Mental health and addiction conference held in Dundalk

SINN Féin TD and deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald spoken of the ‘positive engagement’ at the conference on ‘Dual Diagnosis: Mental Health and Addiction held in Dundalk on Friday last.

‘Dual Diagnosis’ is the term used when a person suffers from both a substance abuse problem and another mental health issue such as depression or an anxiety disorder.

Evidence has shown that it is only when both conditions are treated that a successful recovery can be made.

Deputy McDonald, who was instrumental in bringing the conference to Dundalk said:

‘We had a very positive and informed engagement at our final regional conference on Dual Diagnosis: mental health and addiction in Dundalk.’

‘We heard from professionals from the HSE and those who work in the voluntary sector, but most poignantly of all, we heard from service users.

As at all our other conferences I have held across the country on this subject, this conference was about listening to people. Letting people tell their stories and talk about their experiences. Therein lays the success of these conferences.The large attendance showed that there is a growing awareness of the issue. There is a growing awareness that people should be treated holistically.’

She added: ‘I welcome that the HSE recognise that there is a problem and is addressing it. There should be an integration of both addiction and mental health services. Mental illness and addiction can be two sides of the same coin. If you don’t treat them together, you can’t beat either. This is what we heard in Dundalk and at our other conferences.’

‘I have made it clear that tackling problems around mental health and addiction is not about political point scoring. It’s about getting things right and meeting those problems head on.’