackpot winner then the winning ticket numbers for the €50.00 prizes will be shown. Winning ticket holders who have supplied their contact details will be notified by email.
Prize Claims
Prizes may be claimed at claimants’ risk by completing the claims section on the ticket and sending the winning ticket, showing the winning ticket number on the front face, to:
Prize Fund Claims, Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland, 59 High Street, Killarney, County Kerry V93 N977.
You are advised to scan or photocopy your ticket before sending it to us. Prizes must be claimed within 30 days of the end of the competition or date of winner notification, whichever is later. Valid claims will be settled by cheque within 14 days.
Competition Rules
The rules of the competition are as follows:
- All tickets are offered on the strict understanding that the organiser's interpretation of the rules is final and legally binding.
- Tickets cannot be sold to or by a person under 18 years of age.
- Tickets can ONLY be sold for their face value or in promotional groups:
- One Pick = €2.00
- Three Picks = €5.00
- Nine Picks (3 tickets) = €10
- Any ticket may be declared void if stolen, misprinted, defaced, mutilated or is defective in any other way.
- You are deemed to agree to publicity if you claim the Jackpot prize. The winner agrees to the use of their names and images in any publicity material.
- Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current Irish data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
- Tickets will expire 7 days after the close of the competition.
- Due to the nature of this type of competition it is entirely at the organisers’ discretion how the competition is organised.
- In all draws the results must be random and auditable.
- If a draw is cancelled before its due date all fully paid tickets will be rolled over to the next equivalent draw.
- The promoter, officers, trustees or employees of Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland or their family members or anyone else connected in any way with the competition or helping to set up the competition shall not be permitted to enter the competition.
- Closing date for entry will be set out on the ticket. After this date no further entries to the competition will be permitted.
- Tickets for a draw cannot be sold once the draw has started.
- No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
- No responsibility can be accepted for prize claims not received for whatever reason.
- The Organisers reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the Organisers’ control such as weather. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the Organisers.
- The Organisers are not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this competition.
- No alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
- The organisers’ decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
- The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by Irish law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Republic of Ireland.
- By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
- All errors and omissions are excepted.
- All rights are reserved.
- All trademarks are acknowledged.
Warning Signs
Withdrawing from family and friends
Having difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly
Sleeping too much or too little
Feeling tired most of the time
Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight
Talking about feeling hopeless or guilty
Talking about suicide or death
Self-destructive behaviour like drinking too much or abusing drugs
Losing interest in favourite things or activities
Giving away prized possessions
Mood swings
IMPORTANT
If a friend mentions suicide, take it seriously. If they have expressed an immediate plan, or have access to prescription medication or other potentially deadly means, do not leave them alone. Get help immediately.
Helplines
Pieta House1800 247 247
Aware1890 30 33 02
ISPCC Childline1800 66 66 66
Teen-Line Ireland1800 83 36 34
Contact Us
59 High Street
Killarney
Co Kerry V93 N977
Tel 021 - 242 7173
Email admin@yspi.eu