As a parent or guardian, hearing about young people harming themselves can be really alarming and difficult to understand.
If you suspect that your young person is harming themselves, there is a lot you can do to support them.
Brings categories: parent or guardian
Webinar: Supporting during lockdown
This is a recording of a webinar for parents about how to support young people while in lockdown for the prevention of Covid-19.
Jen and Vanessa presented a piece about compassion-focused support and took questions live from parents and responded.
Webinars to support youth mental health
Check out the webinar recording for parents on supporting young people with anxiety .
Supporting young people’s mental health during the pandemic
Through Jigsaw’s work with young people, we are continuously reminded of the challenges parents face, and their desire to help.
It is no easy feat being a parent. The biggest issues right now are dealing with the threat of lockdown, ongoing restrictions, and the uncertainty they all bring.
The pandemic has brought uncertainty and a rapid change to our lifestyle. It has increased the potential for anxiety and frustration, not only for young people, but also for parents.
Ask Jigsaw: Fear of failure
Do you have any info as to where a 25 year old male could get advice about finding a job? His anxiety and depression means he has never succesfully held down a job.
Fear of failure stops him from giving anything a fair go but not having a job adds to his sense of worthlessness. He says he would like to find a foolproof job that he couldnt make a mistake at. He is in cork area.
-Alfie
Hi Alfie,
It sounds like your friend is stuck in a bit of a negative cycle. He doesn’t believe he can be successful in a job. This worry or fear then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
SNACK self-care tool
Mental health services for under 18s
It can be an overwhelming experience for a parent when your child is experiencing difficulties with their mental health.
There are many supports available to you and your son or daughter, but knowing what mental health services there are how and how to access them isn’t always easy.
Below we’ve listed some of the mental health services for under 18s in Ireland, how to access them, and costs. The service or organisation you go to depends on what your child is going through is considered mild, or more severe in nature. The first step to knowing this is going to your GP.
Anxiety about health and coronavirus
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a situation where we have to be mindful about our health and wellbeing.
As we return to schools, colleges and workplaces, we are being told how to keep safe, recognise symptoms and respond if we become ill. If you do notice worrying symptoms, follow the HSE advice: phone the GP to make sure you are OK and discuss what care you might need. However, many of us are feeling increased anxiety about our health which is not helpful.
Although things are starting to return to normal, many of us are still unable to take part in our pre-covid routines. We may have lost previous coping strategies or fallen into unhelpful habits during the period of lockdown. The current situation can increase worry about our own health, and that of others. This stress in itself can impact our physical health. For this reason, we must do our best to manage stress.
Developing routines for the family
It makes sense to try to retain a level of stability in an uncertain world. But, developing a routine to suit everyone in the household can be a real challenge.
Watch: Supporting my family’s mental health
Without a doubt, supporting young people during the pandemic has been a challenge.
Some parents have started to find ways to adapt, and many are still tearing their hair out.
Know you’re not alone
There is no easy answer or magic bullet when it comes to supporting young people’s mental health. However, it can be useful to hear what others are doing and know you are not alone!
To support parents in supporting young people, Jigsaw are running a series of webinars on relevant topics for parents.
In this video, parents Bríd and Gerry share things they do to support the mental health of their young people.
Webinar: Supporting young people to stay positive
We ran a webinar for parents on Monday, 27 April where two Jigsaw clinicians gave a presentation on supporting young people to stay positive and motivated. They then took questions from parents about what was going on for them.
The lockdown has gone on longer than any of us could have foreseen at the beginning and is now what people are calling the ‘new normal’. However, it can still feel far from normal particularly with things like school, college and work suspended, uncertain or over in some cases.
Keeping yourself and the young people in your life positive and motivated right now can take a bit of of extra work. Hopefully, this webinar covers useful tips for you to try at this time.