Listen to Jen, Jigsaw clinician, talk about feelings of anxiety and what we can do about them.
Category: Anxiety
Substance use and mental health during COVID-19
Covid-19 has highlighted how our actions impact ourselves and the people around us. It’s helpful to consider how the use of alcohol and drugs can influence and impact our ability to cope with this situation.
Life was tough enough, and Covid-19 can make everything seem harder. Faced with challenging circumstances, alcohol and drugs can seem like a way to cope. We may feel they will help us escape the uncertainty of this pandemic.
Both the Covid-19 situation and substances can impact mental health, so inform yourself as much as possible to make the right decisions for you.
Ask Jigsaw: I can’t seem to feel happy
Hi there i suffered a missed miscarraige in 2016. I had a healthy baby girl june 2017. I struggled with stress and anxiety throughout the whole pregnancy.
I’ve tried to get back to feeling like the person i was before all tbese events but i cant. I cant seem to feel happy anymore and if i do i find myself just wondering when it will go wrong again. Im constantly wound up and feel tense even defencive all the time. I feel like sometimes there is a hand on my chest and throat and i cant breath.
Me and my boyfriend are constantly argueing and most of the time its down to me snapping at him or looking for an arguement. I find im always taking everything thats said to me as a smart comment or a personal attack.
I cant go to my g.p. cause its a man and i dont feel comfortable. Im so fed up of feeling like this and now i think i need some help. Im scared of ruining my relationship and my health. What are my options and do you think i have an issue? Thanks
-Elaine
Hi Elaine,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been through so much over the past few years. Losing a baby is a terrible experience and people deal with the grief and loss in different ways. It is not unusual to for women to experience worry during their pregnancy, and given the experience that you had, it is not surprising that you struggled with stress and anxiety.
What are the mental health services for under-18s?
If you’re under 18 and having a difficult time, there are a few options to consider.
First, is there someone you can talk to about what’s going on? A member of your family or friend that you trust can be a good place to start. Or take a look at the articles here to help you figure out what you need. Sometimes this could be enough or can help you make sense of what you need and what you can do.
If you think you might need to get some support or advice from a professional, we’ve made a list of the mental health services available for young people under 18.
Which one is best for you depends on what you’re going through. Sometimes that initial conversation with a trusted adult helps identify what will help. Also, because of the law on consent, you will need to have a parent/guardian involved to get help from a lot of services and professionals.
So, the best first step is usually telling someone what’s going on for you. If you have a good enough relationship with a parent or guardian this can be a good place to start. If not, think about another adult you trust that you could talk to, like an aunt/uncle, older sibling or family friend.
In this article, you will find:
Family conflict
Conflict within families can be a big source of distress for young people who come to Jigsaw.
Often times, family conflict can bring up feelings of anxiety, anger, confusion or fear. Conflict is when there is a struggle or clash between people who have differences of opinion, interests or attitudes.
Watch: Signs of anxiety
Josh, a Jigsaw Youth Advisory Panel member, talks to Jen, Jigsaw clinician, about how to recognise the signs and symptoms of anxiety.
Feeling anxious as society reopens
Lockdown life since March 2020 brought about many changes for all of us. The easing of restrictions may be very welcome but can bring some feelings of anxiety along with them.
One of the biggest changes for the last year was our social interactions. The on-again off-again seeing people outside the home, led to some creative ways to stay connected. But, it has been a challenge for many to not be able to visit their support systems.
Looking forward to the end of lockdown
If someone told you last Christmas about an impending global pandemic, where people were encouraged to stay at home you would have thought it was science fiction.
Faced with challenging times, we can look for different options to help. Sometimes it’s good to work out what we need in the moment and at that time for support. Other times it can be good to plan for things to look forward to, or work out what’s important to us for the future.
We asked some of our young volunteers around Ireland about what they were looking forward to and wanted to share some of these with you.
Family and friends
Unsurprisingly, a lot of our volunteers mention friends and family.
I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and friends after lockdown. Aisling O’ (18) Meath
Seeing my friends and going shopping. Amina Abdallgany (17) Meath
I am excited to see and spend time with my friends and family. Annemarie Driver (20) Meath
Going back to work, seeing my family and friends. Emily (18) Donegal
Seeing my friends. Daragh Nerney
Being able to go see my granny, friends and extended family members. Ruth O’Dea, Clare/Galway
Hugging my nieces and seeing my family and friends. Visiting my boyfriend whom I haven’t seen in over 4 months. Keith Judge (24) Dublin
Seeing my nana and giving her a hug. I saw her everyday after work and I miss that. Nicola (19) Dublin
I cannot wait to see my friends and family when this is all over! My godson was born the first week of lockdown so I am yet to meet him! This young volunteer has chosen to be anonymous.
Spending time with my friends. Yvonne (24) Limerick
I’m most looking forward to giving all my family and friends and big hug and spending time with them again. Mark (22) Dublin
Ask Jigsaw: Autism Spectrum Disorder and anxiety
Hi I sufferer from autism spectrum disorder sensory processing disorder and anxiety and appsenst seizures how can you help me with my anxiety
-Hozier cork 2019
Hi Hozier cork 2019 ,
Thanks for your message. It sounds like you are having a tough time at the moment. Anxiety is very common when someone has sensory issues such as those related to autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and sensory processing disorder (SPD). Some people feel especially anxious if they find themselves in new or unexpected situations or in places where there is too much sensory information, for example, big crowds. Sometimes with ASD and SPD, it can be extra hard to get used to new things.
When do I need to get help for my mental health?
There are lots of ways to think about and describe mental health. We all have mental health and when we face various challenges it can be impacted.
We can start to find things difficult and may wonder what to do next. There are many different types of support out there to help us look after mental health. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.
Getting support
Not everyone who experiences challenges with their mental health will need to access a service for support. If something is causing you to feel stressed, talk to a good friend, family member or a trusted adult. This can be enough to get you through.