Free webinars being provided by Suicide or Survive
SUICIDE or Survive, which has its headquarters in Shankill, is offering a series of daily life wellness webinars to support people with their mental health.
The interactive webinars are being provided with the support of the HSE and the National Office for Suicide Prevention.
Recently released figures from the Central Statistics Office show a huge drop in overall satsifaction with life during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many relationships appear to be under strain. The number of people who said they were highly satisfied with their personal relationships fell from 60 per cent in 2018 to 42 per cent last month. More than a quarter reported feeling lonely over the past four weeks and nearly a third reported feeling downhearted or depressed. Other issues such as rising stress levels, increased alcohol consumption, poor diet and a lack of exercise appear to show cause for concern.
According to Suicide or Survive acting CEO Robert Carley, it has never been more important to invest in our wellbeing.
‘ The past few weeks have been very difficult for so many people, especially those who may have already been struggling with their mental health,’ he said.
‘Many familiar things are on hold, normal supports are not accessible and networks that we usually rely on are for now just out of reach. We see mental health and overall well-being as something worth investing in for everybody, regardless of whether you are struggling or not at this particular time. I think it’s never been more important to invest in our well-being.’
Suicide or Survive team members normally travel the country offering various mental health and suicide prevention programmes. They moved their work online in the early wweeks of the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘It has been challenging for us as a charity, especially when it comes to fundraising, but we’re hugely committed to continuing and even expanding our work,’ said Mr Carley.
‘We already had some online programmes on offer such as our wellnessworkshop.ie website and the youmatter. ie youth website so we knew the potential. We also knew the interest was out there so we didn’t waste any time in developing additional online offerings. We are now seeing charities, companies and community groups contacting us to run customised workshops and webinars for them.’
He said that people are tuning in from all over Ireland each day. ‘Our trained facilitators are offering a safe, welcoming and interactive experience that allows participants to receive practical tips to support themselves and their loved ones from the comfort of their own home. This has been particularly important for people who might be feeling isolated, as well as those who can’t generally travel to attend workshops and events.’
The webinars last for around an hour. Participants can register at suicideorsurvive.ie and will then receive a link by email.
It is not necessary to turn on the camera as the only person on screen is the facilitator.
Participants can, however, interact with questions and responses via a moderated chat box.
‘One positive benefit of this stay home and stay safe time has been that many of us have had more time for family, cooking, gardening and DIY. Dedicating some of this time to improving our mental health and overall well-being is a great investment that will have huge benefits for each individual and for the entire family, both now and into the future,’ said Mr Carley.