Christmas for many is a season of hope and celebration, but it can often feel overwhelming.
Category: Friends
Issues facing young people who are immigrants
It’s not easy being an immigrant in Ireland. Some people had never heard of Ireland before they moved here, others knew very little about it. Even what language was spoken.
It can be very difficult landing in a country when you don’t know much about it.
This article covers:
Supporting migrants from war-torn areas
Hearing stories about conflict in other countries can bring up a number of feelings.
Rolling news about events such as the war in Ukraine and other conflict areas, can be overwhelming and leave us with a sense of helplessness at not knowing what to do.
Connecting with others
We can also feel empathy and sympathy for what our fellow human beings are going through.
Part of being human means we can connect with people we have never met, worrying about their situation and feeling their distress. It’s not unusual to feel different emotions at one time.
Fleeing a war-torn country is a very challenging thing for someone to do. People are forced to leave family members, homes, pets, jobs, and careers, as well as their social community.
Adjusting to being in a new country you didn’t necessarily choose isn’t easy. There may be many barriers to settling in, such as language and different cultural norms, like foods that are eaten.
Fitting in at school
It can seem like everyone else has found their group and is fitting in at school. We can end up feeling very lonely and isolated when we don’t feel we fit in.
If you feel like you don’t fit in, you’re not on your own. According to My World Survey 2, over one in five young people considered friends to be a source of stress. 39% of adolescents reported that they had experienced bullying at some point in their lives.
As we get older, we tend to spend much less time with family and more time with friends. For many young people, fitting in is really important. It seems that everybody wants to be popular. This can lead to social rivalry, competition and bullying, particularly in school.
When you feel like you don’t fit in, it can be an extremely tough experience. There are no easy answers, but some of the following may help.
Ask Jigsaw: Friend wants to self-harm
My best friend who is 14 wants to harm herself and I’m able to talk her out of it a lot but I’m afraid if someday I’m not there to help or give her the advice she needs or something like that.
I could really use some help here I’ve already recommended this website for her. I really need help with what to do for her because I am worrying a lot because of this. Please contact me for advice I should give to her. Thanks
-Five
Assertive communication
Assertive communication means expressing ourselves in a direct, open and honest way that is respectful of other people.
It is about communicating our needs to another person and working towards ‘win-win’ solutions to avoid confrontation.
Imagine a seesaw where passive communication is on one side and aggressiveness on the other. Assertiveness is the neutral, level middle ground.
Using technology to support your mental health
We hear a lot about the downside of technology, and how we should try to spend less time on it. But the pros of technology have also become obvious.
Our need for connection and fun is still clear. Though at present, our usual routines have been disrupted and everything is a little bit out of sorts.
But we have to adapt to the way the world is now and reach out in ways that we can. We need to restructure how we do the things that help our mental health, and technology can help.
Jigsaw clinicians Vicky, Sarah, Valerija and Aoife discuss how they use technology to support their mental health during this time.
Ask Jigsaw: I want to help my friend but I don’t know what to do
A close friend of mine is going through a very tough time at the moment and I dont know what to do. Her parents wont help her get support because they dont understand what shes going through. I want to help her but I dont know what to do. She is willing to try a chat anonymously but I dont know where to find any number, can you help?
-Bumblebee
Hello Bumblebee,
It sounds like you and your friend have a very close relationship, and it’s great that she trusts you enough to share her problems with you. As she has not told many others, particularly her parents, it might feel like there is pressure for you to support her on your own. There are lots of things that you can do to support your friend. However, you are right to suggest that your friend gets help from others. Dealing with this on your own could lead you to feel a little stressed yourself, so do make sure you are looking after your own mental health.
Exercise, mental health and social distancing
Exercise is good for our physical and mental health. It has been really important to look after all aspects of our health during the pandemic.
For some of us, the word exercise can be off putting. However, it simply means to be active. It doesn’t have to mean going to the gym or taking part in competitive team sports.
We can view exercise as any activity that gets our body moving, increases our heart rate and breathing. Read more about how exercise can impact mental health.
However we choose to be active, it’s really important we remember to follow the guidelines on social distancing.
Coming out about your sexuality
Whether it’s your first time coming out, or your hundredth, it can be both a daunting and liberating time.
Coming out begins with coming out to ourselves. We need to allow time to explore and discover who we are physically, romantically and sexually attracted to. Here are some tips that can be helpful to remember.