MENTAL HEALTH

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Keeping an eye on your mates

 

Having crazy nights out and stumbling home every morning sounds like great craic and all but college can also be a really shit time. People everywhere are struggling to pay their rent, barely finishing assignments, and at the same time adapting to a life away from home. It can be really hard at times to tell who’s really struggling because we are all fairly good at hiding our troubles.

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Alongside Pieta House, we’ve combined a guide on how to identify some of the signs that someone you know might be feeling down or even suicidal.

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Sleep Disturbance

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Has the person’s sleeping pattern changed a lot recently? Are they spending a lot more time sleeping than normal or are they getting enough hours of sleep at all?

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Isolation

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Is the person spending more time on their own than normal? Have they lost touch with old friends or family members?

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Giving away possessions

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Have they been giving away their belongings?

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No interest in anything

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Have they stopped doing the things that they once loved? Have they left their sports team or are they dropping classes?

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Speaking of no future

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Have they started to speak as though they’ve lost hope? Have the mentioned suicide? It can be very frightening to discover that someone you know is considering suicide. If this is the case you must remember that you are not powerless. There are a lot of things that you can do to help.

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Ask them how they’re doing

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Don’t be afraid to be direct. Ask if they are considering suicide. This may seem worrying, but simply asking the question won’t put the idea into someone’s head. Suicidal thoughts usually develop over a long time, and follow some challenging life events.

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By asking someone if they’re suicidal, you’re acknowledging that they’re struggling and giving them a chance to talk about it. If they say yes, then don’t panic. The best thing you can do for that person is listen and support them.

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Listen without judgement

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Give them the space to explain how they’re feeling. Don’t try to change how they’re feeling or telling them they’re wrong for how they feel. By listening without judgement, you are showing that you respect them and their situation, and that you are there for them.

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Take them seriously

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It can be upsetting to hear that someone is feeling suicidal, you might prefer to think that they’re exaggerating or looking for attention. It is extremely important to believe what they are saying and acknowledge that they may need some help.

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Get help

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You are not the only person there to support your friend or loved one. You can contact your own friends, peers, or college representatives to help you in this situation.

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Samaritans offer emotional support 24/7 on free phone 116 123, by text 087 260 90 90, and by email

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Look after yourself

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Looking after someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis can be stressful and frightening. Below we have compiled some tips to stop yourself from becoming drained and exhausted. 

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Talk to someone

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To help mind someone else, you need to look after your own mental health. Make sure you can talk to someone you trust about your own feelings.

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Take a break

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It can be hard to focus on yourself when a friend is going through a tough time, but you can be a better friend if you make sure to take some time for yourself to relax and spend time on things that you enjoy.

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Know your limits

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Be aware of how much you can take on when you are supporting someone you care about. Try not to take on all of the responsibility for providing them with care.

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Get urgent help for a mental health emergency or crisis

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UCD 24/7 Emergency Line: 01 716 7999

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You can also find at the end of this page, a list of services in UCD for existing students.

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If you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed or just can't cope - reach out. There is someone there to listen and help. 

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Pieta House (24/7)

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Freephone: 1800 247 247

Text HELP to 51444

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Find your nearest Pieta House Centre

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If you don't think you can make that first call to Pieta House, a friend or family member can do it and the centre will arrange an appointment for you and your friend or family member will be asked to come too. 

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Samaritans offer emotional support (24/7)

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Freephone: 116 123

Text: 087 260 90 90

Email: jo@samaritans.ie (response time 24hrs)

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If you would like to talk to someone face-to-face you can find your nearest branch HERE

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DRCC (Dublin Rape Crisis Centre) (24/7)

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Freephone: 1800 77 88 88

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If you are looking for support in the immediate aftermath of rape or sexual assault please click HERE

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Childline is a 24 hour listening service for under 18s. Freephone: 1800 66 66 66

 

Teentxt is a live one-to-one text messaging support service for under 18s: text the word talk to 50101

 

HSE Helpline: 1850 24 1850

Monday - Friday: 8am - 8pm

Saturday & Sunday: 10am - 5pm

 

BelonG To offer 24/7 text Support: Text LGBT1+ to 086 1800 280

 

Gender Identity Family Helpline:

Sundays: 6pm - 9pm

Tuesdays: 10am - 12pm

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LGBT Helpline: 1890 929 539

Mon - Thurs: 6.30pm - 10pm

Friday: 4pm - 10pm

Sat & Sunday: 4pm -6pm

 

HSE Drugs & Alcohol Helpline: 1800 459 459

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UCD Services 

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• If you are an existing student and have an urgent academic query please contact your student adviser who can be found HERE

• If you have any questions in relation to registration - Registry can contacted on Tel: +353 1 7161555

• For Access and Lifelong Learning Centre (ALL), Disability Support  Click Here

• For the Accommodation Support Facebook Group  Click Here

• Counselling Service Click Here

• Financial Aid Click Here

• Health Service  Click Here

• Jobs Listings Facebook Group Click Here