World Mental Health Day, 10 October
News
09 October 2020
World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilising efforts in support of mental health. This day is a good opportunity to raise awareness of a number of initiatives both in Ireland and Poland in relation to mental health.
- Samaritans in Ireland provides a 24-hour freephone helpline service for people in Ireland who are in distress, struggling to cope and who are in need of emotional support, including those who are feeling suicidal. That support is now being offered to the Irish diaspora living in Poland following a partnership between Samaritans and the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Emigrant Support Programme. Freephone number to call from Poland is: 800 012 274.
No matter what someone’s reason for calling is, Samaritans offers a space to explore how they are feeling, in their own time and their own way.
While Samaritans vision is that fewer people die by suicide, you don’t need to be suicidal to call Samaritans. People have contacted Samaritans for a variety of reasons including anxiety and stress, isolation and loneliness, family issues and relationship problems, physical health/illness, bereavement, violence/abuse, drug and/or alcohol misuse, and finance/unemployment.
Anyone suffering from emotional distress, or who needs a listening ear, can call Samaritans in Ireland anonymously 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers may join a short queue when all volunteers are on calls.
- While the annual Darkness into Light walk unfortunately did not take place in Poland this year, we hope to see a return in 2021. This important initiative raises much needed awareness and funds for both Irish and Polish charity partners.
- Pieta House provide a professional one-to-one therapeutic service to people in Ireland who are in suicidal distress, those who engage in self-harm, and those bereaved by suicide. All services are provided free of charge and no referral is needed. To learn more and to support the work of Pieta House in Ireland, please visit: https://www.pieta.ie/how-we-can-help/know-the-signs/
- The ITAKA Foundation’s Stop Depresji initiative aims to raise awareness about depression in women and men in Poland, providing support in prevention and treatment of depression. Information on this service and how to support this initiative can be found here: https://stopdepresji.pl/