A NATIONAL campaign to raise awareness of depression, how to support and treat it, and the prevention of suicide is running until Sunday June 12. The local campaign is known as OSPI-Limerick, OSPI standing for ‘Optimising Suicide Prevention Programmes and their Implementation’. OSPI was created in response to our high rates of deliberate self-harm and suicide, increasing since 2007. The National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF) is co-ordinating these programmes,
running workshops to help health and social professionals recognise depression and be more aware of its various treatments. The two week campaign is also about letting Joe and Josephine Public know of the many helpful organisations available to them in times of despair (*see web links and contact numbers below).
“We are making all these efforts to get it across to people that depression can be treated. We have the relevant research in front of us,” says Dr Ella Arensman of the NSRF. “Depression can affect everybody and all age groups, from the very young to the elderly. Our campaign is about raising sensitivity generally as to what depression is and of course, the knowledge that it can be treated effectively”.
Dr Arensman refers to how it can manifest in teenagers, for example.
“Too often we mistake a teenager’s episodes of low moods or anger, over a long time, as part of growing up when what is needed is proper assessment and treatment,” she says. “We are drawing attention to the OSPI-Limerick programmes and workshops for social and health professionals so that people are assured that appropriate care and treatment are available to them”.
Part of OSP’s campaign, these Optimising Suicide Prevention Programmes, are bus shelter posters with relevant services listed, ad boxes in shopping centres and the Depression and Suicide Awareness training programmes for gardai, for Limerick Youth Service, for clergy, for Bedford Row and for traveller health services.
OSPI works in close collaboration with the Suicide Prevention Office in Limerick which is supplying training and awareness raising programmes such as ASIST, SafeTalk and Understanding Self Harm.
* If you are experiencing depression, talking to your GP, a counsellor or psychotherapist can help, and services such as:
www.letsomeknow.ie – young people looking after mental health
www.aware.ie – people and families affected by depression. Tel. 1890 303302
www.bodywhys.ie – for people affected by eating disorders
www.belongto.org – for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people
www.teenbetween.ie – for teenagers whose parents are separating.
Local services for mental health
Limerick Local Health Office: tel. 061-483249
Samaritans: tel. 1850 609 090
Console: tel. 061-306792
Shannondoc: tel. 1850 212 999
Slainte: tel. 061-318633
Adult Counselling Service: tel. 061-411900.
National Suicide Research Foundation: tel. 021-4277 499
