Irish mental health in crisis, warns youth charity

Leading youth mental health charity Jigsaw has warned that the doublewhammy of Covid and the cost-of-living crisis means Ireland’s mental health support services are more stretched than ever before.

New data from Jigsaw reveals the growing demand for its support services. The charity’s latest Annual Report shows that 2021 saw it offer an increasing number of appointments to young people, whilst also receiving its highest ever number of referrals. Referrals to its community-based services were up by 24% year-on-year, and there was an increase of 54% on appointments offered. Additionally, Jigsaw saw a 104% increase in demand for its online Live Chat service, and a 144% increase in demand for its email support.

Worryingly, this is part of a trend reflected across Ireland’s mental health support services. In February, the HSE’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) reported a 40% increase in the number of children waiting to be seen by their services, while Pieta House reported a 20% increase in demand in the first three months of this year. Jigsaw’s research has shown that young people were already facing considerable increases in anxiety, low selfesteem, feelings of isolation and low mood before the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. Now, on top of this, the cost-of-living crisis is deepening financial hardship for many people across Ireland with an array of rising expenses including rent, fuel and food.

‘The message is loud and clear that many of Ireland’s young people are in real distress,’ said Sarah Cullinan, Director of Services at Jigsaw. The full Jigsaw annual report for 2021 is at annualreport2021.jigsaw.ie.