Just take a small step and you can help improve vital mental health services for young adults in Ireland.
Mental wellness is a huge issue in Ireland and a variety of different groups are doing trojan work to improve services all across the country. But the most vulnerable of all groups are young people. We have one of the highest rates of suicide in the 14-24 age group in the EU and suicide is the number one cause of death for men in Ireland aged 18-25. That is a truly shocking statistic.
In a bid to raise funds and awareness, the Walk In My Shoes initiative was started by St Patrick’s University Hospital. The idea came from a 16-year-old patient who said he wished his friends could understand better what he was going through.
Now in its third year, tomorrow May 9 is ‘Walk In My Shoes’ Day 2014 and taking part and helping a great cause couldn’t be easier.
Just wear odd or mismatched shoes tomorrow to go outside your comfort zone, highlighting that the stigma over mental health issues must be stamped out. Every person who asks about your shoes will be one more step to ending that stigma.
You can also ask work colleagues to wear odd or unusual shoes for the day, asking them to donate just €2 to this very worthy cause.
Alternatively you can text ‘ Shoes’ to 57802 to donate €2 or donate directly on the site www.walkinmyshoes.ie
If you do take part, make sure you take a snap of your odd footwear and share the image online with the #walkinmyshoes. It will really help to spread the message.
And if you need to speak to somebody about mental health issues then call the St. Patrick’s Support & Information line (there will be extra staff manning the phone lines during the campaign) on 01-2493333. This line is manned by mental health nurses who can advise you on suitable next steps. Alternatively you can email your query to [email protected]
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
