Youth mental health: ‘What we need to try and do is break the stigma attached to talking about it’

There is an obvious need for increased services to help improve youth mental health in Ireland. However, there are clear barriers to providing this support.
Limited funding, staffing pressures, decreased resources and ever-increased demand make it a mammoth task for those charities and organisations involved in providing mental health services to the public.
Dr Jacinta Stewart, chairwoman of Jigsaw, the youth mental health organisation, recently said that “now is the time to commence a national conversation about what youth mental health services should look like and how they will be funded. At Jigsaw, we are fully aware that the factors behind the growing demand for mental health services and supports are complex, multifactorial and not easily addressed.”
It is natural that teenagers and young adults may sometimes struggle with their mental health. “Sometimes our mental health is good, sometimes not so good – this is normal,” says Jason Smith, clinical director at Jigsaw. “What feels important is how we are able to cope when things feel more difficult. What we need to try and do is break the stigma attached to talking about it, and open awareness.”
Aoibhe Smyth (18), says there are “not enough supports in school for the amount of negativity these days. Young people don’t have access to programmes in schools that teach them about mental health and how to cope with it. Social media definitely worsens [mental health]. There is still too much stigma in getting support.”
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Smyth clarifies that “sometimes, the lack of privacy around [mental health], lengthy waiting lists, and untrustworthy second-level mental health services” create barriers to accessing support. She strongly feels that support is available, but not provided by the Government.
Dylan Kelly (19) recognises that youth mental health is greatly impacted by rising costs and the housing crisis. “There’s a feeling of uncertainty about the future alongside a feeling of constraint,” he says, highlighting that today’s youth face significant barriers to accommodation outside of the family home, with students “not being able to leave where they live to be independent, unless moving abroad or away from loved ones. I know many people are mentally struggling with this, and it’s leading to a lot of anxiety and depression.”
Kelly notes economic strain as a factor in the worsening of youth mental health, but does feel supported generally in his own mental wellbeing. “I think there’s partially a ‘don’t talk about it’ stigma in Ireland for minor things in life. However, in the large scale, I do feel supported.”
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Sam Kelly highlights that solving economic factors, as well as varying societal and political factors, could help create a better standard of mental health for young people. “A lot of it is tied together,” says the 22-year-old. “Pressure from an awful lot of sources, whether that be work or college or school, or perhaps social pressures from both, mean you have to be on, on show, on social media. All of those things really contribute.
“To be able to get support at an early stage is important, and Jigsaw advocates for this with a message that if young people can identify one good adult who they can talk to safely, this can be a significant first step.
“Being able to set this in motion means there’s a much better chance that problems don’t get bigger, reducing the need for specialist help. Of course, this means that we need to be able to help adults feel comfortable to talk about this also, and not feel that this is a ‘specialised’ subject or something to be scared of. It’s our emotions and being able to recognise them and talk about them [that] is important.”
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Parenting comes with its own struggles and often the desire to fix a situation is stronger than the need to listen and talk. Avoiding discussions about mental health, however, amplifies the stigma associated with sharing our emotions, struggles, and burdens. Talking about mental health needs open conversation, as much as parents and guardians talk about dinner choices, sex, friendships, and school. The suggestion is to talk about mental health early and often, giving adolescents the language to express their concerns and the recognition that those concerns are valid.
“Of course, this can be outside of some people’s comfort zone,” recognises Jigsaw’s Smith, who recommends accessing supports. “With understanding, it is easier to respond and to not feel like what is being done is wrong.”
The most important thing parents and guardians can do to support the mental wellbeing of their children and the young adults in their lives is to “be there” suggests Smith. “Ready and available to listen.”